And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know ...

Picture by: Youtube / Bill Withers

I've always been fascinated with the story behind the art, and how art is connected to the past. Many times the unintentional creates unforgettable which embolden generations of artists, allowing their art to live forever. In this case, the song "Ain't no Sunshine" by the late great Bill Withers, tells us how he came up with the iconic "I know" line.

For anyone who has heard this song, Bill soulfully sings "I know" 26 times before going into his third verse, creating a timeless, unforgettable melody. Withers intended to write more lyrics instead of repeating the phrase, however, he was informed by several famous musicians to keep it. The melody of the song later became a hit and influenced several artists across all genres to use the tune.

Even gospel got in on the game. The Sensational Angelettes’ "I Heard a Voice PT 1" cheerfully borrows the melody of “Ain’t No Sunshine” for something that sounds more spiritually motivating for the soul. It was part of a collection of compelling gospel recordings from the late 60s and early 70s, filled with the soulful sounds of Dave Hamilton.

Fast forward to the present day, I unintentionally sampled the "I Heard a Voice PT 1" and repeated "--to me and rest" because I didn't know what I was doing. Consequently, I had a couple of artist friends tell me to keep it which now makes up a complete beat of my song "Wake." My song contains the same melodies from the '60s allowing their art to live on. Keep creating and you will live forever.

Art by: Hamza Matoussi

written by: David the IV aka the Flea