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.
Jingle Bells
Bobby Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a one-horse open sleigh,
Over the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bob-tail ring,
making spirits bright,
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
jingle all the way!
O what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh
Bobby Womack's rendition of the classic Christmas carol "Jingle Bells" is a joyful and upbeat track that captures the spirit of the season. The opening lines of the song paint a vivid picture of a snowy winter scene, with the singer dashing through the snow on a one-horse open sleigh. The song has a playful tone, with the singer laughing and singing as they ride through the fields, the bells on the horse's bob-tail ringing merrily in the crisp winter air. The chorus of the song is the familiar refrain of "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!" which is sure to evoke feelings of nostalgia and holiday cheer.
The lyrics of "Jingle Bells" are simple yet effective in conveying a sense of joy and merriment. The repetition of the phrase "jingle all the way" is almost infectious, as it invites listeners to join in the fun of the song. The image of riding in a sleigh and singing a sleighing song is a classic holiday tradition that comes to life in this song, and Bobby Womack's soulful vocals add a unique twist to the timeless carol. Overall, "Jingle Bells" is a lively and festive tune that captures the essence of Christmas and the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
Dashing through the snow
We are moving quickly over the snow-covered terrain
On a one-horse open sleigh,
We are riding on a sleigh pulled by a single horse with no enclosure
Over the fields we go,
We are travelling across the open fields
Laughing all the way;
We are enjoying the ride greatly and are chuckling throughout
Bells on bob-tail ring,
The bells on the horse's harness create a ringing sound
making spirits bright,
The sound of the jingling bells lifts our mood
What fun it is to ride and sing
We are having a blast as we joyfully sing while riding the sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
The ringing of the bells is a prominent feature of our journey
jingle all the way!
The bells keep jingling constantly
O what fun it is to ride
We are having an extremely enjoyable time
In a one-horse open sleigh
We are experiencing this jubilant ride in a sleigh pulled by a lone horse
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRANCESCO MOCCHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind