Throughout the history of Black music, we’ve loved songs with lyrics that have left us with more questions than answers. Like, who exactly is Billie Jean and is the kid really not Michael Jackson’s son? And who is the guy that Biz Markie’s love interest told him was “just a friend’?
Another classic song that may have left you stumped is The Isley Brothers’ 1983 hit ballad, “Choosey Lover.” In case you don’t remember the song or Aaliyah’s 90s cover version, Isley is singing to a woman about how happy he is that she chose him after finding out she’d been with someone else.
“Thought I had a lover,
But I was kiddin’ myself, baby
By the time I learned about it,
She was sleepin’ with someone else”
Now, after 42 years, Isley Brothers lead singer Ronald Isley has finally spilled the tea on who he was talking about in that verse – none other than Bobby Womack. You’re probably not shocked, especially since we already told you all about Womack’s messy love life which involved three marriages, including one to Barbara Cooke, the widow of his mentor Sam Cooke, and an affair with Linda Cooke, Sam and Barbara Cooke’s daughter.
Watch Isley swap out “someone else” and name check his “friend” during a performance here:
The video, posted on April 2, has received over a million views on X and comments from viewers who aren’t exactly surprised to hear that Womack was the person Isley almost lost his lady to.
“Just when you thought Bobby couldn’t get any SHEISTIER,” wrote one commenter.
Others think there may be other stories about relationships Womack has ruined that we don’t even know about.
“I wonder how many other homes Bobby Womack done wrecked my goodness!!!!” wrote someone else.
But the most hilarious comment was this meme that should have anyone in a relationship watching their back around a smooth-voiced R&B singer.
“If I send you this it means “watch yo boys around yo girl,” the post is tagged.