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.
The Wall
David Soul Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So from the wall
He lived behind
He found the bricks
That were the greenest with moss
And cut them out
With a mason's bit
And gave the most beautiful
A green-sided brick
For each friend
And his wall was gone.
In David Soul's song The Wall, the lyrics talk about a person who had nothing to give, and because of this, he lived behind the wall. The wall here symbolizes the emotional and mental barriers that we build around ourselves when we feel like we don't have anything to offer. However, the person in the song doesn't give up. He decides to take matters into his own hands and finds the bricks that were the greenest with moss. This might represent optimism and hope, even in situations where things might seem hopeless.
He then takes a mason's bit and cuts out the bricks, giving the green-sided brick to each of his friends. This gesture might represent the idea that even though we might feel like we have nothing to give, we still have the capacity to make others happy. And in doing so, we might be able to break down the walls that we built around ourselves slowly. In the end, his wall was gone, and he was no longer trapped behind it. The song might be suggesting that although we might feel isolated and lost, we can still find a way out if we find the courage to break down our walls.
Line by Line Meaning
He had nothing to give
He had nothing to offer to his friends.
So from the wall
He decided to take from the only thing he had - the wall he lived behind.
He found the bricks
He searched for the perfect bricks to give away.
That were the greenest with moss
He specifically chose the greenest bricks with moss, the most naturally beautiful ones.
And cut them out
He carefully carved out the bricks with a mason’s bit.
With a mason's bit
He used a chisel to carve out the bricks.
And gave the most beautiful
He gave the most aesthetically pleasing bricks to his friends.
To his friends
He gifted the bricks to his friends.
A green-sided brick
The bricks he gave had a green side, indicating that they were from the wall he had lived behind.
For each friend
Each friend received a brick from him.
And his wall was gone.
He gave away all his bricks and thus, his wall was no longer there, leaving him vulnerable but content.
Writer(s): David Soul, Gardner Mckay
Contributed by Daniel P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.