Born in Cleveland, Ohio.
Womack and his brothers were a gospel group. They changed their name to the Valentinos and became protégés of Sam Cooke.
Cecil became the second husband of Motown star Mary Wells in 1967. Together they had three children: Cecil Jr, Stacy and Harry.
After their 1977 divorce, Wells married Cecil's other brother, Curtis Womack.
Cecil next married Linda Cooke, the daughter of Sam Cooke. This created scandal because Cecil's brother Bobby Womack married Sam Cooke's widow Barbara Campbell in March 1965, just 3 months after Sam Cooke's December 1964 murder.
In 1983, under the name of Womack & Womack, Cecil and Linda released a successful album, "Love Wars", and continued to make albums until 1991. Their song "Love Wars" was covered by The Beautiful South for the 1990 compilation Rubáiyát. Their most successful single was "Teardrops".
slave
Womack & Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He gave it all he had - for just one woman
He will sacrifice for you, just to make your dreams come true - only for you
Cold love, he died for you
Overworked in sweat for you
He fell sick, broke in two
Chains of love to misery
Everyday for you he craved
But you never came to save
CHORUS
He was your slave - He was your slave
Love took him to his grave
For you he slaved
Material gain was not his thing
But he worked three jobs just to bring,
you three diamond rings
But, for it wasn't enough
He turned crook, and life turned rough
From bad to worse
Oh, then they hauled him off to jail
Locked him away in a lonely cell
Without his love, he did his time
Died there with you in his mind
Repeat chorus
His woman's dialogue
And if I had to do, all over again
I'd take him in my arms, and love him like a friend
Since he's been gone, for his love I crave
I ain't too proud to say, for this love I'll slave
I tried... (he tried)... We tried
The love died
I ain't too proud to say, for his love I'll slave
Since he's been gone, for his love I crave
The song "Slave" by Womack & Womack is a powerful and emotional portrayal of a man who gave everything to the woman he loved, only to be repeatedly let down and eventually driven to his grave. The first verse shows the extent of the man's devotion, as he gave everything he had for just one woman. He was willing to sacrifice for her and make her dreams come true, but his love was "cold" and went unappreciated. The second verse reveals the toll that this kind of one-sided love took on him, as he worked tirelessly in sweat to please his love. Despite falling ill and breaking in two, he could not bring himself to break free from her hold on him.
The chorus repeats the haunting refrain that he was her slave, and that his love for her was so strong that it took him to his grave. Even material possessions like the three diamond rings he worked hard to bring her were not enough to satisfy her, and as a result, he was pushed to turning to a life of crime. This eventually led to his imprisonment before he died with her still on his mind. The final verse is from the woman's perspective, as she acknowledges her role in their failed love story and expresses her regret for not loving him back the way he deserved.
Overall, the lyrics of "Slave" speak to the dangerous and destructive nature of unrequited love, and the ways in which it can lead to pain, suffering, and even death. It also speaks to the importance of mutual love and respect in relationships, and the consequences that can arise when it is absent.
Line by Line Meaning
He loved you - oh yes, he needed you
He had a deep love for you and depended on you
He gave it all he had - for just one woman
He expended his energy entirely for one lover
He will sacrifice for you, just to make your dreams come true - only for you
He was willing to offer up everything he had to see your aspirations fulfilled, exclusively for you
Cold love, he died for you
His love was unwavering, even in the face of death
Overworked in sweat for you
He labored strenuously to provide for you
He fell sick, broke in two
He became ill and shattered, physically and emotionally
You held the keys to set him free,
You possessed the means to liberate him
Chains of love to misery
Your love kept him captive in a state of suffering
Everyday for you he craved
He longed for you each and every day
But you never came to save
You neglected to rescue him
He was your slave - He was your slave
He was bound to you, essentially your possession
Love took him to his grave
His devotion to you caused his death
For you he slaved
He worked tirelessly for you
Material gain was not his thing
He wasn't interested in wealth
But he worked three jobs just to bring, you three diamond rings
He exerted himself at three jobs solely to buy you luxurious rings
But, for it wasn't enough
But his efforts were still inadequate in your eyes
He turned crook, and life turned rough
He became a criminal and suffered dire consequences
From bad to worse
His situation only deteriorated
Oh, then they hauled him off to jail
He was arrested and imprisoned
Locked him away in a lonely cell
He was incarcerated in solitary confinement
Without his love, he did his time
He served his sentence without your love
Died there with you in his mind
He passed away while thinking of you
His woman's dialogue
His partner's words
And if I had to do, all over again
If she could relive the past
I'd take him in my arms, and love him like a friend
She would embrace him and display a platonic kind of affection
Since he's been gone, for his love I crave
She has yearned for his love since he's departed
I ain't too proud to say, for this love I'll slave
She's not ashamed to admit that she'd work for his love
I tried... (he tried)... We tried
Both parties gave it their all
The love died
The intimacy faded away
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KAI HAHTO, KEIJO KRISTIAN NIINIMAA, MIKA PETRI AALTO, TONI MIKAEL PIHLAJA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind