Robert Dwayne Womack (born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA on March 4, 1944, died J… Read Full Bio ↴Robert Dwayne Womack (born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA on March 4, 1944, died June 27, 2014), was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Working in the soul and R&B genres, he achieved his greatest success in the 1970s and 1980s. Womack wrote and originally recorded The Rolling Stones' first UK No. 1 hit, "It's All Over Now" and New Birth's "I Can Understand It" among other songs. As a singer he is most notable for the hits "Lookin' For a Love", "That's The Way I Feel About Cha", "Woman's Gotta Have It", "Harry Hippie", "Across 110th Street" and his 1980s hit "If You Think You're Lonely Now". In 2009, Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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.

Rudolph the Red
Bobby Womack Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You know Dasher and Dancer
And Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid
And Donner and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer

Had a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw him
You would even say it glows

All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Play in any reindeer games

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
"Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Then all the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
You'll go down in history!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bobby Womack's song "Rudolph the Red" tell the familiar tale of Rudolph, the reindeer with the glowing red nose, and his journey from being an outcast to becoming a hero. The song begins by mentioning all the well-known reindeer like Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen, but then emphasizes that Rudolph is the most famous one of all. This sets the stage for the story to come.

The second verse describes Rudolph's distinctive feature, his shiny and glowing nose, and suggests that if someone were to see him, they would be amazed by it. However, the following verse reveals that despite his unique trait, all the other reindeer used to ridicule Rudolph and exclude him from their games. This accentuates the theme of Rudolph feeling isolated and different from others, a relatable feeling for many individuals.

But then, on one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa Claus approaches Rudolph and asks him to lead his sleigh, recognizing the value of Rudolph's bright nose as a guide through the darkness. This unexpected opportunity changes everything for Rudolph, as the other reindeer suddenly start loving him and celebrating his newfound importance. The lyrics highlight the transformation from being an outcast to being embraced and celebrated, suggesting that Rudolph's worth was not determined by the opinions of others but by his unique abilities.

Overall, "Rudolph the Red" is a heartwarming song about acceptance, embracing individuality, and finding one's true value amidst adversity.

Line by Line Meaning

You know Dasher and Dancer
You are familiar with the reindeer named Dasher and Dancer

And Prancer and Vixen
As well as the reindeer called Prancer and Vixen

Comet and Cupid
Let's not forget about Comet and Cupid

And Donner and Blitzen
We must also mention Donner and Blitzen

But do you recall
However, do you remember

The most famous reindeer of all
The reindeer that gained the utmost fame

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
Rudolph, the reindeer with a nose that is red

Had a very shiny nose.
Possessing a nose that shines brightly

And if you ever saw him
And in the event that you ever laid eyes on him

You would even say it glows
You would even exclaim that it emits a radiant light