Originally David Richard Solberg, he was born the son of a Lutheran minister. His father, Dr. Richard Solberg, was a senior representative for Lutheran World Relief during the reconstruction of Germany after World War II, and the family moved frequently while Soul was growing up. Soul's brother is a Lutheran minister and social activist.
Soul first gained attention as the mysterious "Covered Man" on several appearances on The Merv Griffin Show in 1967 in which he sang while wearing a ski mask and explained, "My name is David Soul, and I want to be known for my music".
Soul then appeared as level-headed Joshua Bolt on the television program Here Come the Brides, and later Arthur Hill's law partner on, "Owen Marshal: Counselor At Law". Superstar status came when he portrayed Detective Hutchinson on Starsky and Hutch. He has also made guest appearances on shows such as I Dream of Jeannie, McMillan and Wife, Cannon, Gunsmoke, World War III (miniseries), Star Trek, and The Streets of San Francisco. His best known film appearance was opposite Clint Eastwood in Magnum Force (1973). Soul also appeared in the mini-series based on Stephen King's horror classic "Salem's Lot" (1978).
After a successful singing career, including hits such as "Don't Give Up on Us" and "Silver Lady", Soul fell into relative obscurity during the 1980s, fought a long battle with alcoholism, although frequently made guest appearances in various US television series, with the occasional small film role.
In the 1990s, Soul moved to London, and forged a new career on the West End stage. He also notably participated in the successful 1997 election campaign of Martin Bell. In September 2004, he became a British citizen, but has kept his US citizenship and ties with the US. He is a big fan of English football (soccer) and is an Arsenal supporter. He has been married four times, three of those marriages have been to actresses: Karen Carlson, Patty Sherman, and Julia Nickson-Soul. He has six children: five sons and one daughter. His brother, Daniel Solberg, is pastor of St. Paulus Lutheran Church in San Francisco, California.
On July 12, 2004, he took over playing the role of Jerry Springer in Jerry Springer: The Opera at the Cambridge Theatre in London, televised by the BBC in 2005. He returned to the West End in 2006, playing Mack in a new production of Jerry Herman's musical Mack and Mabel at the Criterion Theatre. The production co-starred Janie Dee and was directed by John Doyle. He also appeared in the TV series Dalziel & Pascoe (Game of Soldiers). He had a brief cameo in the 2004 movie version of Starsky & Hutch, alongside original co-star Paul Michael Glaser.
In August 2008, Soul appeared in the reality TV talent show-themed television series Maestro on BBC Two mentored by Natalia Luis-Bassa.
He appeared with Fred Ward and Willem Dafoe in the film Farewell directed by Christian Carion, which received its U.S. release in 2010.
In June 2012, Soul made a one-week appearance with Jerry Hall at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, in a reprise of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated play by A. R. Gurney, Love Letters. On July 29, 2012, he appeared in an episode of the British television detective drama series Lewis, playing a murder victim. He was also featured in the hit album by Fosseytango, singing on the track "Landlord". In 2013, Soul appeared in a cameo role in the Scottish film Filth lip-syncing his own recording of "Silver Lady". In 2014, Soul appeared in a British television commercial for National Express singing "Silver Lady" while driving a coach.
Soul died on January 4, 2024, at the age of 80.
Tattler
David Soul Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who loves every woman he sees
There's always some kind of woman
That's putting him up a tree
And that kind of man he ain't got
As much sense as a mule
'Cause you know all those women, they don't love him,
Ah ah ah, oh no, it's not hard for you to understand
True love can be such sweet harmony
If you do the best that you can
If you marry the wrong kind of woman
And get to where you cannot breath,
You just as well go get your hat
And let that woman be
And men ought'a make good husbands
And quite trying to lead the fast life
Goin' out, dressin' up, every other woman
Won't put clothes on his own wife
Ah ah ah, oh no, it's not hard for you to understand
True love can be such sweet harmony
If you do the best that you can
Now there're lots of good women who want to marry
And live a good life at home
But they're afraid they'll get hold of a rowdy man
Won't leave other women alone
And there're lots of good men who want to marry
And live a good life at home
But everytime they turn their back
There's a man sayin; "Honey, has he gone?"
Ah ah ah, oh no, it's not hard for you to understand
True love can be such sweet harmony
If you do the best that you can
The lyrics of David Soul's song "Tattler" convey a message about love, relationships, and the perils of infidelity. The opening verse notes that a man who falls in love with every woman he sees is bound to be led astray by one of those women. It implies that such a man lacks common sense, and that these women do not reciprocate his feelings, but instead use him for their own means. The chorus reminds the listener that true love can be sweet harmony, but only if they do their best. The second verse advises that marrying the wrong kind of woman is akin to suffocation and that it's better to let such a woman go. It also suggests that men should strive to be good husbands, devoting their attention to their wives rather than other women. The final verse notes that both men and women desire a loving and fulfilling relationship, but the constant temptation of infidelity and unfaithfulness are obstacles.
Throughout the song, David Soul highlights the importance of commitment and loyalty in relationships. He cautions listeners against pursuing frivolous or fleeting romances that lack substance and deeper connections. Instead, he emphasizes the need for both partners to put in the effort to build a strong and lasting bond. David's soulful and emotive voice helps to convey the message with a sense of authenticity and sincerity that makes the lyrics resonate with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Whenever you find a man
Who loves every woman he sees
There's always some kind of woman
That's putting him up a tree
If a man tries to love every woman he sees, there will be a woman who will take advantage of him and complicate his life.
And that kind of man he ain't got
As much sense as a mule
'Cause you know all those women, they don't love him,
They're playin' him for a fool
A man who falls for every woman he sees is not very smart. He may think all these women love him, but in reality, they are just using him for their own benefit.
Ah ah ah, oh no, it's not hard for you to understand
True love can be such sweet harmony
If you do the best that you can
True love can be beautiful and harmonious, but it takes effort to make it work.
If you marry the wrong kind of woman
And get to where you cannot breath,
You just as well go get your hat
And let that woman be
If you marry the wrong woman who suffocates you and makes you miserable, it's better to cut your losses and leave her.
And men ought'a make good husbands
And quit trying to lead the fast life
Goin' out, dressin' up, every other woman
Won't put clothes on his own wife
Men should focus on being good husbands and stop chasing after other women. Neglecting their own wives for the sake of other women is not right.
Now there're lots of good women who want to marry
And live a good life at home
But they're afraid they'll get hold of a rowdy man
Won't leave other women alone
There are many good women who want to get married and have a peaceful life, but they are afraid of marrying a man who cannot stay faithful to them.
And there're lots of good men who want to marry
And live a good life at home
But everytime they turn their back
There's a man sayin; "Honey, has he gone?"
There are many good men who want to settle down and have a happy home life, but they are constantly worried about other men trying to steal their wives.
Contributed by Arianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.