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.
Where Do We Go From Here
Bobby Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some things you take for granted
Until someone pulls it apart
And leaves you with half of your heart
How do I trade
The best I had for less
Without giving up
Should I slowly accept that we'll be no more than just friends
How do I know
When to let go
I know what I'm feeling inside
But part of me still wants to try
So tell me
Where do we go from here
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
When all that you are
Is all I need and more
There's no winning bets
The battle's just begun
I know it's over
But I still feel the same
You'll always remain number one
'Cause letting go
More and so much
I know what I'm feeling inside
But part of me still wants to try
So tell me
Where do we go from here
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
When all that you are
Is all I need and more
So tell me
Where do we go from here
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
When all that you are
Is all I need and more
Letting go
More and so much
I know what I'm feeling inside
But part of me still wants to try
So tell me
Where do we go from here
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
When all that you are
Is all I need and more
So tell me
Where do we go from here
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
When all that you are
Is all I need and more
So tell me
Where do we go from here
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
When all that you are
Is all I need and more
So tell me
Where do we go from here
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
When all that you are
Is all I need and more
In Bobby Womack's song "Where Do We Go From Here," the singer is grappling with the aftermath of a breakup. The lyrics describe the complexity of reconciling feelings of love and loss, and the confusion that comes with not knowing how to move forward. The singer questions whether or not it's possible to give up what they once had, and whether it's worth trying to remain friends instead. The repetition of the line "where do we go from here?" underscores the singer's indecision, and the fear they have about the unknown future.
The verse "There's no winning bets, the battle's just begun" speaks to the feeling of futility that often arises in the early stages of a breakup. It's a sobering idea - that even though you may still have feelings for someone, the relationship is over, and there's nothing you can do to change that. Despite this, the chorus repeats and adds intensity with each time, and the listener can sense that the singer still wants to try to work things out, even if it means risking more heartbreak.
Ultimately, the song highlights the complicated nature of love and heartbreak, and the fear and uncertainty that can follow in their wake.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're in love
When one is immersed in a romantic relationship
Some things you take for granted
Certain aspects of the relationship are assumed and not given much thought
Until someone pulls it apart
Until something damages the relationship
And leaves you with half of your heart
And causes one to feel incomplete or brokenhearted
How do I trade
How can I make a fair exchange
The best I had for less
Giving up something valuable for something inferior
Without giving up
Without sacrificing too much
Should I slowly accept that we'll be no more than just friends
Should I start considering the possibility that the relationship may not survive and just settle for being friends
How do I know
How can I be certain
When to let go
When it's time to move on
I know what I'm feeling inside
I am aware of my emotions
But part of me still wants to try
But a portion of me desires to continue putting effort into this relationship
So tell me
Please inform me
Where do we go from here
What is the next step in our relationship
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
Why am I feeling so apprehensive
When all that you are
Since everything that you possess
Is all I need and more
Is sufficient and fulfilling to me
There's no winning bets
There's no guaranteed outcome
The battle's just begun
The difficult part has just started
I know it's over
I am aware that the relationship has ended
But I still feel the same
But my feelings have remained constant
You'll always remain number one
You will always be the most important person in my life
Letting go
Moving on
More and so much
Even more than I thought possible
So tell me
Please enlighten me
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
Why am I so scared about the future
When all that you are
Even though everything that you bring to the table
Is all I need and more
Is sufficient for me
So tell me
Inform me
Where do we go from here
What is our next course of action
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
Why am I so anxious about the unknown
When all that you are
When everything that you represent
Is all I need and more
Is satisfying to me
So tell me
Kindly inform me
Where do we go from here
What is the next phase in our relationship
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
Why am I feeling so apprehensive about the future
When all that you are
Even though you bring everything that I could want
Is all I need and more
And is already sufficient for me
So tell me
Please inform me
Where do we go from here
What should we do next
Why's my heart filled with so much fear
Why do I feel so apprehensive
When all that you are
Despite the fact that all that you bring
Is all I need and more
Is all that's necessary for me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Nasir Jones, William Jeffries, Xl, Lisa Peters, Percy Miller, Mckinley Phipps
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ritaminner542
All Bobby Womack songs are🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@Kim-gt2xh
😅😮
@user-ql3uf2xz7w
Big facts! I am 32 and all these songs are in rotation daily All because my daddy..... I love oldies! The Four Tops, The Temprees, New Birth, New Horizons, The Dramatics, The Delfonics, The Bar Kays, Brighter Side of Darkness, Curtis Mayfield, Shirley Brown, Betty Wright, The Fuzz, The Lovelites, Teena Marie, etc..
@jackiebrown3906
ITS 2023 IM STILL LISTENING TO BOBBY WOMACK SONGS HE WAS INDEED A TRUE LEGEND HE SANG FROM THE HEART
@sabinamalonfjdjzsfsjdjzsse3816
Wish he didn't trust me so much. It don't mean nothing if you don't know da story!❤❤❤
@victoriamckenzie68
I can play this over and over. Love Bobby ❤️
@godsjewelsgems1782
This Man Is The Singing Prophet🙏🏼♥️🎵🎶🎼He was Amazing & Extraordinary! There will never be another Bobby....... So glad my dad had an opportunity to play with him🥰.....I Miss you Bobby a Legend that Continues to play and can’t be Silenced❗️♥️
@Cin2023
Under appreciated, over looked. 😠 Where are the tributes to this genius of a man?
@jimmieturner3312
God must have sent this awesome recording artist especially for some of us! I really believe that❤
@travispearson2370
There will never be another Bobby Womack he was truly one-of-a-kind and his voice and music are timeless Bobby Womack and his music will never be forgotten