Bobby Womack vs. Gerald Levert | Head 2 Head 🗣️

In the 38^th edition of Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️ (2023), Bobby Womack and Gerald Levert contend for the best rendition of “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha.”

Welcome to Head 🗣️2 Head 🗣️! On Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  In the 38^th  edition of head 🗣️2 head 🗣️ (2023), 🎙 Bobby Womack and 🎙 Gerald Levert contend for the best rendition of 🎵 “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Bobby Womack, “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha”

💿 Communication • 🏷 The Right Stuff • 🗓 1971

“You know I’m a true believer / That if you get anything out of life / You’ve got to put up with / The toils of strife.” AMEN 👏 👏 👏! The late 🎙 Bobby Womack (1944 – 2014) is one of soul music’s true greats.  His voice oozes with expression, grit, and – wait for it – S-O-U-L.  Womack, sadly, didn’t earn as many pop hits or RIAA certifications as some of his contemporaries, but his catalog shines bright, nonetheless.  One of his best songs, 🎵 “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha”, from his 1971 album, 💿 Communication, did earn some love on the Billboard Hot 100, to the tune of no. 27.  “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha,” hence, is his second-highest charting single behind his sole top 10 hit, 🎵 “Lookin’ for a Love”.

So, what makes “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha” the sugar honey iced tea? Well, the authenticity of Womack’s vocal performance is definitely a big deal – he sounds amazing.  Furthermore, the backdrop is lovely, led by the smooth guitar, robust bass, the drum groove, as well as those glorious strings 🎻, idiomatic of the musical style in the 1970s.  Of course, another huge selling point is the songwriting.  Womack penned “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha” alongside 🎼 ✍  Joe Hicks, and John Grisby.  The theme is all about L-O-V-E, specifically opening your heart up to love.  For Womack, he has to convince his love interest to trust him: “Trust in me, my dear / Have no fear / You don’t know but / God might have sent me here / Yeah, sent me here.” He encourages her, consistently to, “Think it over / Think it over / You better think it over.” In the bridge, he also advises,  “Please, please / Please answer love if it / Ever comes knocking at your door / ‘Cause what’s out there knocking , baby / The world don’t give enough of…”  Yep, he has a point! Of course, the crème de la crème, the crowning achievement, and the centerpiece of  🎵 “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha” is none other than the chorus:

“That’s the way I feel about cha

That’s the way I feel about cha

(And If that’s being weak

For you, darling, yeah

I don’t mlnd, I don’t mind

I don’t mlnd, I don’t mind)

That’s the way I feel about cha

(Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)

That’s the way I feel about cha.”

#CLASSIC 👏 👏 👏!

Appears in 🔻:

• Bobby Womack, That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 129 (2023)

2. Gerald Levert, “That’s The Way I Feel About You” (Ft. Mary J. Blige)

💿 Love & Consequences • 🏷 Elektra • 📅 1998

The late, great, 🏆 Grammy winning, R&B singer/songwriter 🎙 Gerald Levert (1966 – 2006) possessed a truly powerful, soulful instrument.  Every time Levert sung, you felt like he put his all into the performance – blood, sweat, and tears you might say.  One of Gerald’s best albums is 💿 Love & Consequences, released in 1998.  While there are many awesome original songs, including the two biggest pop hits of his career, there’s also a marvelous 🎙 Bobby Womack cover of 🎵 “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha”, retitled 🎵 “That’s The Way I Feel About You”. The original by Womack is a solo track. In Levert’s hands, it becomes a duet featuring the one-and-only 🎙 Mary J. Blige.

It’s safe to say that Gerald Levert channels his inner Bobby Womack superbly. Notably, both artists hailed from Cleveland, Ohio – a Midwest soul connection! Levert sings with incredible expression, wowing in the first verse, and bringing the heat on the most memorable section of the song, the chorus (“That’s the way I feel about you”).  This late 1990s rendition retains many of the musical cues of the original but updates the sound to sound characteristic and idiomatic of R&B at the time.  Mary J. Blige brings contrast performing the second verse.  Not only does it contrast the original, but Blige contrasts Levert, sounding particularly youthful and chocked full of soul.  Both artists sound incredible from then on, singing together.  The chemistry is terrific.  The bridge, another big time section of this record, is fabulous as they both sing parts of it solo as well as together.  All told, this Levert/Blige cover of 🎵 “That’s The Way I Feel About You” sounds brand-new – original. That, folks, is the mark of an awesome cover!

Appears in 🔻:

• Gerald Levert, That’s The Way I Feel About You: Covers No. 36 (2023)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️

Ah, the moment of truth! Does this Head 🗣️2 Head 🗣️ belong to the late, great 🎙 Bobby Womack or the late, great 🎙 Gerald Levert? Both musicians ‘bring the heat’ on their respective performances.  Womack impacted The Hot 100 with 🎵 “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha”. While the Levert didn’t impact the pop charts, it still marks one of the best songs from his Love & Consequences album. Ultimately, Bobby Womack takes the W on this Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️.  His rendition, the original, remains the one to beat.

Bobby Womack vs. Gerald Levert: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 38 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Elektra, The Right Stuff; Hernán Toro, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]