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 It Would Rain
Bobby Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The girl has found another and gone away
With her went my future my life is filled with gloom
So day after day I stay locked up in my room
I know to you, it might sound strange but I wish it would rain
'Cause so badly I wanna go outside
But everyone knows that a man ain't supposed to cry
Oh yeah, people this hurt I feel inside
Words could never explain, I just wish it would rain
Day in day out my tear-stained face
Pressed against the window pain
My eyes search the skies desperately for rain
Cause rain-drops will hide my tear -drops
And no one will ever know that I'm crying
Crying when I go outside
To the world outside my tears
I refuse to explain, oh I wish it would rain
Let it rain, let it rain
I need rain to disguise the tears in my eyes
Oh, let it rain
I'm a man and I got my pride
'Til it rains I'm gonna stay inside and let it rain
In Bobby Womack's song "I Wish It Would Rain," the singer's lover has left him, and he is consumed by his heartbreak. He is unable to go outside because he doesn't want anyone to know that he cries. Consequently, he wishes that it would rain to be able to cry in public without anyone noticing. The raindrops would disguise his tears, and he could go outside without explaining himself, so he wishes it would rain. The song is an expression of profound sorrow, hiding pain in a way that is not often discussed among men.
The song's chorus "Let it rain, let it rain" expresses the singer's desire for a physical representation of his sadness. He feels that the rain would be a metaphor for his tears and emotions. When he says, "My eyes search the skies desperately for rain," he is saying that rain would be a sort of comfort for him. He feels that the raindrops would help him to hide his tears and pain.
The song's lyrics are simple but poetic, expressing sadness, hopelessness, and a deep yearning for comfort. The singer's desperation for the rain to come represents his desperation for the pain to end. The song cuts deep and resonates with many people who have suffered from heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunshine blue skies please go away
The good weather is not appreciated because the singer has experienced heartbreak.
The girl has found another and gone away
The woman he loved has left him for someone else.
With her went my future my life is filled with gloom
His future was tied to the woman who left, and now he feels hopeless.
So day after day I stay locked up in my room
He isolates himself as each day brings more despair.
I know to you, it might sound strange but I wish it would rain
The singer wants it to rain to hide the tears he sheds in private.
'Cause so badly I wanna go outside
Despite his melancholy, the singer craves fresh air and freedom.
But everyone knows that a man ain't supposed to cry
He is aware of societal norms that discourage men from expressing emotions, particularly sadness.
Listen, I gotta cry 'cause crying eases the pain
He understands the cathartic effect of crying, and accepts it as a form of healing.
Oh yeah, people this hurt I feel inside
He acknowledges the depth of his emotional pain.
Words could never explain, I just wish it would rain
He finds words inadequate to express the magnitude of his suffering.
Day in day out my tear-stained face
Each day he carries the physical scars of crying.
Pressed against the window pain
He looks longingly outside, but is powerless to leave his room.
My eyes search the skies desperately for rain
He hopes for a sign, something to indicate that his suffering is shared by the universe.
Cause rain-drops will hide my tear -drops
He plans to use external weather conditions to cover his internal anguish.
And no one will ever know that I'm crying
He seeks to maintain a facade of strength and resilience to the public.
Crying when I go outside
He feels ashamed to cry in public, but it's easier to hide his tears in the rain.
To the world outside my tears
He is conscious of how he appears to others, and doesn't want his pain to be visible to them.
I refuse to explain, oh I wish it would rain
He rejects the notion of justifying or explaining his emotions, and continues to desire rain as a form of relief.
Let it rain, let it rain
He implores the universe to deliver the rain he needs to cover his tears.
I need rain to disguise the tears in my eyes
He depends on the rain as a form of concealment or camouflage.
Oh, let it rain
He repeats his plea for rain, indicating the urgency of his need.
I'm a man and I got my pride
His pride as a man is at war with his need for emotional release and healing.
'Til it rains I'm gonna stay inside and let it rain
He will remain confined indoors until the rain comes, and will let it pour over him once it does.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Rodger Sr. Penzabene, Barrett Strong, Norman Whitefield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind