Solomon Burke (born March 21, 1940 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, died… Read Full Bio ↴Solomon Burke (born March 21, 1940 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, died October 10, 2010 at Schiphol Airport, The Netherlands) was a soul music pioneer and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Despite releasing numerous rnb chart hits in the 1960s, he never had a Top 20 hit on the pop charts. Burke's influence, however, has outstripped his mainstream commercial success. He is considered a legend of American music.

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.

Hard Ain't It Hard
Solomon Burke Lyrics

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Hard, ain't it hard
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
To love someone who never will love you
Hard, ain't it hard
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
To love someone who never will be true

There is a house in this old town

That's where my true love hangs around
Don't you know
He takes other women right down on his knee
And he tells them a little
Tale he won't tell me now let me tell you
Don't you know that it's
Hard, ain't it hard

Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
To love someone who never did love you
Let me tell you that it's
Hard, ain't it hard
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
Ain't it hard
To love someone who never will be true

The first time that I saw my true love
She was walkin' by my door
And don't you know that the next time I saw
Her false hearted smile
She was layin' cold on the floor
Hey listen, don't you know it's been hard
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
To love someone who never will love you
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
To love someone who never will be true

Now tell me
Who's gonna hold your precious hands
Who's gonna kiss your ruby mouth
And who's gonna talk your future over
While I'm out there workin' like a dog
Way down in the south

Now baby, that's sure hard
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
To love someone who never did love you
Let me tell you that it's hard

Ain't it hard, ain't it hard
Ain't it hard, ain't it hard

Overall Meaning

"Hard Ain't It Hard" by Solomon Burke is a heartfelt expression of the pain and difficulty of loving someone who doesn't reciprocate those feelings and remains unfaithful. The lyrics convey a sense of frustration, sadness, and a longing for a love that will never be returned or genuine.

The song begins by emphasizing the emotional challenge of loving someone who doesn't love you back, using repetition to highlight the hardship. It is presented as a question, inviting the audience to reflect on their own experiences of unrequited love. The following verses delve into a specific situation where the singer's true love is unfaithful and deceitful, with a house in town where they entertain other women. The singer's longing for love is intensified by the comparison to the attention lavished on others.

The second verse introduces a dramatic turn of events, where the singer discovers their true love lying lifeless on the floor with a false smile. This twist adds a layer of tragedy and underscores the emotional toll of the relationship. The song culminates in a plea for recognition, as the singer questions who will provide love, affection, and companionship while they toil away in the South. The final repetition of the chorus emphasizes the enduring struggle of loving someone who remains unloving and untruthful.

Overall, "Hard Ain't It Hard" captures the pain, frustration, and ultimate disappointment of a one-sided and unfaithful love, presenting a timeless theme that resonates with listeners.

Hard Ain't It HardSolomon Burke Lyrics

Hard Ain't It Hard
Solomon Burke Lyrics