Understanding

Understanding was recorded in Memphis at American Sound Studio and in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where Womack used drummer Roger Hawkins, guitarists Jimmy Johnson and Tippy Armstrong, bassist David Hood and keyboardist Barry Beckett. It reached number 43 on the Billboard pop albums chart and number 7 on the R&B albums chart.

The first single, "Woman's Gotta Have It", was co-written with Darryl Carter and a third writer and topped the R&B chart in the spring of 1972. It was recorded at American Sound with Mike Leech on bass and Reggie Young on guitar. "I Can Understand It" became a soul classic and a hit for New Birth the following year, and the Valentinos also covered it with production from Womack. Alexis Petridis of the Guardian called Understanding arguably the pick of his early albums.