Bobby Womack – Understanding

Label:	United Artists Records – UAS-5577
Format:	Vinyl, LP, Album, Terre Haute Press
Country:	US
Released:	1972
Genre:	Funk / Soul
Style:	Rhythm & Blues, Soul

Tracklist

A1	I Can Understand It Written-By – Bobby Womack	6:30
A2	Woman's Gotta Have It Written By – Bobby Womack/Linda Womack/Darryl Carter Written-By – Bobby Womack, Darryl Carter, Linda Womack	3:30
A3	And I Love Her Written-By – John Lennon/Paul McCartney*	2:40
A4	Got To Get You Back Written-By – Jimmy Lewis	2:47
B1	Simple Man Written By – Bobby Womack/Joe Hicks Written-By – Bobby Womack, Joe Hicks	5:50
B2	Ruby Dean Written By – Bobby Womack/Joe Hicks Written-By – Bobby Womack, Joe Hicks	3:22
B3	Thing Called Love Written By – E. Wright/Joe Hicks Written-By – E. Wright*, Joe Hicks	3:55
B4	Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) Written-By – Neil Diamond	3:07
B5	Harry Hippie Written-By – Jim Ford	3:50

Companies, etc.

Manufactured By – United Artists Records, Inc.
Distributed By – United Artists Records, Inc.
Record Company – United Artists Records, Inc.
Published By – Chartwell Music
Published By – Unart Music Corp.
Published By – Tracebob Music Co.
Published By – Lagnaf Music
Published By – Stonebridge Music, Inc.
Published By – Maclen Music, Inc.
Published By – Jalew Music
Recorded At – American Sound Studio, Memphis, TN
Recorded At – Muscle Shoals Sound Studios
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute

Credits

Arranged By – René Hall* (tracks: A1, B5)
Arranged By [Strings] – Bobby Womack (tracks: A2, A3, B4), Mike Leech (tracks: A2, A3, B4)
Art Direction, Photography By – Norman Seeff
Baritone Saxophone – Ronnie Eads* (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5)
Bass – David Hood (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5), Mike Leech (tracks: A2, A3, B4)
Design – Dave Bhang
Drums, Percussion – Hayward Bishop (tracks: A2, A3, B4), Roger Hawkins (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5)
Electric Piano, Piano [Acoustic] – Bobby Wood (tracks: A2, A3, B4)
Guitar – Jimmy Johnson (4) (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5), Redgie Young* (tracks: A2, A3, B4)
Lead Guitar – Tippy Armstrong (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5)
Organ – Bobby Emmons (tracks: A2, A3, B4)
Producer – Joe Hicks (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5), Muscle Shoals Sound* (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5)
Producer, Arranged By – Bobby Womack
Synthesizer [Moog], Electric Piano, Piano, Harpsichord, Clavichord – Barry Beckett (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5)
Tenor Saxophone – Harvey Thompson (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5)
Trombone – Dale Quillen (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5)
Trumpet – Harrison Calloway, Jr.* (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5)
Vocals – Janice Singleton (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5), Pam Grier (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5), Patrice Holloway (tracks: A1, A4, B1 to B3, B5)

Notes

Also available on United Artists stereo-tape.

The reissue from 2007 has a copyright info on the flipside of the cover which you cannot find on the original release:

"This record has been made available through a special licensing agreement directly with Bobby Womack Artists LTD."

States "0598" on the label spine near the lower corner.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Price Code: 0598
Matrix / Runout (Runout A): UAS 5577-A-1 T V
Matrix / Runout (Runout B): UAS 5577-B-1 T
Rights Society: BMI
Rights Society: ASCAP
Pressing Plant ID (Etched both sides runout): T

Other Versions (5 of 23)

View All

	Title (Format)	Label	Cat#	Country	Year
	Understanding (LP, Album)	United Artists Records	UAS 29365	UK	1972
New Submission	Understanding (LP, Album)	United Artists Records	UAS 29365	Italy	1972
New Submission	Understanding (LP, Album, Stereo)	United Artists Records	UAS 29 365 I	Germany	1972
New Submission	Understanding (8-Track Cartridge, )	United Artists Records	U-8381	US	1972
New Submission	Understanding (LP, Album)	United Artists Records	UAS 5577	Canada	1972

Reviews

brandosoul Sep 20, 2021
Edited 10 months ago
There's no question Bobby Womack was at the peak of his powers by the release of this 1972 classic, his fourth album, Understanding. Recorded during the same seven-day sessions at Memphis' long-defunct American Sound and Alabama's famed Muscle Shoals Sound Studio that helped usher his stellar 1971 classic, Communication, Womack hit his mighty stride with this album, combining southern soul styles with stony funk-rock and a dash of pop. A little bit of everything that made Bobby a legend in the soul universe is showcased on this lean, mean jewel: he lets loose on the funk with the album's lead single, "I Can Understand It" and "Simple Man," schools the guys on the importance of keeping a good woman on the irresistible "Woman's Gotta Have It" (his first #1 R&B smash), and shows concern for his troubled brother, the late Harry Womack on the melancholy, semi-autobiographical, "Harry Hippie." One of the remarkable aspects of Womack's artistry was how well he covered pop classics and made them into his own. On this album, he sharpened his interpretive mastery, demonstrating his love for country music with Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" and cleverly interpolating the chorus of Johnny Darrell's "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" for "Ruby Dean," a deep-fried, country blues-soul hybrid about a mother's harrowing neglect of her family. He strips the sweetness from the Beatles' "And I Love Her" and gives it a hauntingly beautiful southern slow-burn. Essential and eternal all at once.
rdrxscm Feb 20, 2017
My LP would need a deep clean but the cover is so nice. The back cover is nicer with the reflective shades - similar to the sunglasses that is on-trend right now.