40 Year Itch: Two Guys Named Bobby

[Purchase]

I don't know anything about women. But I have a good excuse. I've only been married ten years. I only have one daughter. I've only had one mother, three stepmothers, one sister, two half sisters and a step sister. 

But I know good advice when I hear it. And no song offers better advice about women than Bobby Womack's "Woman's Gotta Have It". Like half of Bobby's songs it begins with a moment on the pulpit: 

Fellas I wonder would you mind if I talked to ya for a minute. You know, sometimes we have the tendency, or should I say we forget, what a woman needs every now and then. That is if you wanna keep your thing together.

And then we learn the rules of keeping your woman happy

1. Keep a smile on her face

2.  Say the things that make her feel better every day

3. Mind your p's and q's.

4. Make her know she's needed

5. When you kiss her, make her feel it

6. Make her feel secure so she know she's not walking on shaky ground

7. Don't take her for granted even if she's got a smile on her face.

   "Woman's Gotta Have It" is the stand out track from Understanding, released May 29, 1972. But not the only noteworthy song. "Harry Hippie", a B side to Womack's cover of "Sweet Caroline", became a top ten R and B hit. Sadly, Bobby had a free spirited brother named Harry who was killed by a jealous girlfriend years after the song was released.

"I Can Understand It' is a groovy six minute jam. Our deep cut is "Got To Get You Back" co-written by Jerry Lynn Williams who also wrote Delbert McClinton's hit "Givin It Up For Your Love" and Eric Clapton's "Promises". Good stuff all around

Womack, recently declared cancer free by doctor,  has a new Damon Albarn produced album coming out June 12, The Bravest Man in The Universe.

[Purchase]

Bobby Weir also released his first solo album , Ace, in May of 1972. But to call this a solo album might be stretching the definition. Every member of the Dead except Pigpen and Micky Hart played on Ace and almost every song became a staple of the Dead's live repertoire. Especially "Playing In The Band" and "One More Saturday Night".

Our deep cut is "Cassidy", named after the daughter of a crew member and family friend and featuring allusions to Beat associate Neal Cassady. The phrase "Catch-colt" refers to colt born to a mare who accidentally bred with the wrong stallion. Must have made for some awkward birthday parties for "Uncle Bob".