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.
How Could You Break My Heart
Bobby Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's gotta be there, all the clubs are closed!
Ay ay ay ay, baby, it's me! I wanna talk to you
Don't you know what time it is?
I have to get up in the morning and go to work!
Call me back tomorrow night!
Damn! That's cold!
I wanna make it all right
Hmmm... let me sing my song!
Check it Out!
Life is so amazing
Funny how time things done changed
Just to think that you swore you loved me, baby
Now you givin' that thing to another man
I don't understand it
How could you break my heart? How could you break my heart?
How could you break my heart? Mean what you said from the star
Just to build me up just to let me down, Hey, baby!
How could you break my heart? How could you break my heart?
How could you break my heart Mean what you said from the start
You hurt me girl, baby
Baby, I feel like I wanna get down
Even though, even though that you're not around
Please, let me explain myself
Even in the daytime
Somethings should never, never, never, change, but they always do
I'm even going along with the latest dances
But I think rrue love true love still remains the same
Lookin' back on my yesterdays
True love didn't go that away, I can remember it Well, now
Once you said you love somebody
That vow, you couldn't dare to break
I don't understand it, that's what you've done
How could you break my heart, How could you break my heart
How could you break my heart, Mean what you said from the start
I'd be the last one to let you down
How could you break my heart, Mean what you said from the start
You build me up, build me up, you build me up to let me down, baby
See, It wasn't no big thing to me, no way
See, I've had a whole lot of oil around, you know
I mean, a whole lots of things around
I can think of a few things
That I would'nt mind being between, She did too
But, oh, after the three minute spill
It's like Jack and Jill
Goin' over the hill, Now, now, now, now
Now, how long we've been together
Hey, girl, you let me down
What made it so bad
Naw, Naw, Naw!
Pick my guitar, help yourself!
The song begins with a phone call that Bobby Womack makes to his lover, but she doesn't answer the phone. He is disappointed and frustrated since he needs to talk to her badly. Then, he starts to ponder over the changes that have happened in his life ever since his lover broke his heart. He tries to understand the reason for the betrayal and wonders how someone he trusted could hurt him so much. Bobby Womack's vocals are filled with anguish, and he questions the authenticity of his former lover's feelings for him.
He believes that love should be true and sincere and cannot understand how it could have dissipated so quickly. He remembers the time when they were together and how he trusted her fully. He feels hurt and betrayed as his lover built him up only to let him down in the end. The lyrics are filled with emotion, and the song's slow tempo adds to the sense of melancholy that the song evokes.
Line by Line Meaning
Answer that phone!
Pick up the phone and talk to me!
She's gotta be there, all the clubs are closed!
I know you're there but you're avoiding me now that all the clubs are closed.
Ay ay ay ay, baby, it's me! I wanna talk to you
Hey, it's me! I need to talk to you!
Don't you know what time it is?
It's late and I have to work in the morning - don't keep me up all night!
I have to get up in the morning and go to work!
Just reminding you that I have to get up early and I can't stay up too late.
Call me back tomorrow night!
Since you won't talk to me now, please call me back tomorrow night.
Damn! That's cold!
Wow, you're really leaving me out in the cold by not answering.
Hmmm, I feel like I wanna talk awhile
I want to talk things out and see where we stand.
I wanna make it all right
I want to fix things between us and make it right.
Hmmm... let me sing my song!
I have to express my feelings through my music.
Life is so amazing
Life can be wonderful and amazing.
Funny how time things done changed
It's weird how things have changed so much over time.
Just to think that you swore you loved me, baby
I remember when you promised you loved me.
Now you givin' that thing to another man
But now you're with someone else.
I don't understand it
I just can't understand why things ended up like this.
How could you break my heart? How could you break my heart?
How could you do this to me?
Mean what you said from the star
You need to be honest and mean what you say.
Just to build me up just to let me down, Hey, baby!
You raised my hopes and then crushed them.
You hurt me girl, baby
You really hurt me, baby.
Baby, I feel like I wanna get down
I feel like dancing or moving even though you're not here.
Even though, even though that you're not around
Even though you're not here with me.
Please, let me explain myself
I need to explain my side of the story.
Even in the daytime
Even during the day when things seem brighter.
Somethings should never, never, never, change, but they always do
Some things should stay the same but they never do.
I'm even going along with the latest dances
I'm trying to keep up with the latest trends.
But I think rrue love true love still remains the same
Despite all this change, true love still stays constant.
Lookin' back on my yesterdays
When I look back on my past.
True love didn't go that away, I can remember it Well, now
I remember when our love was real and strong, and it didn't go in that direction.
Once you said you love somebody
You once said you loved me.
That vow, you couldn't dare to break
That vow you made was unbreakable.
See, It wasn't no big thing to me, no way
Truth is, I didn't take it that seriously to begin with.
See, I've had a whole lot of oil around, you know
To be honest, I had other options.
I can think of a few things
There's a few things on my mind right now.
That I would'nt mind being between, She did too
Things I wouldn't mind being stuck between, and I'm pretty sure she feels the same.
But, oh, after the three minute spill
But after the passion was over...
It's like Jack and Jill
It's as if we've lost all the love we once shared.
Goin' over the hill, Now, now, now, now
It's come to an end and it's a hard truth to face.
Now, how long we've been together
We've been together for so long.
Hey, girl, you let me down
But now you've let me down.
What made it so bad
I'm just trying to figure out what went so wrong.
Naw, Naw, Naw!
I can't believe it!
Pick my guitar, help yourself!
Maybe playing some music will help me feel better.
Writer(s): BOBBY WOMACK, PATRICK MOTEN
Contributed by Juliana I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
delirious44
When someone sings and brings tears to a full grown mans eyes they are truly gifted This is one of the greatest songs of all eternity
SoulConnection
True!
WFROMPARIS
What a song. The tone, the range of M Womack is insane. The backup singer are dangerously good. The arrangements is like silk.
Strong, strong, very strong song. A truly mastercut.
Brookpier
What a joy to behold. He's passed but his wonderful music will live forever. Thank you Bobby ...
PhflyDan1
Love this track!
Loves that RAW emotion Mr. Womack puts into it!!
LOVES that "Where's my guitar?"
HELP YOURSELF!" Tear out break @ the end...
Howard Gaston
PhflyDan1 my favorite part of tge song! Help yourself!!!!!
Ossie Labad
Massive tune on the UK Modern Soul scene for at least the last 25-30 years. Tune!!!
deanna dacosta
Massive in the Rare Groove scene, like one of the Anthems
Mal Andz
Has it been that long. I jammed to this way back. I nearly cried listening to this. So many good years and music. Look at what we got now. Kim kardashians bkside
anny 11
Carlton club. preston. Sunday nights. M5 posse