James Blake has taken on a song by the late Bill Withers, ‘Hope She’ll Be Happier’, as part of Spotify’s ongoing Singles series.
The cover, released today (September 22), was paired with an in-studio live version of Blake’s recent single ‘Say What You Will’. Both tracks were recorded in Los Angeles, where Blake lives with his partner Jameela Jamil.
Blake has performed ‘Hope She’ll Be Happier’ live several times in concert over the years, frequently pairing it with his song ‘Radio Silence’ – which itself is based off a sample of the Withers song.
Listen to the cover below:
‘Hope She’ll Be Happier’ originally appeared on ‘Just As I Am’, Withers’ debut album, in May of 1971. The album also featured the singles ‘Grandma’s Hands’ and ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, the latter of which is considered one of Withers’ signature songs.
Withers passed away in March 2020 at the age of 81. Days after his passing, Blake performed ‘Hope She’ll Be Happier’ during an Instagram Live performance, describing it as “one of [his] favourite Bill Withers songs.”
Blake is currently gearing up towards the release of his fourth studio album, ‘Friends That Break Your Heart’. Originally scheduled for release on September 10, it was later pushed to October 8. It features the aforementioned ‘Say What You Will’, as well as the singles ‘Life is Not the Same’ and ‘Famous Last Words’. Blake and his band will tour the album in 2022.