The Poet

My wife had a rough holiday weekend, so I'm making sure to treat her right this evening: I've got this album, I've got a dozen roses, and I've got a boxed macaroni and cheese dinner for two.

God bless this coked out mess

“The Poet” by Bobby Womack (1981) R&B, funk, jazz, finely performed by Womack, with plenty of excellent backing support. These are mostly love songs that are presented with soul and flair. Womack’s lead guitar is nice to listen to, as well his not-quite-mellow-enough baritone voice. And the backing vocals are angelic. “Stand Up” cooks—makes ya wanna dance. These tracks are well arranged, but some idiosyncrasies (like overused harp glissando) mildly detract. And while the lyrics are suitably passionate, they lack depth and lexical variety, hence the album title “The Poet” is somewhat pompous. The track “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” is interestingly equivocal. Is it sympathetic or menacing? The listener can decide. But it’s good music that gets under your skin. Womack’s “Just My Imagination” (1981) is strikingly similar to The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination” (1971). Are the attorneys on top of this or is it just my imagination? A very enjoyable album. 3/5

Surely I’m not the first, but I’d like to call your attention to these lyrics, penned by The Poet, on track three, “Secrets”: (I’d like to emphasize that I am merely the messenger) “Girl, you know how to make my cookie crumble, my cookie crumble When you hold me close and do all the things you do to me Ooh-wee, baby Just like some good old Kentucky Fried Chicken and all of it was good enough to be finger lickin' Oh, you must have had a (secrets, secrets) Wanna see it (she must have had a secrets) Ooh, baby (secret, secret, you must have had a secret, secret) Finger-lickin good y'all” [chef’s kiss] Poetry.

Absolutely PERFECT. Womack remains the king of soul, and this album is one of my favorites. Every track is genius, but "If You Think You're Lonely Now" is one of my favorite songs of all time.

nice vibes, lush production, and he has an amazing voice but im not sure if i think this one has aged well. just a little bit too 80s cheesy for me

I'm not a fan of this genre but the album wasn't that much of a pain to listen. Not too repetitive and short.

I didn't realize the impact Bobby Womack had. I saw the movie, One Night in Miami and I learned about the influence he had on Sam Cooke and the crazy story about his personal life. Womack married Sam Cooke's widow, but then his brother married Cooke's daughter! Then Womack carried out an affair with the daughter while married to the widow! This led to Womack being shot at by Cooke's widow and to their divorce, but the daughter married his brother and worked with Womack on a ton of records! Crazy. Anyway, this is a great album. First Bobby Womack album I've ever listened to. I knew Across 110th Street, which is amazing, but this dude is great! So much soul in his voice. I'll admit, this album sounds more dated than his earlier stuff. The 80s are all over this thing, but he sounds great, and it reminds me a lot of Prince at times.

A nice, easy listen. It's very smooth, just glides through your ears, but doesn't really leave a mark. Basically exactly what was said above, it's pleasant background music that you can tune in and out of, but nothing about it screams top class or holds your attention. 3/5.

So much craic. "Girl, you know how to make my cookie crumble, my cookie crumble When you hold me close and do all the things you do to me Ooh-wee, baby Just like some good old Kentucky Fried Chicken And all of it was good enough to be finger lickin′" that is all

This album has no weakness, every kind of Soul/R&B music is represented in this album. Also, every song makes you wanna dance. A Hidden Gem in music history.

Ooooooooo. funkay. Love the funk R&B on Secrets. So Many Sides Of You is a great opening track. I actually don't love If You Think You're Lonely now, but I still love this album. Great album, I had a blast listening to it.

Where has this been all my life? Smooth, sexy, groovy, passioned, and damn COOL

I like it. It’s groovy and funky and great background music to jam out to.

Je suis désolé d'avoir attendu aussi longtemps pour écrire cette critique, mais j'attendais tout simplement de vérifier une théorie. Le lendemain du jour où j'ai écouté cet album, en voyant ma gueule dans le miroir de ma salle de bain, j'ai été stupéfait de voir à quel point Bobby Womack l'avait baisée. J'ai ainsi voulu consater sur la durée les effets de la baise de Womack sur ma gueule, et je peux vous affirmer après deux mois que ma gueule porte encore les stigmates de sa baise à chaque recoin. Rien d'étonnant quand on sait que le Womack est l'ambassadeur de l'énorme-baiseur-funk, ce courant musical consistant à baiser absolument tout ce qui bouge.

Groovy af!!

Warm tones, good vibes. What a classic sound.

Smooth funk I can get behind.

Bobby finally got wise and sampled some of that great coke Teddy Pendergrass always kept around.

A funky, jam-filled album from a crazy talented singer. Straight up, this record will make you want to dance and sing like a madman. The guitar and piano riffs are groovy, there's a disco-based rhythm section, and Womack brings heat to his voice that you can feel in your soul. Favorite Song: If You Think You're Lonely Now Least Favorite: Secrets

For some reason, I remember listening to his final album when it was released. However, never really listened to earlier Womack. I'm not especially qualified to evaluate how this compares to other soul/RnB/funk from the era, but damn it seems pretty damn good to me. I got the 2021 remaster, and it sounds really well defined to my inexpert ears. You've got funky party anthems like "Stand Up", and slightly generic bedroom preludes "Lay Your Lovin' On Me". But my preference is for the long, reflective ballads like "Games" and "Just My Imagination" (weirdly with a country tinge to it. Edit: apparently he had at least one whole album of "country soul"!), which really take you on an emotional/narrative journey. I'm not a huge fan of the growling soul thing he does sometimes, but Womack's voice is definitely a strong asset here. All the musicianship is good, and the bass particularly stands out on some tracks.

Reminded me of a poor man’s George Benson without the awesome guitar work

Sometimes I wonder if I overrate certain rock records and underrate other genres, primarily soul and R&B. Because I hear good stuff here but it doesn’t really sound essential to me. I do think it’s an interesting footnote in R&B history, as this came out right when disco became passé, but no one really knew what would be the new sound. A lot of it tends to run together for me, but I have fun anyway. C

Very busy energy which Womack matches with fidgety vocals. More disco here than you might suspect. Blues, too. Basically, he'll take rhythm from any place he can get it. But poesy? An overstretch.

I got on with it, So Many Sides of You, If You Think You're Lonely Now and Stand Up all slap. The rest is all okay. However, I feel like the super polished sound was a malign influence on the rest of the decade, with so much overproduced plastic soul afterwards. This isn't quite there. Nothing sounds glazed over and evil like what came later, but it's definitely on its way there. I'd have given it three, but it loses a star for what it wraught on ears in the coming years.

Ugh, how was this on the list?? Listening to this album was painful.

The Poet Made a shit album And didn’t know it

No tengo idea de porqué está este disco aquí. Este men tiene discos increíbles a principios de los 70s. La producción de este pedo es vomitiva y las canciones están equis.

Knew this was going to be great, right from the start. But this is perfect, all the way through. Bobby Womack’s voice will get you pregnant.

Amazing soul album. Never heard of this guy, but isn’t that the point of this endeavor? He’s gained a fan in me.

Funky!

Sick

Knew this was going to be great, right from the start. But this is perfect, all the way through. Bobby Womack’s voice will get you pregnant.

läck bobby, bin imne dilemma zum eine hani jedes einzelne lied gspeicheret – zum andere hani sither aber nur paar vereinzelti wieder gloset irgendwie hani s'gfühl dasi nöd scho wieder es 5i gäh chan, vorallem wills nöd ganz ah marvin gaye anechund nevermind ha nomal driglost: klare fall vomne 5i

Quite funky, soulful and very enjoyable.

Sometimes the cover alone is enough to tell you an album about to be 5 stars. Funky all the way through. Finger licking good!

Wow … what a great album. I knew Bobby Womack but only from some songs and I had never listened to one of his albums. That was definitely an errror.

WHAT A BAND. Gadson on drums, David T. on guitar, Nathan East on bass. Had never listened to this whole album before, this is exactly what I'm looking for out of this project. Incredible, perfect. 5/5.

good mood

Day627 - a really good album but only half as interesting as the singer himself. the story of him with sam cooke’s wife and daughter is wild.

Bobby Womack has never had a real job in his entire life.

Bobby MF Womack. Amazing soul/funk singer probably most popular in the 70s. I know him from “across 110th street,” which is one of my all time favorite soul jams. I have to say this album surprised me quite a bit. I was expecting some early 80s cheese, but was delighted by a great dance track (Lay Your Lovin’ On Me), and several amazing slow jamz/ballads. In fact, I’d say this album is driven by ballads and baby makers. Would listen again.

Good ol 80’s soul music. I love this kind of stuff. Good variety, not really experimental. 9/10

Soul intensifies, love sublime

It's a great listen from start to finish, so I have no choice but to give it 5 stars

Excellent album!

This was great would listen again

Exceptional album. Very well done.

How is this so damn funky

Nah, hell with it. This is perfect. This shits for real yearners. Fuck ME this is good shit. Come on

Fun! This was very enjoyable to listen to. 'Where Do We Go from Here' was my fave.

lovely!!!! vibing.

Smoooooooooooth.

I love the vibe, summer, chill, positive!

Very smooth sound, cool lyrics. Love it.

Loved this man.

I was jamming.

Funky Odlican bass Kao Marvin Geye

Beautiful voice, beautiful lyrics. Soul is as always, an amazing genre full of beautiful artists.

So fun! So cool! Favourites were Secrets and Stand Up but every track was great and I listened through a couple times. I wasn’t going to give it a five but then I was like actually what’s not to like, what would be my specific criticism to bring it down? And couldn’t think of one so went with it.

Snagged another classic 2 days in a row, I’ll consider that lucky with this challenge. The perfect soundtrack to my morning walk with my dog. Bobby Womack is one of the best, and this album showcases that perfectly.

A qualidade disso aqui é absurda, outro nível.

Tight!

This is amazing! A beautiful eclectic album that will please both mind and hips. 1001 albums seem to be a bit squeamish when it comes to AOR and Yacht Rock adjacent records, but this makes up for a few left out legends.

Not a song that disappointed me

Great, soulful, never gets boring. Loved it.

this is such a good album. seems like something from another era but still modern.

"The Poet," by Bobby Womack, showcases the artist's glorious vocal performance, effortlessly blending elements of soul, R&B, and funk. Womack's rich and emotive voice draws listeners into a profound emotional journey, where every note resonates with passion and authenticity. Despite its eclectic mix of genres, the album maintains a cohesive sound that highlights Womack’s songwriting prowess and artistry, solidifying its status as a classic in the music world. The seamless integration of styles not only showcases Womack’s versatility but also underscores why "The Poet" remains an enduring favorite among fans and music critics alike.

A heartfelt and funky good time. Also, no long Bobby-style monologues, which, though interesting, get wearing on multiple listens.

Good album

This kicks ass. Really funky, soul/RnB. Loved it. A really fun listen

I don’t think I’d heard of Bobby Womack before today, but by Jove I’m glad I have now! It took only a few seconds of the first track to know that I was going to g to enjoy this. It’s super funky and soulful, and just has feel good vibes all around. An absolute highlight, as is often the case with funk, is the fantastic bass lines that make you want to move your body. I think my favourite track here might be Secrets, but there genuinely isn’t a bad one on this album.

Hoy toca artista casi desconocido, que con la canción inicial me recuerda a Stevie Wonder y después a bandas más contemporáneas argentinas como Bandalos Chinos. Leyendo su bio veo que suya es la canción emblema de "Jackie Brown" y voy uniendo cabos. Discazo sexi, divertido, ideal para una juntada nocturna con una pareja o promesa de ella. Gracias como siempre y hasta mañana.

amazing album, great discovery

The sexiest album on the list so far

Was gonna give this a 4, then if you think youre lonely now came on and pushed it over. Holy moly

Absolutely superb.

This album is wild. I don't think I've listened to Bobby Womack before. Excellent funk music. Nathan East is a great bass player. This is not my general listening so I'm glad the generator threw this my way. This is good to listen to on repeat. Dig it.

Приятный нежный

I'll keep this short, since I wasn't able to get to this album the day my group had it and I just **need** to hurry on to listening to Country Joe & The Fish—oops, I'm not supposed to know that. But anyway, before now, I had no idea what Bobby Womack had done besides "be on a Gorillaz song." So to discover that he used to make lush-as-hell funk and soul... Oooh, this shit is incredibly up my alley. The soul stuff especially, it's so pretty. Honestly, I really wish I'd been able to spin this yesterday instead of having to hurry along like I feel I hafta. This is shit I really adore, goodness. Country Joe could never.

I’m at a 5. This is just unabashedly my type of music, and I will not apologize for it one bit. Very, very Stevie-esque stuff here, but without the same sort of emotional maturity or wisdom… but a lot of the funk. Sometimes, all you need is the funk. That’s not to say this album is entirely stupid or anything – it’s a little stupid, but in the “go stupid and have fun” type of way, not in the “go drink bleach” type of way. I had a lot of fun with this – it’s sort of a final gasp of the late 70s disco era, but just contemporary enough for the early 80s that it kinda sneaks into that “sure, this sounds like it could go next to a Hall & Oates record” place on the record store shelf. My biggest compliment that I can give, other than the instrumentals being fantastic, is that his voice is absolutely perfect for this style and sound – the only Bobby Womack I’ve heard before this is Across 110th Street (significantly more of a socially serious 60s-style track), and his two features of Plastic Beach, but his voice especially pops on these more funky instrumentals, especially when he’s doing his best Stevie Wonder impression. It’s truly impossible for me to not make the comparison here, sorry. I just really, really liked this. I could keep going, but I’ll boil it down to this: it’s funky, he’s got a gritty voice, it’s a great combo, and it makes for a great album. Super fun 5.

5/5

Had only heard the name before now. Brilliant soul/rnb album top to bottom, with some excellent guitar playing, particularly on "Games".

made my day

Incredible front to back. One of the best finds so far. Musically inspiring.

There really are still albums worth listening to before you die, unfortunately there are too few on this list. But this is definitely one of them.

I love Bobby Womack!

Sensational

Smooth and funky. Immaculate basslines; incredible voice.

Now this is some comfy and groovy stuff. Definitely adding this guy to my list of interesting artists I never would have discovered if it weren't for this project.

This album is the perfect balance of nuanced instrumentation with straightforward “songs” that each stand alone.

A SOULFUL MASTAPIECE, shit got me dancing fr fr

This was a beautiful and soulful experience. Increíble musicalidad y complejidad disonante que encaja como si fuese destinado a ser escrita e interpretada de esa forma. 0 burdens, all the vibes needed. This album delivered. 10/10

Love this Album and will gladly listen to it again!

Some days this project feels like work. A lot of the albums lately - even the 4s and 5s - seem to have taken some effort to listen to and evaluate. Today the lights went down, a log went into the fireplace and I mentally stretched out on deep shag carpet to The Poet’s dulcet tones mentally massaging my psyche. There is something magical about R&B from the late seventies… and Bobby really knows how to sing it. On the second listen I became Pam Grier coolly driving through rush hour traffic to “Lay Your Lovin’ On Me.” A smooth and easy 5…

The single funkiest album I've heard in this book so far. Welcome to my immediate rotation, Bobby Womack. Favorite track: Stand Up

In the game, "marry, f*ck, kill," this is one you marry. It's goofy-funny while still being able to pull off cool-sexy, a rare combo, but it exists. Take my wife! Perhaps you commitment-phobes out there can listen to this and see how all these features can coexist. Maybe there really is the perfect person for you somewhere.

I have been fucking obsessed with this album in the past. and I will be fucking obsessed with it in the future.

Wow! I wasn't previously familiar with Bobby Womack but I just loved this album top top to bottom. There were a decent amount of earworms, some really interesting backing tracks/effects, and great vocal takes. If you think you're lonely now is the standout imo I'm really bummed the first 3 tracks aren't on Spotify cuz I want these all showing up on my shuffle list.

Классно, классно! Вот такой R&B мне нравится! Secrets классная, все остальное тоже на уровне. Удивляюсь, почему мой сосед от R&B блюётся.