Taking after their father, who sang gospel music, Bobby Womack and his brothers formed their own group in 1952. In 1954, under the moniker Curtis Womack and the Womack Brothers, the group issued the Pennant single, "Buffalo Bill". Bobby Womack was only ten years old at the time. Sam Cooke took an interest in the Womack Brothers, and they recorded for Cooke's SAR record label in the early 1960s. Renamed the Valentinos, and encouraged by Cooke to go in a more secular and commercial direction, they scored a hit with Womack's "It's All Over Now" in 1964; the Rolling Stones' version of the song became a major hit, earning Womack generous royalty payments.
Sam Cooke died in late 1964; Womack married Cooke's widow, Barbara, a short time later, creating something of a scandal. Things became even more complicated when his younger brother, Cecil, married Cooke's daughter, Linda. As a session guitarist, Womack worked at producer Chips Moman's American Studios in Memphis, and played on recordings by Joe Tex and The Box Tops. Until this point, around 1967, he had had little success as a solo artist, but at American he began to record a string of classic soul-music singles including the 1968 "What Is This" (his first chart hit), "It's Gonna Rain" and "More Than I Can Stand," all of which featured his elegant, understated rhythm-guitar work and his impassioned vocals. During this period he became known as a songwriter, contributing many songs to the repertoire of Wilson Pickett; these include "I'm in Love" and "I'm a Midnight Mover."
After moving to the United Artists label in the early '70s, he released the album Communication, and on an album with guitarist Gabor Szabo introduced his song "Breezin'," which later became a hit for George Benson. He also became known for his interesting taste in cover versions, essaying Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin' " as well as "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)" and James Taylor's "Fire and Rain'" and "California Dreamin'." Perhaps his most well-known work from this period is as guitarist on Sly & the Family Stone's 1971 There's a Riot Goin' On.
He continued to have hits into the '70s; these include "Lookin' for a Love" (a remake of his 1962 Valentinos single), "Across 110th Street," "Woman's Gotta Have It" (covered by James Taylor in 1976), "You're Welcome, Stop on By," and the masterful "Daylight." All are excellent examples of burnished yet gritty 1970s soul music, and reveal a pop-music sensibility akin to that of Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield.
Bobby Womack's 1981 album The Poet was a surprise hit and contained the hit single "If You Think You're Lonely Now." K-Ci Hailey, a notable admirer of Womack's work, covered "If You Think You're Lonely Now" in 1994. The song is referenced in Mariah Carey's song "We Belong Together", a number-one hit in June 2005. Carey sings "I can't sleep at night /When you are on my mind / Bobby Womack's on the radio / Singing to me: 'If you think you're lonely now.'"
Film director Quentin Tarantino used "Across 110th Street" (which, in a different version, had been the title song of the 1972 movie) in the opening and closing sequences of his 1997 film Jackie Brown.
A 2003 Saab commercial shone a spotlight on Womack’s interpretation of "California Dreamin'".
In 2010, Womack contributed lyrics and sang on "Stylo" alongside Mos Def, the first single from the third Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach. Womack was told to sing whatever was on his mind during the recording of "Stylo". "I was in there for an hour going crazy about love and politics, getting it off my chest", said Womack.[4] He also provides vocals on the song "Cloud of Unknowing".
In 2010 Bobby Womack appeared on the main pyramid stage at Glastonbury with the Gorillaz.
The Bravest Man in the World Songfacts reports in 2012, Womack's first album of original material since 1994's Resurrection was released. The Bravest Man in the World was produced by Damon Albarn of Gorillaz and XL Recordings boss, Richard Russell.
Womack died on June 27, 2014 at age 70.
A World Where No One Cries
Bobby Womack Lyrics
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To do it with me
You know what I mean?
There's a dream I keep dreamin'
Somehow it just won't seem to go away
Lord, if I can make, make someone
Else believe it
It just might come true someday, oh
Imagine people lovin' people, well well
No sign of hatred in their eyes
Where children grow up
Without hunger or sorrow
I'd like to live, live in a world where no one cries
Oh, just let me live in a world where no one cries
Oh, it's just a dream, just a dream to me
Oh, one day, one day it just might become a reality
Oh, the people in the world, if they can only see
What would this world be like
If everyone were singin' in the same key to me, that's harmony
And there are those, who say I am foolish
To think things that could never never be
Oh, how can they expect to reach out, reach out to somethin'
That their mind refuse to see, ooh
Let me live, let me live in a world where no one cries
Just let me live in a world where no one cries
No matter where I, road will lead me
Always keep the dream, keep the dream alive
But I can wake up, you find that I am livin'
Livin' in a world
Livin' in a world where no one cries
Just let me live
Live in a world where no one cries
Everyday, everyday would be like Sunday
Oh yes, it will
I know, I know, I know, I know, I will
Listen, let me tell you my story
Why can't we?
Why can't we, we just respect each other
Without yeah
The song "A World Where No One Cries" by Bobby Womack is an earnest plea to imagine a world free of pain, hunger, and sorrow. The first verse begins with a wish to share a moment of connection with someone special, emphasizing the importance of empathy and care in a world that is often cold and indifferent. The second verse espouses the dream of a world where people love one another without any trace of hate in their eyes. The singer yearns for a place where children grow up free of hunger, poverty, and despair. The chorus reiterates this dream, which seems almost impossible to believe, yet the singer remains steadfast in his vision of a world where no one cries.
The third verse acknowledges the skeptics who dismiss such a dream as foolish and unrealistic, while the singer urges them to open their minds and hearts to a higher possibility of harmony and unity. The final verse speaks of a personal journey of hope, where the singer keeps the dream alive, no matter where the road may lead him. The song ends on a hopeful and uplifting note, asserting the singer's unshakable faith in a world where no one cries.
Overall, "A World Where No One Cries" is an idealistic and inspiring song that urges us to imagine a better world and work towards making it a reality. It advocates for compassion, empathy, and social justice, and highlights the importance of holding on to hope and faith in the face of adversity and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
You know every now and then it's just nice
To do it with me
You know what I mean?
Sometimes it's good to have someone to support and understand you.
There's a dream I keep dreamin'
Somehow it just won't seem to go away
Lord, if I can make, make someone
Else believe it
It just might come true someday, oh
I have a dream that I believe can come true if I can convince others to also believe in it.
Imagine people lovin' people, well well
No sign of hatred in their eyes
Where children grow up
Without hunger or sorrow
I'd like to live, live in a world where no one cries
Oh, just let me live in a world where no one cries
I envision a world where people love each other, hunger and sadness do not exist, and tears cannot fall.
Oh, it's just a dream, just a dream to me
Oh, one day, one day it just might become a reality
Oh, the people in the world, if they can only see
What would this world be like
If everyone were singin' in the same key to me, that's harmony
Though it may only be a dream, there is still hope that it could become reality if everyone worked together in harmony.
And there are those, who say I am foolish
To think things that could never never be
Oh, how can they expect to reach out, reach out to somethin'
That their mind refuse to see, ooh
Some people criticize me for dreaming of a world without tears, but they cannot see past their own disbelief.
No matter where I, road will lead me
Always keep the dream, keep the dream alive
But I can wake up, you find that I am livin'
Livin' in a world
Livin' in a world where no one cries
Just let me live
Live in a world where no one cries
Wherever my journey takes me, I will always hold onto my dream of a tearless world, and maybe someday it will become a reality.
Everyday, everyday would be like Sunday
Oh yes, it will
I know, I know, I know, I know, I will
Listen, let me tell you my story
In a world without tears, every day would be like a peaceful Sunday.
Why can't we?
Why can't we, we just respect each other
Without yeah
Why can't we just respect each other without any conditions or exceptions?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: BOBBY WOMACK, HAROLD TIMOTHY PAYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind