He began his adult life as a young preacher in Philadelphia, where he hosted a gospel radio show. In the 1960s, he signed with Atlantic Records and began moving towards more secular music. His first hit was Just Out Of Reach Of My Open Arms, a cover of a country song. Though well-received by both peers and critics, and attaining a few moderate pop and several major R&B hits, Burke never could quite break through into the mainstream as did his contemporaries like Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin.
Nevertheless, his emotive delivery, polished production, as well as the touches of country and pop sensibility in his music won him admirers and imitators. In 1964 he wrote and recorded Everybody Needs Somebody To Love his most prominent bid for an enduring soul standard. Covered by the Rolling Stones the same year, other well-known versions include one by Wilson Pickett and another a decade and a half later in the 1980 feature film by The Blues Brothers. Burke's biggest hit was a 1969 cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's Proud Mary.
His career was to some degree revived in 2002, with the release of the album Don't Give Up On Me, produced by Joe Henry, where he sang songs written specifically for the album by a roster of top-rank artists, including Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits and Joe Henry himself.
He is featured in the 2004 movie Lightning in a Bottle singing Turn on Your Love Light and Down in the Valley.
As of October 2002 Burke was the father of 14 daughters and 7 sons with 64 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Several of his children and grandchildren have had successful careers in various facets of the music industry, though none as much so as their patriarch.
Burke died, arriving at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam where he was supposed to perform with Dutch band De Dijk with whom he recorded an album, entitled Hold on Tight.
Rock icon Mick Jagger performed a tribute to Burke at the 2011 Grammy Awards, laying down Burke's classic hit "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love".
A cover of Everybody Needs Somebody To Love received huge exposure as the music for Amazon's 2019 Christmas commercial.
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She'll be rising she will find a note that
I slipped under the door yes, she will
And she will laugh as she reads the part
That says I'm leaving her this time for good
For sure you see I've left that girl
So many times before yes, I did
I know she'll work in
And she'll probably stop about at noon
And try to give me a call
I'd tell she'd just find my old telephone
Just ringing, ringing, that's all
By the timе my way bus makes Oklahoma
She'll be sleeping
Shе'll turn over softly and call my name
And she'll cry alone to think
This time he's leaving me for sure, for good
For real this time, it's true
This time again I tell so
Good thing about it
I do hesitate when I walked out the door
Didn't mean to look back
'Cause I knew this time I'd leave for sure
I gotta keep on moving
Like I never moved before
Gotta find somebody new and true
Never return, no
The lyrics to Solomon Burke's song "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" tell a story of a narrator who is leaving his partner once again, this time for good. The song starts with the singer stating that by the time he gets to Phoenix, his partner will find a note that he slipped under the door. He acknowledges that she will likely laugh as she reads the note, which confesses his intention to leave her for good. He reflects on the fact that he has left her many times before, implying that she may not take him seriously this time.
As the singer continues his journey, he mentions making it to Albuquerque and knowing that his partner will be at work. He predicts that she will try to call him around noon but will only hear the phone ringing as he has left his past behind. When he reaches Oklahoma, he imagines his partner sleeping and calling out his name softly, crying alone to realize that he is truly leaving her for good. The singer expresses a sense of determination and certainty this time, emphasizing that he did not hesitate when he walked out the door. He knows he must keep moving forward, looking for someone new and true, and never returning.
Overall, the song explores the theme of a tumultuous relationship and the constant cycle of leaving and returning. The singer acknowledges his own tendency to leave and recognizes the impact it has on his partner. Despite the repeated departures, there is a sense of finality and resolution in his decision to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
By the time I get to Phoenix
When I finally reach Phoenix
She'll be rising she will find a note that
She will wake up and discover a note that
I slipped under the door yes, she will
I secretly left under the door, yes, she will
And she will laugh as she reads the part
And she will laugh when she reads the section
That says I'm leaving her this time for good
Which states that I am ending our relationship permanently this time
For sure you see I've left that girl
Because you see, I have left her multiple times before
So many times before yes, I did
Numerous times in the past, yes, I did
By the time I make Albuquerque
When I eventually reach Albuquerque
I know she'll work in
I am aware that she will find work
And she'll probably stop about at noon
And she will likely take a break around noon
And try to give me a call
And attempt to contact me
I'd tell she'd just find my old telephone
I would inform her that she would only find my old telephone
Just ringing, ringing, that's all
Just incessantly ringing, that's all
By the timе my way bus makes Oklahoma
When my bus reaches Oklahoma
She'll be sleeping
She will be asleep
Shе'll turn over softly and call my name
She will gently roll over and call my name
And she'll cry alone to think
And she will sob silently, pondering
This time he's leaving me for sure, for good
That this time he is truly and permanently leaving me
For real this time, it's true
Without a doubt, this time it is true
This time again I tell so
Once again I reaffirm
Good thing about it
The positive aspect of it
I do hesitate when I walked out the door
I hesitated when I walked out the door
Didn't mean to look back
I had no intention of turning back
'Cause I knew this time I'd leave for sure
Because I knew that this time I would definitely leave
I gotta keep on moving
I must continue moving
Like I never moved before
As if I have never moved before
Gotta find somebody new and true
I need to find someone new and trustworthy
Never return, no
Never come back, no
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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