"Ain't No Sunshine" is a song by Bill Withers from his 1971 album Just As I Am. The song was released as a single in September 1971 and became a breakthrough hit for Withers, reaching number six on the U.S. R&B chart and number three on the U.S. Pop chart. Withers was still working at a factory that made toilet seats for 747s when he recorded the song. He originally intended to write more lyrics for the part of the song where he repeats the phrase "I know" twenty-six times, but the other musicians told him to leave it. "I was this factory worker puttering around", Withers said. "So when they said to leave it like that, I left it." Withers told Songfacts.com that he was inspired to write this song after watching the 1962 movie Days of Wine and Roses. "Ain't No Sunshine" is ranked 280th on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.