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 Womackโs 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.
It Takes a Lot of Strength to Say Goodbye
Bobby Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Simply because
It takes a lot of strength to say goodbye,
Oh, it's so hard to do
I wonder if I'm wrong,
I thought the whole thing over
And I still can't tell you why
It's gone
That we bring,
That we bring to each other
There's nothing to gain from hurting one another,
So I'm walking in the rain
Looking for the strength to say goodbye.
My man, I want to call you
And say it's on again
It's not like I don't love you, I don't love you any more
I thought the whole thing over
And it's not like it was before
You're gone, you're gone
Just one too many times,
You say you don't want me
And then apologize
'cause you know your love will haunt me
I hope I'm acting wisely
I'm walking in the rain
Looking for the strength to say goodbye.
No more, what's wrong in the morning
No more, no more crisis every night
This is not a warning,
You've heard that before
Baby, I'm tired, I'm tired,
I can't take it,
I won't take it any more.
My man, I want to call you
And say it's on again
And it's not like I don't love you, I don't love you any more
I thought the whole thing over
And I still can't tell you why
It's gone
And oh, girl, I can't accept the pain
That we bring, that we bring,
That we bring to each other
There's nothing to gain from hurting one another,
So I'm walking in the rain
Oh, I'm walking
Looking for the strength to say goodbye.
Looking for the strength to say goodbye.
That's what you got me doing, baby,
Oh, find it so hard to do,
I can't say goodbye to you.
The lyrics to Bobby Womack's song "It Takes a Lot of Strength to Say Goodbye" speak of the pain and difficulty involved in ending a relationship. Womack sings of his inner turmoil and the struggle to find the courage to let go. He acknowledges the love he once had for his partner, but ultimately concludes that there is "nothing to gain from hurting one another." He walks in the rain, seeking the strength to say goodbye, but finds it hard to let go.
The song is a powerful meditation on the theme of loss and the human experience of heartache. Womack's soulful, emotive voice embodies the weight of his emotions as he grapples with his decision to end the relationship. The lyrics are poignant and relatable, speaking to anyone who has ever been in a difficult situation where they had to let go of someone they loved.
The repeated refrain of "it takes a lot of strength to say goodbye" underscores the difficulty of making such a choice. It acknowledges the complexity of human relationships, where emotions are tangled and inseparable from one another. The song is a testament to the fact that sometimes, even when it hurts, it is better to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
Hurting inside
I am experiencing emotional pain and distress internally.
Simply because
For no particular reason other than the circumstances of our relationship.
It takes a lot of strength to say goodbye,
Breaking up with you requires a considerable amount of emotional fortitude.
Oh, it's so hard to do
Parting ways is proving to be incredibly difficult.
I wonder if I'm wrong,
Doubts arise in my mind, and I question whether I am making the right decision.
I thought the whole thing over
I have carefully considered our relationship in its entirety.
And I still can't tell you why
Despite my reflection, I cannot pinpoint exactly what has gone wrong between us.
It's gone
Our connection has dissipated and is no longer present.
Baby, I can't accept the pain
The emotional anguish inflicted upon each other is unbearable.
That we bring,
The hurt that we cause each other.
That we bring to each other
The hurt is mutually inflicted by both of us.
There's nothing to gain from hurting one another,
There is no benefit to continuing our relationship if it causes us this much pain.
So I'm walking in the rain
Literally and figuratively, I am trying to find the courage to leave you.
Looking for the strength to say goodbye.
I am searching for the resilience to end our relationship permanently.
My man, I want to call you
I have the urge to contact you.
And say it's on again
To suggest a reconciliation.
It's not like I don't love you, I don't love you any more
I still possess romantic feelings for you, although they have waned over time.
You're gone, you're gone
You have left me, and our relationship is over.
Just one too many times,
We have broken up before and tried again, but this is the final straw.
You say you don't want me
You have expressed your desire to end our relationship.
And then apologize
Only to retract that statement through an apology.
'cause you know your love will haunt me
You recognize that your continued sentiments for me will make it difficult for me to move on.
I hope I'm acting wisely
I am attempting to make a responsible and informed decision.
No more, what's wrong in the morning
I no longer want to wake up feeling miserable every day.
No more, no more crisis every night
I am tired of having endless arguments and conflicts.
This is not a warning,
I am not suggesting that our relationship is in trouble, but that it is over.
You've heard that before
We have discussed our relationship failing in the past.
Baby, I'm tired, I'm tired,
I am weary from the emotional exhaustion that our relationship brings.
I can't take it,
I cannot endure this pain any longer.
I won't take it any more.
Continuing our relationship is no longer an option.
And oh, girl, I can't accept the pain
Once again, I cannot handle the emotional pain experienced in our relationship.
That we bring, that we bring,
The hurt inflicted upon each other repeatedly.
Oh, I'm walking
Physically and metaphorically, I am leaving our relationship behind.
Looking for the strength to say goodbye.
I am summoning the courage to end our relationship permanently.
That's what you got me doing, baby,
This is what our relationship has reduced me to.
Oh, find it so hard to do,
Ending our relationship is proving to be the most arduous task.
I can't say goodbye to you.
I am struggling to let go of you emotionally.
Contributed by William D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Virginia Horne
Love this song ๐ตโค
Joannโs Norflet
I never heard this song until I selected it on here . I canโt stop playing it.
Jeanae Marie
Thanks mom for playing this song constantly when I was little. It's sad alot of people dont know about this song.
Brandi Sherelle Williams
Same! Mama taught me
mrs west
Same
Joan Campbell
True, but some really cool people do๐
BIG Stick
Sad that a lot of people don't know or care about this great stuff.
pifflepockle
Two of the greats
AJ. McGowan
This is a powerful song with deep, incredible lyrics. Bobby and Patti's performance and delivery were impeccable. Nothing left to say. RIP Bobby, well done.....
Martha R.
Pure Gold Happy Heavenly Birthday Bobby 3/4/2023 ๐๐๐คโค๏ธ๐๐ฝ