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.
Diamond in Your Mind
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been to parties where I've had to be flown
They said everything was sacred, nothing was profane
And money was something that you throw off the back of trains
Oh always keep a diamond in your mind
You gotta always keep a diamond in your mind
Wherever you may wander
You gotta always keep a diamond in your mind
Steam of the gravy with little fried pearls
Floating like a necklace on a beautiful girl
Johan says thanks to the food and land
And oh so ever grateful for God's on my hands
Oh always keep a diamond in your mind
Always keep a diamond in your mind
Wherever you may wander
Wherever you may roam
You gotta always keep a diamond in your mind
She's got the milk of human kindness and the fat of the lamb
Scared like a baby, well she drives like a man
She lives outside of Natchez where she operates a crane
She's like a wrecking ball no longer connected to the chain
Oh Zerelda Samuel said she almost never prayed
Said she lost her right arm, blown off in a Pinkerton raid
Then they lashed her to a windmill with old 3-fingered Dave
Now she's 102 drinking mint juleps in the shade
Everybody, always keep a diamond in your mind
You gotta always keep a diamond in your mind
Wherever you may wander
Wherever you may roam
Your gotta always keep a diamond in your mind
Always keep a diamond in your mind
Always keep a diamond in your mind
Wherever you may wander
Wherever you may roam
Your gotta always keep a diamond in your mind
Always keep a diamond in your mind
Always keep a diamond in your mind
Wherever you may wander
Wherever you may roam
Your gotta always keep a diamond in your mind
Always keep a diamond in your mind
Always keep a diamond in your mind
In Solomon Burke's song Diamond in Your Mind, the lyrics describe a life of luxury and privilege, one that has allowed the singer to meet the President and the Pope in Rome and attend extravagant parties. The song acknowledges the inherent tension in a life of excess - a society that claims to hold everything sacred while at the same time putting money on a pedestal. Burke's use of the diamond as a symbol throughout the song reinforces the idea that there need to be certain guiding principles or values that ground us through times of uncertainty and excess. In the chorus, he urges listeners to "always keep a diamond in your mind," a symbol of the value and resilience that people need in order to survive in a world that is increasingly complex.
Line by Line Meaning
I shook the hand of the president and the pope in Rome
I've had the privilege of meeting the most important figures in politics and religion.
I've been to parties where I've had to be flown
I've attended extravagant parties that required me to travel by plane.
They said everything was sacred, nothing was profane
The people who told me this believed that everything in life was meaningful and worth respecting.
And money was something that you throw off the back of trains
They believed that money wasn't important and could be discarded without consequence.
Oh always keep a diamond in your mind
Remember to hold on to what's truly valuable in life.
You gotta always keep a diamond in your mind
It's important to continually remind yourself of what's important.
Wherever you may wander
Regardless of where life takes you,
Wherever you may roam
Even if you travel or move to different places,
Steam of the gravy with little fried pearls
A description of a dish- gravy with small, crispy toppings reminiscent of pearls.
Floating like a necklace on a beautiful girl
The dish looks like jewelry on a pretty woman.
Johan says thanks to the food and land
A person named Johan is grateful for the earth and the nourishment it provides.
And oh so ever grateful for God's on my hands
Johan is extremely thankful for the blessings he's received.
She's got the milk of human kindness and the fat of the lamb
A woman possesses a generous nature and abundant resources.
Scared like a baby, well she drives like a man
Despite appearing timid, she's a confident driver.
She lives outside of Natchez where she operates a crane
She resides near Natchez and works with heavy machinery.
She's like a wrecking ball no longer connected to the chain
She's free and powerful, like an unattached wrecking ball.
Oh Zerelda Samuel said she almost never prayed
Zerelda Samuel, possibly a historical figure, is quoted as saying she seldom prayed.
Said she lost her right arm, blown off in a Pinkerton raid
She explains that she lost her arm in a violent conflict involving Pinkerton agents.
Then they lashed her to a windmill with old 3-fingered Dave
Her captors tied her to a windmill with a man named 3-fingered Dave.
Now she's 102 drinking mint juleps in the shade
Despite enduring hardships, Zerelda Samuel has reached an old age and can enjoy a refreshing drink in a comfortable spot.
Everybody, always keep a diamond in your mind
This is a reminder for all people to hold onto what is important.
Your gotta always keep a diamond in your mind
It's crucial to consistently remember what truly matters.
Always keep a diamond in your mind
No matter what, never forget what is truly valuable.
Contributed by Emma Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.