Bobby Womack-not Yet Coverted

[Garethx]

Bobby Womack is soul music.

If you can't find a Womack track to float your personal boat you shouldn't be here. I acknowledge he has his detractors and his recorded legacy can be mercurial, but he has traversed pinnacles of artistry that most mortals can only dream about.

Wonderful pieces of recorded music abound throughout his career. As a writer for Wilson Pickett and others he gave us moments of soul history: "I've Come A Long Way" for Pickett is probably my very favourite song of all time.

The early Minit albums still sound fresh: "Thank You", "Love, The Time Is Now" and others give a wonderful insight into how Sam Cooke might have sounded had he lived.

The United Artists preriod encompassing the Communication, Understanding , Facts of Life and Looking For A Love Again albums is, for me, the finest concerted body of soul music ever put on tape.

The humanity, verve and sheer skill in these recordings are simply and starkly historic: here was a man who took the genre of Rhythm & Blues to its very acme, stretching the form to its outer limits and in the process becoming the poet of a particular african-american experience. "I Can Understand It", "He'll Be There When The Sun Goes Down (Facts of Life)", "Doing It My Way", "Harry Hippie", "I Don't Wanna Be Hurt By Ya Love Again" and so many more recordings of this period are almost miraculous tracks, the ultimate expression of the possibility that the seeds 60s soul music had sewn. The playing, the singing, the feel of it all are scintillating.

Even the albums made by the bloated, strung-out Womack of the mid 70s: "I Don't Know" and "Safety Zone" include enough essential moments to make them worthwhile, particularly the spookily apocalyptic tiltle track of the former in two shattering parts.

The return to form on Columbia in '76: "Home Is Where The Heart Is" contains staggering moments of true heart, exultation, joy, pain, resourcefulness, sorrow and wisdom.

"Home Is Where The Heart Is", "Something For My Head", "A Little Bit Salty", a chilling version of "A Change Is Gonna Come", a wonderful zip through Ace's "How Long" and crucially the amazing "Standing In The Safety Zone" (never really appreciated because its tempo never instantly lent itself to any UK dance music scene), all affirm what a majestic talent he had become.

As singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader he had marshalled forces which, to my mind, created some of the finest soul music of all time. The follow up, "Pieces" just couldn't match such an illustrious predecessor, although "Trust Your Heart" and "Stop Before We Start" deserve honourable mention.

The Arista lp has a couple of great moments: "The Roots In Me" (in duet with Melissa Manchester) sometimes vies for the title of Womack's Greatest Moment with the early Minit single "I Can't Stand It" for me. "Give It Up" is sheer perfection and I can't tell you what the intro to "How Could You Break My Heart" does to me each time I hear it.

The Beverly Glen years and beyond all provide glimpses of the Womack genius: "If You Think You're Lonely Now" has rightfully acheived the status of a standard for the current generation of african-american singers and songwriters and there is much good music on many of the 80s and 90s lps.

When he goes he's going to leave a hell of a gap. It will never be adequately filled. He is simply a legend.

Edited March 19, 2007 by garethx

[Guest Gavin Page]

Bobby Womack is soul music.

If you can't find a Womack track to float your personal boat you shouldn't be here. I acknowledge he has his detractors and his recorded legacy can be mercurial, but he has traversed pinnacles of artistry that most mortals can only dream about.

Wonderful pieces of recorded music abound throughout his career. As a writer for Wilson Pickett and others he gave us moments of soul history: "I've Come A Long Way" for Pickett is probably my very favourite song of all time.

The early Minit albums still sound fresh: "Thank You", "Love, The Time Is Now" and others give a wonderful insight into how Sam Cooke might have sounded had he lived.

The United Artists preriod encompassing the Communication, Understanding , Facts of Life and Looking For A Love Again albums is, for me, the finest concerted body of soul music ever put on tape.

The humanity, verve and sheer skill in these recordings are simply and starkly historic: here was a man who took the genre of Rhythm & Blues to its very acme, stretching the form to its outer limits and in the process becoming the poet of a particular african-american experience. "I Can Understand It", "He'll Be There When The Sun Goes Down (Facts of Life)", "Doing It My Way", "Harry Hippie", "I Don't Wanna Be Hurt By Ya Love Again" and so many more recordings of this period are almost miraculous tracks, the ultimate expression of the possibility that the seeds 60s soul music had sewn. The playing, the singing, the feel of it all are scintillating.

Even the albums made by the bloated, strung-out Womack of the mid 70s: "I Don't Know" and "Safety Zone" include enough essential moments to make them worthwhile, particularly the spookily apocalyptic tiltle track of the former in two shattering parts.

The return to form on Columbia in '76: "Home Is Where The Heart Is" contains staggering moments of true heart, exultation, joy, pain, resourcefulness, sorrow and wisdom.

"Home Is Where The Heart Is", "Something For My Head", "A Little Bit Salty", a chilling version of "A Change Is Gonna Come", a wonderful zip through Ace's "How Long" and crucially the amazing "Standing In The Safety Zone" (never really appreciated because its tempo never instantly lent itself to any UK dance music scene), all affirm what a majestic talent he had become.

As singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader he had marshalled forces which, to my mind, created some of the finest soul music of all time. The follow up, "Pieces" just couldn't match such an illustrious predecessor, although "Trust Your Heart" and "Stop Before We Start" deserve honourable mention.

The Arista lp has a couple of great moments: "The Roots In Me" (in duet with Melissa Manchester) sometimes vies for the title of Womack's Greatest Moment with the early Minit single "I Can't Stand It" for me. "Give It Up" is sheer perfection and I can't tell you what the intro to "How Could You Break My Heart" does to me each time I hear it.

The Beverly Glen years and beyond all provide glimpses of the Womack genius: "If You Think You're Lonely Now" has rightfully acheived the status of a standard for the current generation of african-american singers and songwriters and there is much good music on many of the 80s and 90s lps.

When he goes he's going to leave a hell of a gap. It will never be adequately filled. He is simply a legend.

But everyone will start getting into him !

I have all of his Albums as far as I know, including Albums he just features on. I even Love BW goes CW as much as any of them.

The U.S Army Reserve Albums. Rap and Rhythm with Al Gee make a good listen, if you can get hold of them. Good interviews and not only with BW there are always 4 artists per Album as far as I know.

Edited March 19, 2007 by Gavin Page

[Philippe]

Pity really as he jas been aroubd a while and must have a some stories to tell.

What have you heard about it?

George

Yes, he must have some stories to tell, and I'd love to hear about all the sessions he played on, but unfortunately, it's not the case.

It seems he's more talking about insignifiant and futile facts, rather than things that we fans want to know, and which justify our adoration : his music.

The first review I read was from David Cole in In The Basement issue 43, and being a suscriber from the very beginning, I know I can trust him.

Here are some of his words : "...it's a rather sketchy tale, salacious in parts, frank in others and not afraid to dish dirt on fellow performers. (Maybe it is just as well Wilson Pickett is no longer with us to sue).That is all very well for the tabloid reader but any broadsheet enthousiast who prefers the news in more depth, might be disappointed.

"...as a fan of his music, I really would have wanted a greater look at the recordings, the sessions, etc..."

Also, the review from another Soul magazine, Soul Express :

"Bobby is very outspoken and he writes in the first person honestly about sex, violence, segregation, discrimination, drugs and death. They are all issues and setbacks he has encountered in his life. The book is an easy read and at times quite interesting, too, but the problem is that Bobby's not a very good writer. He uses a lot of street language and I for one would have wished that they had used a professional biographer. Bobby's life-story is too interesting to be documented this way.

...My constant complaint about these biographies is that the music and the making of music is not sufficiently dealt with, and that's one thing the fans want to read about; perhaps the most significant part. There's also no index in this book, and the discography has gaps that with a little research could easily have been filled."

And a few comments from 4 SoulfulDetroit forumers :

"this particular work does lack any real insight into his recording career which I found disappointing.Sometimes I think the best biographical books are those written as "unauthorised" rather than by the artists themselves."

"Overall I'm disappointed in the content. Bobby & his collaborators seem to have aimed it more at the rock market than at soul fans (his own real audience). For instance, we get much of a whole chapter about him being on the road along with Jimi Hendrick but little else about the real stars he toured with (Pickett gets a lot of coverage but then as Bobby & he were working partners for 2/3 years thats only logical -- Bobby let Pickett cut all the songs he had promised UA he would cut himself !!)"

"Bobby spends a short time talking about his songwriting, records and session work, and a lot of time talking about his drug use, sexual function and dysfunction, his failed marriages and relationships, gossip about this and that. The book has a cheap, tawdry feeling about it, as though it was a quick, down and dirty, do-it-for-the-money sort of thing."

"I enjoyed the book but was disapointed that there was not more about the writing/recording process.He mentions about being at Mary Wells funeral but thats it, he mentions about not talking to Cecil for many years and thats disturbing to me because they were close & I know it has nothing to do with Linda(or it didn't 10 years ago-the last time I saw them all together).The book was a quick read, though."

[Guest garv]

********* post deleted

Edited March 22, 2007 by garv

[Guest Gavin Page]

games - bobby womack - beverly glen

16548 refosoul

acoustic version

Mate it's the same version as I posted

[Guest garv]

Mate it's the same version as I posted

whoops, did`t see it Gav... fck know how i did`t ... ive had a drink

[Guest biggray1]

Bobby Womack was hammered into my ears way back in the mid 70s by Andy Taylor at youth clubs, tapes in the Transit and ofcourse venues up and down the Uk.I can never forget going to Sheffield Bailys with our Local youth club to see the Four Tops where i saw Tats talking to a black guy so i asked him who was that black guy you was talkin to and Andy said its Bobby Womack..so of i shot with pen and Four Tops Programe for Mr Womacks autograph only to find the chap wasnt BW but a doorman!! Didnt half kick Mr Taylors arse..But better still got to meet The For Tops instead and Tats Didnt...Anyway back to the thread,i love all BW music and collect it all,have Just played Bobbys version of Color Him Father..brilliant..Also Take Me is another Fav too...Great thread this..Thanx Dave for Starting...Foolish Fool why you little!

[Guest Gavin Page]

whoops, did`t see it Gav... fck know how i did`t ... ive had a drink

Just about to crack one open me sen

[Guest Gavin Page]

Left Handed Upside Down - -

16562 refosoul

The story told by the man himself !

Edited March 22, 2007 by Gavin Page

[foolish fool]

The United Artists preriod encompassing the Communication, Understanding , Facts of Life and Looking For A Love Again albums is, for me, the finest concerted body of soul music ever put on tape

[foolish fool]

Bobby Womack was hammered into my ears way back in the mid 70s by Andy Taylor at youth clubs, tapes in the Transit and ofcourse venues up and down the Uk.I can never forget going to Sheffield Bailys with our Local youth club to see the Four Tops where i saw Tats talking to a black guy so i asked him who was that black guy you was talkin to and Andy said its Bobby Womack..so of i shot with pen and Four Tops Programe for Mr Womacks autograph only to find the chap wasnt BW but a doorman!! Didnt half kick Mr Taylors arse..But better still got to meet The For Tops instead and Tats Didnt...Anyway back to the thread,i love all BW music and collect it all,have Just played Bobbys version of Color Him Father..brilliant..Also Take Me is another Fav too...Great thread this..Thanx Dave for Starting...Foolish Fool why you little!

Hey Gray,

I had forgot all about that, you sat in the limo with Levi etc. magic times!

Tats

[Guest mel brat]

I think we can leave the conversion in your safe hands Dave! Well done!

[Pjf]

womack.no 1,met him manchester 84,to many tracks to mention. whats your world........awesume

[Guest WPaulVanDyk]

Home is the Where The Heart is my fav, California Dreamin is good but i am not sure if he was on all the Valentino's recordings but if so he would be on there version of Sugar dumpling.