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.
Natural Man
Bobby Womack Lyrics
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And when I knew I'd have face another day.
Lord, it made me feel so tired.
Before the day I met you
Life was so unkind.
Your love was the key to my peace of mind
'Cause you make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural woman.
You came along to claim it.
I didn't know just what was wrong with me
Till your kiss helped me name it.
Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm livin' for,
'Cause if I make you happy I don't need to do more.
You make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural woman.
Oh, baby, what you've done to me
(What you've done to me')
You make me feel so good inside
(Good inside.)
And I just want to be
(Want to be)
Close to you.
You make me feel so alive!
You make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural, natural woman.
You make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural natural woman
You make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me feel like a natural natural woman
The lyrics to Bobby Womack's song "Natural Man" express a sense of weariness and disconnection with the world before the singer meets the love of their life. The opening lines set the stage with a melancholic image of looking out on a rainy morning and feeling "uninspired." The singer feels exhausted with facing the day-to-day challenges of life until they meet someone who changes everything. The lyrics suggest that before this person enters their life, the singer felt lost and uncertain of their purpose. They view their newfound love as the key to their peace of mind and the source of their inspiration.
The chorus of the song, "You make me feel like a natural woman," echoes the classic Carole King song and expresses a powerful sentiment of feeling truly alive and authentic in the presence of the person the singer has fallen in love with. The song's romantic theme is further conveyed in the final stanza, in which the singer declares their desire to be close to their lover and acknowledges that their love is what keeps them feeling alive and connected.
Overall, the lyrics to "Natural Man" suggest that love can serve as a transformative force in our lives, providing the inspiration, meaning, and purpose that might have eluded us before meeting that special someone.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking out on the morning rain I used to feel uninspired
When I saw the rain in the morning, I felt hopeless and without inspiration.
And when I knew I'd have face another day.
Thinking about facing another day would fill me with dread.
Lord, it made me feel so tired.
It was exhausting to feel that way every day.
Before the day I met you
There was a time when I hadn't yet met you.
Life was so unkind.
My life was difficult and harsh.
Your love was the key to my peace of mind
Your love brought me peace and calmness.
'Cause you make me feel, you make me feel,
Because of you, I experience emotions that I hadn't felt before.
You make me feel like a natural woman.
You make me feel like I am in tune with my true self and nature.
When my soul was in the lost and found
There was a time when I felt lost and uncertain about myself.
You came along to claim it.
You appeared and helped me find myself again.
I didn't know just what was wrong with me
I was unaware of what my problem was.
Till your kiss helped me name it.
Until your kiss, I discovered what was wrong with me.
Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm livin' for,
I'm now certain about what I'm living for.
'Cause if I make you happy I don't need to do more.
Satisfying you is enough for me, I don't need to do more.
Oh, baby, what you've done to me
Oh, baby, you have done something remarkable to me.
(What you've done to me')
You have made me feel special and important.
You make me feel so good inside
You make me feel great and filled with happiness.
(Good inside.)
My happiness comes from within.
And I just want to be
All I want to do is to be with you.
(Want to be)
I have an intense desire to be with you.
Close to you.
I want to be near you, both physically and emotionally.
You make me feel so alive!
You have awakened something in me that makes me feel alive and energized.
You make me feel like a natural, natural woman.
You make me feel like I am in tune with my natural state as a woman.
You make me feel, you make me feel,
You make me experience emotions that I never thought were possible.
You make me feel like a natural natural woman
You make me feel like I am completely myself and fulfilled as a woman.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jerry Wexler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind