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.
Don't Let Me Down
Bobby Womack Lyrics
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Don't Let Me Down
Don't Let Me Down
Don't Let Me Down
Don't Lemme Down
Don't Let Me Down
Don't Let Me Down
Oh Don't Let Me Down Girl
I'm doin the best that I can, girl
You give a good man -- you misunderstand
Before you embark on new romance
Why don't you state your reasons -- don't state your facts
But do just like -- don't take me back
Ohhhh! don't Awww!! don't let me down, don't let me down, mama
Awww, dont let me down, down, down
Don't You let Me Down
Don't You let Me Down
Don't You let Me Down
Don't Lemme Down
Put yourself in my place --
Youll look out tryin to win that race
In the world only the strong survive --
Hustlin' bustlin' all that jive
Now, you can see where I'm coming from, Yeah
Girl on me -- don't run so far
Awwww! Don't --
Girl if you ever do anything to me, don't let me down
Awww. don't let me down, down, down
Don't you let me down. girl
Don't you let me down, girl
Don't you let me down, girl
Don't Don't let me down
Don't let me down, girl
Don't let me down, girl
Do just one thing,
just one thing for me
You just take my
heart out of misery
The lyrics of Bobby Womack’s “Don’t Let Me Down” convey a love that is complicated and risky. Womack pleads with his lover not to let him down as he tries his best to be the man she desires. The song opens with a chorus of repetitions of the title phrase, emphasizing the urgency of Womack’s message. He then tells his lover that he is doing the best he can but feels misunderstood. He warns her to be clear about her reasons before starting a new romance and to avoid taking him back if she ultimately decides to leave him for someone else. As the song progresses, Womack reminds his lover that only those who are strong can survive in the world of love and that she must not run too far away from him. In the end, Womack begs his lover to take his heart out of misery by not letting him down.
The lyrics of “Don’t Let Me Down” reflect the turmoil in Womack’s personal life at the time he wrote the song. He was struggling with drug addiction, and his marriage was falling apart. His wife, Barbara, had recently left him, and he was unable to reconcile with her. “Don’t Let Me Down” was released in 1976, two years after the couple divorced. Womack’s sincere and desperate lyrics suggest that the song is autobiographical and that he is singing directly to Barbara.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey!
Introduction
Don't Let Me Down
Request to not be let down
Don't Let Me Down
Request to not be let down
Don't Let Me Down
Request to not be let down
Don't Lemme Down
Request to not be let down
Don't Let Me Down
Request to not be let down
Don't Let Me Down
Request to not be let down
Oh Don't Let Me Down Girl
Request to not be let down addressed to a girl
I'm doin the best that I can, girl
Admission of doing best but still requesting not to be let down
You give a good man -- you misunderstand
Accusation of being misunderstood despite being a good man
Before you embark on new romance
Advice to consider before starting a new relationship
Why don't you state your reasons -- don't state your facts
Advice to communicate reasons instead of just facts
But do just like -- don't take me back
Request to move on instead of taking back
Ohhhh! don't Awww!! don't let me down, don't let me down, mama
Repetition of request to not be let down
Awww, dont let me down, down, down
Reiteration of request to not be let down
Don't You let Me Down
Request to not be let down
Don't You let Me Down
Request to not be let down
Don't You let Me Down
Request to not be let down
Don't Lemme Down
Request to not be let down
Put yourself in my place --
Request to empathize with the singer's situation
Youll look out tryin to win that race
Description of the struggle to succeed
In the world only the strong survive --
Recognition that only the strong succeed in the world
Hustlin' bustlin' all that jive
Reference to the hard work required for success
Now, you can see where I'm coming from, Yeah
Assumption that the listener understands the singer's perspective
Girl on me -- don't run so far
Request to not run away
Awwww! Don't --
Reiteration of request to not be let down
Girl if you ever do anything to me, don't let me down
Warning that any negative action should not lead to being let down
Awww. don't let me down, down, down
Repetition of request to not be let down
Don't you let me down. girl
Request to not be let down addressed to a girl
Don't you let me down, girl
Request to not be let down addressed to a girl
Don't you let me down, girl
Request to not be let down addressed to a girl
Don't Don't let me down
Repetition of request to not be let down
Don't let me down, girl
Request to not be let down addressed to a girl
Don't let me down, girl
Request to not be let down addressed to a girl
Do just one thing,
Request for a specific action
just one thing for me
Specification of what the request is for
You just take my
Instruction to take something
heart out of misery
Specification of what should be taken
Contributed by Charlie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.