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.
Christmas Ain't Christmas
Bobby Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without the one you love (no, it ain't, without the one you love)
New Year's just ain't New Year's (New Year's)
Without the one you love (makes me feels so sad in my heart)
Christmas just ain't Christmas
Without the one you love ('cause I lost my baby, oh, yeah)
New Year's just ain't New Year's (New Year's)
Underneath the mistletoe
I saw a face all aglow
Last year this time
Now I'm staying home alone
And my house is, oh, not a home
Without this girl, without this girl of mine
Christmas just ain't Christmas (Christmas)
Without the one you love
And New Year's just ain't New Year's (New Year's)
Without the one you love (no, no, no, no, oh)
Twelve o'clock and all is well
I was doing so swell
Last year, this time
Goin' shopping with friends together
Making a vow, leaving each other never
It was a waste, a waste of time
Christmas just ain't Christmas (Christmas)
Without the one you love (I'll tell ya, tell ya that I lost my baby)
New Year's just ain't New Year's
Without the one you love
Since I lost this baby
Baby, you're my love
Christmas just ain't Christmas
Without the one you love
New Year's just ain't New Year's (New Year's, New Year's)
Without the one you love (it just don't feel the same, ay, ay, ay, ay)
Christmas just ain't Christmas (I want back my baby, oh Lord)
Without the one you love
New Year's just ain't New Year's
Without the one you love (ah)
Christmas just ain't Christmas (no, no)
Without the one you love (what make it so bad?)
New Year's just ain't New Year's (oh yeah)
Without the one you love (can't you see, can't you see...)
Bobby Womack's song "Christmas Ain't Christmas" communicates the feeling of loneliness and heartache during the holiday season. The song emphasizes the emptiness felt when celebrating special occasions without the person you love. The opening lyrics, "Christmas just ain't Christmas without the one you love," directly expresses that the holiday is just not the same if you can't spend it with someone you care about. The pain of being alone is further emphasized in the second verse where he describes a past Christmas where he went shopping with friends, but now he is "staying home alone." The emotions behind the lyrics are captured through slow and melancholic melodies, which help to convey the sense of loss and loneliness.
The chorus repeats twice in the song, each time highlighting the importance of being with the person you love during Christmas and New Year's Eve. The line, "New Year's just ain't New Year's without the one you love," implies that the New Year's holiday is also affected by the same emotional weight as Christmas. The second verse, "Twelve o'clock and all is well, I was doing so well ... It was a waste, a waste of time," further stresses the sense of loss and heartache. The song is a classic that has been played for decades and continues to remind people that this time can be tough for those who are alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Christmas just ain't Christmas
The holiday season feels empty and incomplete
Without the one you love
If you're not with the person you love
New Year's just ain't New Year's
New Year's Eve is not a special occasion
Makes me feel so sad in my heart
It's a source of emotional pain and melancholy
'Cause I lost my baby, oh, yeah
The artist has lost their significant other
Underneath the mistletoe
In a romantic holiday setting
I saw a face all aglow
They remember the happiness they felt last year
Now I'm staying home alone
This year, they're spending the holiday season alone
And my house is, oh, not a home
The absence of their love makes their home feel empty
Without this girl, without this girl of mine
Their girlfriend is the missing piece of their life
Twelve o'clock and all is well
The beginning of the new year
I was doing so swell
Last year, they were happy and doing well
Goin' shopping with friends together
They had a fun time with their friends
Making a vow, leaving each other never
They made a commitment to staying together forever
It was a waste, a waste of time
Their past happiness was for nothing
Since I lost this baby
Since they lost their significant other
Baby, you're my love
Their girlfriend was their one true love
What make it so bad?
The situation is particularly difficult
Can't you see, can't you see...
The singer is pleading that others understand their pain
Writer(s): Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
Contributed by Anna J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.