William Bell
William Bell is an American soul singer and songwriter born on July 16, 1939, in Memphis, Tennessee, originally named William Yarbrough. He adopted his stage name to honor his grandmother Belle and began singing in church as a child, influenced by gospel groups like the Soul Stirrers led by Sam Cooke.
Bell started songwriting at age ten with "Alone on a Rainy Night" and won a talent contest at 14, performing in Memphis clubs. In the late 1950s, he formed the group Del-Rios and gigged with local orchestras before signing as Stax Records' first solo male artist in 1961, releasing his debut single "You Don't Miss Your Water."
After military service, Bell returned to Stax, releasing his debut album The Soul of a Bell in 1969, featuring the Top 20 hit "Everybody Loves a Winner." He co-wrote the blues classic "Born Under a Bad Sign" with Booker T. Jones, popularized by Albert King and Cream.
In 1968, his duet "Private Number" with Judy Clay reached the UK top 10. After Stax closed in 1975, Bell relocated to Atlanta, founded Peachtree Records, and scored his biggest U.S. hit, "Tryin' to Love Two" (1977 on Mercury), which topped the R&B chart and hit No. 10 on pop.
Bell received a Grammy for Best Americana Album for This Is Where I Live (2017) and multiple Blues Music Award nominations. Still active into his 80s from Atlanta, he remains a soul pioneer with a seven-decade career as singer, songwriter, producer, and label owner.
Bound to Happen
Written-By – W. Bell
2:19
A2 Hey Western Union Man
Written-By – Butler, Gamble, Huff
3:02
A3 My Whole World Is Falling Down
Written-By – Crutcher, Jones
3:08
A4 Everyday People
Written-By – Stewart
2:40
A5 Johnny I Love You
Written-By – Jones
2:34
A6 All God's Children Got Soul
Written-By – Jones, Bell
2:57
B1 Happy
Written-By – B.T. Jones, W. Bell
2:34
B2 By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Written-By – Jim Webb
2:50
B3 Bring The Curtain Down
Written-By – B.T. Jones, W. Bell
2:27
B4 A Smile Can't Hide (A Broken Heart)
Written-By – B.T. Jones, W. Bell
2:29
B5 Born Under A Bad Sign
Written-By – B.T. Jones
3:11
B6 I Got A Sure Thing
Written-By – B.T. Jones, W. Bell
2:19
Label: Stax – STS 2014
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1969
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Southern Soul
Released in 1969, William Bell’s Bound to Happen is a polished,mid-tempo Southern Soul album produced by Booker T. Jones, featuring the MGs and Memphis Horns. It showcases Bell's smooth vocals on tracks like "My Whole World Is Falling Down" and a version of "Born Under a Bad Sign," blending sweet soul with classic Memphis grit.
Produced by Booker T. Jones, the album has a slightly smoother, more sophisticated feel compared to other 1969 Stax releases.
Key Tracks:-
"I Forgot to Be Your Lover": This "deep soul classic" is universally cited as the album’s emotional core. It has since gained legendary status, notably being sampled by hip-hop artists like Dilated Peoples.
"My Whole World Is Falling Down": A standout ballad that highlights Bell’s ability to "tear out your heart" with a single phrase.
"Born Under a Bad Sign": Originally written by Bell and Jones for Albert King, Bell’s own version here is noted for its "funky gospel feel" and "rock vibe".
"All God’s Children Got Soul": A high-energy, "stompin'" track that demonstrates Bell’s range beyond slow-burn ballads.
While not as commercially successful as his previous work, it is regarded as a solid, well-produced album, sometimes packaged with his 1971 album Wow... Rate Your Music.
Surprisingly, the hit single "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" is sometimes omitted from original pressings, despite being released in the same era.
The album is generally well-regarded by soul music fans, with Discogs users rating it highly. Many retrospective reviews argue Bell was unfairly overshadowed by labelmates like Otis Redding, positioning this album as proof of his standing as a premier soul vocalist.
Coming Back For More
Written-By – Paul Mitchell, William Bell 3:28
A2 If Sex Was All We Had
Written-By – Paul Mitchell, William Bell 6:19
A3 Relax
Written-By – James McDuffie, Paul Mitchell, William Bell 3:01
A4 You Don't Miss Your Water
Written-By – William Bell 5:03
A5 Malnutrition
Written-By – William Bell 3:06
B1 Coming Back For More
Written-By – Paul Mitchell, William Bell 3:15
B2 Just Another Way To Feel
Written-By – Paul Mitchell 6:05
B3 I Absotively, Posolutely Love You
Written-By – Paul Mitchell, William Bell 3:18
B4 I Wake Up Cryin'
Written-By – Burt Bacharach / Hal David 3:52
B5 You've Really Got A Hold On Me
Written-By – William "Smokey" Robinson 3:03
Label: Mercury – SRM-1-1146
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Southern Soul
Coming Back for More is a soul album by American singer William Bell, often noted as his commercial and artistic peak. It was released on the Mercury label and produced by Bell himself and Paul Mitchell.
Billed on its original release as Bell's comeback album, Coming Back for More showcases a distinct 1970s soul sound, moving away from his earlier Stax Records Memphis/Southern Soul style. The album is characterized by Bell's warm, soulful voice shining through tracks that mix traditional soul with funk influences and lush string arrangements.
The album's success was driven largely by its biggest single, "Tryin' to Love Two," which was his most commercially successful song and a Top 40 hit, reaching number 10 on the Billboard R&B chart. The album itself peaked at No. 63 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Most of the songs on the album were written by Bell and co-producer Paul Mitchell, and it also features remakes of his early Stax hit "You Don't Miss Your Water" and the Smokey Robinson classic "You've Really Got a Hold on Me".
Considered a strong entry in his catalog, a great representation of 70s soul, and a testament to Bell's lasting appeal as a soul singer, Coming Back for More is a beloved album for its blend of classic soul emotion with 70s production, solidifying William Bell's status as a timeless artist, especially for fans of melodic, heartfelt soul music.
Phases Of Reality
A2 True Love Don't Come Easy (Harold Beane, William Bell 2:49)
A3 Fifty Dollar Habit (Horace Shipp, Jr., William Bell 3:33)
A4 What I Don't Know Won't Hurt Me (George Soule, Steve Wiggins 3:44)
B1 Phases Of Reality (William Bell 3:09)
B2 If You Really Love Him (George Soule, Terry Woodford 3:57)
B3 Lonely For Your Love (William Bell 2:45)
B4 The Man In The Street (Horace Shipp, Jr., William Bell 2:56)
Label: Stax – STS-3005
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Southern Soul
William Bell's 1972 album, Phases of Reality, is a Southern Soul masterpiece, noted for its thoughtful themes and Bell's understated yet powerful vocal delivery.
While not as widely remembered as it should be, the album is lauded for its perfect execution of great songs that tackle social consciousness alongside themes of love and pain, though its quirky, sci-fi-influenced cover was unusual for its time.
The Stax Records release is considered one of Bell's finest, characterized by a sound that sometimes leans towards the smoother style of Al Green and Hi Records.
The album explores life, love, pain, and the state of African-Americans in the early 1970s. Some songs have a specific social consciousness focus.
Critics praise Bell's ability to deliver subtle, thoughtful songs with emotional tenderness and "fire," despite being a less assertive vocalist than some of his peers.
The sound is rooted in Southern Soul, but with stylistic comparisons to Al Green and Hi Records due to its production and arrangements, notes Funk My Soul.
It was recorded in Muscle Shoals and features the Sweet Inspirations on the track "True Love Don't Come Easy," a notable mix of country and soul.
Despite its quality, the album is often underappreciated. It was Bell's final Stax album before the label closed.