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 Look Back
Bobby Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't run it, you can't hide it, you can't run it
Love has problems I know but there problems, we'll just have to face.
If you just put your hand in mine,
We're gonna leave all our troubles behind.
We're gonna walk and don't look back.
Don't look back
And don't look back
Don't look back
The places behind you let them re-remind you
If your first lover broke your heart,
There's something that can be done.
You don't run it, you don't hide it, you don't run it
Don't end your faith in love because of what he's done.
So if you just put your hand in mine,
We're gonna leave all our troubles behind.
Keep on walking and don't look back.
Forget about the past now.
Don't look back, baby.
Keep on walking and don't look back
The places behind you let them re-remind you.
Love can be a beautiful thing.
Though your first love let you down.
'Cause I know we can make love bloom, baby.
The second time around.
So if you just put your hand in mine,
We're gonna leave all our troubles behind.
Keep on pushing and don't look back.
Now, till I say, we won't look back, girl.
Keep on walking and won't look back.
Forget about the past now, baby.
And don't look back.
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, don't look back.
The song "Don't Look Back" by Bobby Womack is about a couple who is experiencing problems in their relationship. The singer encourages his partner not to give up on love just because of past heartbreak. He reminds her that love has its challenges and problems, but they must face them together, without running away or hiding. The chorus echoes this sentiment, urging the listener to move forward and leave their troubles behind without looking back.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea that love can be worth a second chance. Womack believes that even if one has endured heartbreak before, there is still hope for a successful relationship in the future. The singer reassures his partner that they can make their love bloom, even after a previous love affair has ended in disappointment.
Overall, the message of the song is that love requires work, commitment and perseverance. One should not give up on love solely because of past negative experiences, but instead should continue to move forward and take a chance on a new relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
If it's love that you're running from, there's no hiding place.
You cannot escape or hide from love, no matter how much you try to run away from it.
Love has problems I know but there problems, we'll just have to face.
Love comes with its own set of problems, but we will have to face them together and solve them.
If you just put your hand in mine, We're gonna leave all our troubles behind.
If you trust me and hold my hand, we can leave behind all our troubles and worries.
We're gonna walk and don't look back.
We will keep moving forward without dwelling on the past or looking back.
Don't look back And don't look back And don't look back, baby. Don't look back.
Refrain from looking back at the past or past mistakes, let's move on and create a better future together.
The places behind you let them re-remind you
The past experiences remind us of what we have overcome and how far we have come, so do not forget the lessons learned.
If your first lover broke your heart, There's something that can be done.
Even if your first love let you down, there is always hope and something that can be done to heal the wounds and find love again.
Keep on walking and don't look back.
Keep moving forward without getting stuck in the past, let go of what's dragging you down and embrace the journey ahead.
Forget about the past now.
Leave behind the past and focus on the present and future.
Love can be a beautiful thing. Though your first love let you down.
Love can bring happiness and joy, even if your first love may have caused you pain and disappointment.
'Cause I know we can make love bloom, baby. The second time around.
I believe that we can create a beautiful and strong relationship together despite past heartache, let's give it a second chance.
Keep on pushing and don't look back.
Keep moving forward and pushing past any obstacles or challenges, without dwelling on the past or past failures.
Now till I say, we won't look back, girl.
Until I say otherwise, let's keep moving forward without looking back, girl.
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, don't look back.
Let's keep focusing on the present and future, without getting bogged down by the past mistakes, baby.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PETE WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind