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.

Tried And Convicted
Bobby Womack Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't let a quarrel, Naw baby
don't let it keep us apart, well, naw, baby
Let's get together, let's get together, baby
and try to make a new start
Can't let your girlfreind
tell you all she sees
Have you ever thought
she was trying to get close to me

But look what you've done -- you've tried
with a crime I did'nt! -- goodness! -- Naw!
No, no no no no, I did'nt do it!
Ohhhhhhhhh!

We've been together
We've been together just a little too long
Naw, baby
But, I can see times
That I can see our love slowly fading away
And I know time ain't long
Ohhhh, don't you kid yourself
Can't you see I love you -- Nobody else!!
I've been tried and convicted for a crime I didnt commit
Lawwdd! no no no no, I did'nt do it!
Gotta say loud and clear

Talk it over
Whoooaaa!!! No! No! No! I did'nt do it!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tried and Convicted by Bobby Womack highlights a couple's struggle to keep their relationship intact amidst external interference. The song starts with the singer urging his partner not to let their quarrel separate them, but instead, they should find a way to start anew. He advises her not to believe everything she hears from her girlfriend, suggesting that the girlfriend might be trying to get close to him. He then goes on to lament that he has been falsely accused and convicted of a crime he did not commit. He passionately professes his love and loyalty to his partner, emphasizing that nobody else matters to him.

The overall theme of Tried and Convicted centers around the importance of trust, open communication, and love in a relationship. The singer acknowledges that relationships can experience hiccups, but it's crucial to talk things over and not give up easily. The song highlights the difficulties couples face, especially when external forces try to create a rift between them. The underlying message is that it's important to trust and have faith in your partner while keeping the lines of communication open.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't let a quarrel, Naw baby
Hey, let's not let this argument come between us.

don't let it keep us apart, well, naw, baby
Let's not let this situation cause us to drift apart.

Let's get together, let's get together, baby
Let's come together and work things out.

and try to make a new start
Let's start over and move forward from this.

Can't let your girlfreind
You can't let your girlfriend

tell you all she sees
fill your head with all kinds of things she thinks she saw.

Have you ever thought
Have you ever considered

she was trying to get close to me
that maybe she's trying to come between us.

But look what you've done -- you've tried
But now look, you're trying to convict me

with a crime I did'nt! -- goodness! -- Naw!
for a crime I didn't commit! Come on!

No, no no no no, I did'nt do it!
I'm innocent, I swear!