Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack (March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American soul singer-songwriter and guitarist whose influential career spanned over six decades. He was a pivotal figure in R&B, known for his gritty vocals and prolific songwriting for legends like The Rolling Stones and Aretha Franklin.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Womack grew up in extreme poverty, sharing a single bedroom with his four brothers. Encouraged by their father, Friendly Womack, the five brothers formed a gospel group.
While touring, they were discovered by Sam Cooke, who signed them to his SAR Records label and renamed them The Valentinos. Under Cooke’s guidance, they recorded "Lookin' for a Love" (1962). Womack also wrote "It's All Over Now," which became the Rolling Stones' first UK #1 hit. Following Cooke's death in 1964, Womack became a sought-after session guitarist and songwriter. He played on Aretha Franklin’s Lady Soul and wrote hits for Wilson Pickett.
At age 21, Womack married Sam Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbell, just months after Cooke's murder, which led to a significant industry backlash. His life was marked by the loss of his brother Harry, who was murdered in 1974, and the deaths of two of his sons.
In the early seventies he launched a successful solo career with hits like "That's the Way I Feel About Cha" (1971), "Woman's Gotta Have It" (1972), and the soundtrack for the film Across 110th Street. After a career slump, he returned with the critically acclaimed albums The Poet (1981) and The Poet II (1984), featuring the classic "If You Think You're Lonely Now".
In 2010, he collaborated with Damon Albarn for the Gorillaz track "Stylo." He released his final studio album, The Bravest Man in the Universe, in 2012. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 and posthumously into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2025.
Womack passed away on June 27, 2014, in Tarzana, California, at age 70 after battling various health issues, including Alzheimer's disease and cancer. <div hidden>Bobby Womack </div>
Fly Me To The Moon
Written-By – B. Howard 2:09
A2 Baby! You Oughta Think It Over
Written-By – B. Womack 2:37
A3 I'm A Midnight Mover
Written-By – B. Womack, W. Pickett 2:02
A4 What Is This
Written-By – B. Womack 2:32
A5 Somebody Special
Written-By – B. Womack 2:57
A6 Take Me
Written-By – D. Ervin 2:34
B1 Moonlight In Vermont
Written-By – J. Blackburn, K. Suessdorf 2:33
B2 Love, The Time Is Now
Written-By – B. Womack, J. Holiday 3:19
B3 I'm In Love
Written-By – B. Womack 2:41
B4 California Dreamin'
Written-By – John Phillips 3:32
B5 No Money In My Pocket
Written-By – B. Womack, J. Holiday 3:05
B6 Lillie Mae
Written-By – Don Juan, Vee Pea 2:12
Label:
Minit – LP-24014, Minit – LP 24014, Minit – LP24014
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Research Craft Press
Country: US
Released: 1968
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Sixties Soul
Bobby Womack's debut solo album, Fly Me to the Moon, is considered a groundbreaking and classic soul record that established his unique vocal talent and innovative arrangements. It received critical acclaim for its bold reinventions of popular songs and Womack's powerful, ad-lib driven soul style.
The album is noted for transforming established songs, making them distinctly Womack's own. His cover of the title track, originally a jazz standard, featured a "magnificent tonal shift" and a "soul-swing of the arrangement" that critics praised for blowing "all the originals out of the water". Similarly, his slowed-down, horn-accented version of The Mamas & the Papas' "California Dreamin'" is widely considered the definitive soul interpretation.
Womack's singing is celebrated for its raw, "church" quality, characterized by ad-libs, staggered phrasing, and a gritty voice that commands attention. He creatively used the spaces between musical phrases for improvisation, a style reminiscent of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, which critics found inventive and engaging.
The album successfully blends elements of soul, R&B, jazz, and blues, showcasing Womack's versatility and establishing his signature sound.
While perhaps not an immediate massive commercial hit compared to later albums like The Poet, the album achieved moderate success and laid the foundation for his long and influential career. It is highly regarded by fans and music enthusiasts, with strong average ratings on music databases.
In summary, the album is highly recommended for fans of classic soul music and is praised for its demonstration of Womack's talent as both a powerful vocalist and an innovative arranger. The album is considered an essential piece of his early work.
Bobby Womack
So Many Rivers
Written-By – H. Payne, J. Eubanks, P. Luboff 3:54
A2 So Baby, Don't Leave Home Without It
Written-By – Bobby Womack, Harold Payne 4:02
A3 So Many Rivers
Written-By – Bobby Womack, Jim Ford 4:22
A4 Got To Be With You Tonight
Guest [Special Guest] – Wilton Felder
Written-By – Bobby Womack, Harold Payne 4:00
A5 Gypsy Woman
Written-By – Curtis Mayfield 4:23
B1 Whatever Happened To The Times?
Written-By – Bobby Womack, Jim Ford 4:16
B2 Let Me Kiss It Where It Hurts
Guest [Special Guest] – Wilton Felder
Written-By – Bobby Womack 4:45
B3 Only Survivor
Written-By – Cecil Womack, Linda Womack 3:49
B4 That's Where It's At
Written-By – Sam Cooke 3:42
B5 Check It Out
Written-By – Bobby Womack 3:48
Label: MCA Records – MCA-5617
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Eighties Soul, Contemporary R&B
Bobby Womack's 1985 album So Many Rivers is a strong entry in his 80s catalogue, blending his signature soulful grit with contemporary electronic sounds organically, featuring hits like "I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much" and funky grooves on the title track, showcasing a mature artist adapting well to the era's production while delivering heartfelt, often gritty soul with standout tracks such as "Whatever Happened To The Times?".
Reviews praise its organic fusion of live and electronic elements, solid material, and Womack's enduring vocal power, marking it as a key album in his late-career resurgence.
The album successfully incorporates electronic textures common in the mid-80s (synths, drum machines) but maintains a warm, band-oriented feel, avoiding the pitfalls of purely disco-driven soul.
It produced major R&B hits, most notably the iconic "I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much," a classic tale of temptation and friendship, and the funky title track.
Beyond the hits, tracks like "So Baby, Don't Leave Home Without It," "Gypsy Woman," and the extended version of "Whatever Happened To The Times?" are frequently mentioned as highlights.
While noted for its "heavy-handed 1985 production," reviewers feel Womack's experience allows him to elevate the material, making it a captivating listen.
Considered a strong album, it helped solidify Womack's relevance in the 80s, building on the success of his earlier 80s work like The Poet.
So Many Rivers captures Bobby Womack at a creative peak in the 80s, delivering powerful, mature soul that balances contemporary sounds with his timeless, blues-infused vocal delivery, making it a favorite for many fans of his later work.
Bobby Womack
Womagic
Written-By – J.L. Williams 4:22
A2 When The Weekend Comes
Written-By – B. Womack, H. Payne 5:33
A3 The Things We Do (When We're Lonely)
Written By – T. Snow-D. Pitchford 3:51
A4 I Can't Stay Mad
Written-By – B. Womack, H. Payne 4:13
B1 Can'tcha Hear The Children Calling
Written-By – B. Womack, H. Payne 4:34
B2 Outside Myself
Written-By – B. Rothstein, G.M. Elian, R. Ash 3:17
B3 I Ain't Got To Love Nobody Else
Written-By – C. Moore, L. Jones, R. Wrightsil 3:20
B4 More Than Love
Written By – B. Wood-R. Cooke-C. Wood 3:25
B5 It Ain't Me
Written-By – D. Kyles, M. Hodges 4:45
Label: MCA Records – MCA-5899
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album,
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre:
R&B Soul
Style: Eighties Soul
The 1986 album Womagic is a unique entry in Bobby Womack's discography, noted for blending his traditional rhythm and blues attitudes with the contemporary quiet storm and dance funk production styles of the mid-80s. Critics generally view it as a strong late-80s outing, though some have mixed feelings about its thematic depth.
The album successfully merges organic, acoustic R&B elements with the electronic instrumentation and synth-funk prevalent in the 1980s.
Womack's signature powerfully raspy voice remains a highlight, carrying the material with a raw, personal conviction, making even diverse tracks sound distinctly his own.
The production is often described as "sizzling and sparking musically," with the live and electronic elements arranged cohesively.
While part of a strong run for Womack on the MCA label, these late-80s albums are sometimes considered "criminally underrated" by some fans and reviewers. The album holds a respectable average user rating of around 3.76/5 on sites like Discogs.
Thematically, the album touches on social issues such as poverty and runaway children, though some listeners felt these difficult subjects resulted in a heavily pained or weary outlook without offering enough positive release.
Overall, Womagic is remembered as an interesting and strong effort from Womack's later career, capturing a transitional sound in R&B while maintaining his distinctive artistic voice.
Bobby Womack