- published: 29 Sep 2008
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Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack ( /ˈwoʊmæk/; born March 4, 1944) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 50 years and has spanned a repertoire in the styles of R&B, soul, rock and roll, doo-wop, gospel, and country.
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.
Born and raised in Cleveland's East 85th & Quincy area to Naomi Womack and Friendly Womack, Womack was the third of five brothers. Raised Baptist, their mother played organ in their church and their father was a minister and musician, often known to play guitar though he advised his sons to not touch the instrument while he was away. One night, eight-year-old Bobby, who was often playing it, broke a guitar string. After Friendly Womack fixed the string, he let Bobby play the guitar for him. According to Bobby later, Friendly was shocked by his son's talents as well as the talents of his other sons. Soon afterwards, he bought Bobby his own guitar and formed The Womack Brothers. The group toured the gospel circuit with their parents accompanying them on organ and guitar respectively. In 1954, the group under the moniker Curtis Womack and the Womack Brothers, the group issued the Pennant single, "Buffalo Bill". Bobby was only ten years old at the time.
Save the children and we might save the world
It's every mother's wish for her boy and girl, oh
A child was born inside this city yesterday
His mother held him to her breast as she began to pray
Please let them grow up to be strong and know the truth
And have the chances to taste the innocence of youth
The innocence of youth, the innocence of youth
You know what we have to do
Save the children and we might save the world
It's every mother's wish for her boy and girl, oh
A baby starts out with his back against the wall
He has to learn to survive before he learns to crawl
He needs somebody who can give him a daddy hand
We brought them into this world, they deserve a chance
They deserve a chance, got to have a chance
Why can't we all understand?
Save the baby, save him, ohh ohh, save him
The world is lost in a bout of confusion
Happiness, happiness, happiness is just an illusion
Somewhere it must end even if we have to start
Stop and start again, we're defendin' a man's sin
Oh, what's going on, what's going on?
I can remember another friend of mine tellin' me
Change gonna come, oh, yes it will
Save the children and we might save the world
Every mother's wish for her boy and girl, oh
Save, save the children, save, save the children
Save, save the children, we gotta save the children
Save, save the children, save, save the children
Save, save the children, we gotta save the children
Listen, headed in the wrong direction
No love, no love, no love, no love, no love, no love and affection
Like a [Incomprehensible] pain we tryin' to figure it out
No young boys playin' in the park and havin' fun
They find their manhood at the barrel of a loaded gun
Can't see their future, just a tunnel with no light
I'm lost in the projects runnin' from the night
Runnin' from the night, runnin' from the night
Runnin' from the night, runnin' from the night
Scared for the rest of their life
Save, save the children, save, save the children
Save, save the children, save, save the children
We gotta save the children, save, save the children
Save, save the children
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop