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.
I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much
Bobby Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd give him the shirt off my back
He knows he can trust me with his life
But he's tryin' to leave me alone
Leaves me alone with his wife
I wish he didn't trust me so much
I think he really trusts me too much
How can he be so blind?
We've both got the same good taste
He should know when he's gone on his business trips
I can't help watchin' his woman
'Cause I'm losin' my grip
I wish he didn't trust me so much
I think he really trusts me too much
Though I swear, all is not my will
But there's a way
There's a way she make me feel
Lord, I'm scared, so scared of what I do
If she starts feelin' same way too
You shouldn't trust me so much
(We got a problem)
I think you really trust me too much
It's not that she leads me on
I'm gettin' there all by myself
But just being with her all, all alone
I can't help but hopin'
That he never comes home
I wish he didn't trust me so much
I think you really trust me too much
I wish he didn't trust me so much
(We got a problem)
I think you really trust me too much
Though I swear, all is not my will
(Is not my will)
But it's somethin' about the way
The way she makes me feel
Lord, I'm so scared, scared of what I do
If she starts feelin' the same way too
I wish he didn't trust me so much
(Ooh)
I think he really trusts me too much
(I got a problem)
You can see, I'm caught up
(I wish he didn't trust me so much)
Caught up in the middle
(I think he really trusts me too much)
And I'm down, tired of playing [Incomprehensible]
The lyrics of Bobby Womack's I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much are about a man who is conflicted, torn between loyalty to his best friend and a powerful, irresistible attraction to his best friend's wife. The singer paints himself as the ultimate friend, the person his friend can trust with anything, including his life. But because of his proximity to the friend's wife and the attraction he feels toward her, the singer is unable to keep his emotions in check, making him feel guilty and scared of what his actions might lead to. He pleads for his friend to stop trusting him so much, acknowledging that he can't seem to help himself from wanting to be with her. The conflict in the song is between loyalty and desire, as the singer struggles to navigate his feelings, weighed down by guilt over betraying his friend's trust.
The song is an exploration of a common human emotion, the conflict between desire and loyalty, and the ways guilt can consume us, even as we try to give in to our impulses. The singer is self-aware, recognizing the problem isn't just the woman or his best friend's trust, it is his own inability to control his emotions in the face of temptation. He wants to try to do better, but he knows that his attraction to her is too strong. The song is both a confession and a warning, a cry for help, and a plea for forgiveness.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the best friend he's got
He considers himself his friend's closest ally
I'd give him the shirt off my back
He's committed to helping his friend whenever he can
He knows he can trust me with his life
His friend confides in him and believes his life is safe in his hands
But he's tryin' to leave me alone
His friend wants some space from him
Leaves me alone with his wife
The singer is left with his friend's wife as his friend is away
I wish he didn't trust me so much
He wishes his friend didn't trust him with his wife
I think he really trusts me too much
He thinks his friend has too much faith in him
How can he be so blind?
He wonders why his friend cannot see what's happening between him and his wife
We've both got the same good taste
He and his friend have similar preferences
He should know when he's gone on his business trips
He believes that his friend should realize that he's attracted to his wife when he's away
I can't help watchin' his woman
He cannot resist keeping an eye on his friend's wife
'Cause I'm losin' my grip
He's struggling to control his impulses
Though I swear, all is not my will
He claims to have no intention of betraying his friend
But there's a way
However, what he's feeling is uncontrollable
There's a way she make me feel
The singer is having intense feelings for his friend's wife
Lord, I'm scared, so scared of what I do
He's afraid that he might act on his emotions
If she starts feelin' same way too
He's worried that his friend's wife might reciprocate his feelings
You shouldn't trust me so much
He feels that his friend should not have trusted him with his wife
(We got a problem)
There is an issue between him and his friend
It's not that she leads me on
The wife is not intentionally making him fall for her
I'm gettin' there all by myself
The attraction is developing on his own
But just being with her all, all alone
Whenever they're alone together, he finds himself desiring her
I can't help but hopin'
He's hopeful that his friend might never return from his trips
That he never comes home
He wishes his friend would stay away so that he can be with his wife
(Ooh)
The singer is expressing his deep emotional feelings
You can see, I'm caught up
He's trapped in his own emotional turmoil
Caught up in the middle
He's in a difficult situation
And I'm down, tired of playing [Incomprehensible]
He's exhausted from pretending to be a friend while he wants more with his friend's wife
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HAROLD TIMOTHY PAYNE, JAMES EUBANKS, PETE LUBOFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marquez27jones
After knowing the backstory and then listening to this…
I’m speechless 💀
@sierria64
Womack was a cold backstabbing. A peice of work😮
@215khalil6
What’s the back story
@aDDmoreJuiceTV
He was creeping with Sam Cook's wife behind his back. This Song by Bobby Womack, 1985, was him telling on himself. Womack was a favored student of Sam Cooke, the rich & influential R&B singer-songwriter. He was murdered in 1964. Just 3 months later, Womack married Cook's widow. Bobby Womack then took the hot mess to the next level, sleeping with Sam Cooke's daughter and wife. Womack is one of the most diabolical cats to ever croon a tune.🤦♂🤦♂
@KeishaHart2
Sam Cooke never saw it coming....then again Sam got killed cheating, so....
@DN-kv1un
Well... if you think the “backstory” of this song has anything to do with Sam Cooke, then fortunately your “speechless” problem should be clearing up very soon...
Sam Cooke was already dead (for 20 years) - when this song was written, recorded, and released. The song has nothing to do with Sam Cooke. The song is about something else. And someone else.
And btw, if you think it is just a random occurrence, that this video poster has your misinformed comment featured at the top of this comments page - think again.
@gloccstarsleepy9132
He put his soul into that “I can’t help but hopin THAT HE NEVER COMES HOME”😂😂😂 cold as ice🥶🥶
@vinkeyla23
🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶
@MrPayne-pk6kl
😂😂😂
@ynicjay01
Real talk man long live bobby