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.
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Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It would feel to be free
I wish I could break
All the chains holding me
I wish I could say
All the things that I should say
Say 'em loud say 'em clear
I wish I could share
All the love that's in my heart
Remove all the bars
That keep us apart
I wish you could know
What it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree
That every man should be free
I wish I could give
All I'm longin' to give
I wish I could live
Like I'm longin' to live
I wish I could do
All the things that I can do
And though I'm way over due
I'd be starting a new
Well I wish I could be
Like a bird in the sky
How sweet it would be
If I found I could fly
Oh I'd soar to the sun
And look down at the sea
Than I'd sing 'cause I know, yea
Then I'd sing 'cause I know, yea
Then I'd sing 'cause I know
I'd know how it feels
Oh I know how it feels to be free
Yea yea! oh, I know how it feels
Yes I know
Oh, I know
How it feels
How it feels
To be free
The lyrics of Solomon Burke's song "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" express the desire for freedom from all the things that are holding the singer back. There is a sense of longing to be able to say what needs to be said, share what needs to be shared, love without barriers, and live the life they truly want to live. The song speaks to the universal human desire to break free from any limitations and to live a life that is true to oneself.
The repeated phrase, "I wish," is both melancholic and hopeful. It conveys a sense of resignation, as if the singer is acknowledging that their desire may never be fulfilled. But it is also hopeful, indicating that there is a possibility for change, for things to be different. The idea of flying like a bird in the sky is a metaphor for this desire for freedom. The image itself is powerful and poignant, evoking a sense of the limitless possibilities that exist if one were free to pursue their dreams and desires.
The song was written by Billy Taylor and Richard Lamb after they had attended a civil rights rally, and it became an anthem for the movement. Burke's soulful rendition of the song helped to make it a classic, and it has been covered by numerous artists over the years. The song's message of hope and freedom has resonated with people all over the world and has continued to inspire generations.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I knew how
I desire to have knowledge of how
It would feel to be free
To understand the sensation of liberty
I wish I could break
Desiring to shatter
All the chains holding me
Every restraint that has me bound
I wish I could say
The words I desire to say
All the things that I should say
Expressing everything I ought to communicate
Say 'em loud say 'em clear
Screaming and articulating comprehensibly
For the whole round world to hear
So that every ear on earth may comprehend
I wish I could share
I would like to distribute
All the love that's in my heart
Every affection I harbor
Remove all the bars
Obliterate everything blocking the way
That keep us apart
That are contributing to our distance from each other
I wish you could know
If only you had an understanding of
What it means to be me
The significance of being myself
Then you'd see and agree
You would witness and concede
That every man should be free
That everyone deserves freedom
I wish I could give
I yearn to give
All I'm longing to give
Everything I want to provide
I wish I could live
I wish to exist
Like I'm longin' to live
The way I crave to live
I wish I could do
It would be great if I could accomplish
All the things that I can do
Every task within my capacity
And though I'm way over due
Despite being overdue
I'd be starting a new
I would commence again
Well I wish I could be
Gosh, if only I could become
Like a bird in the sky
Similar to birds soaring in the skies
How sweet it would be
It would be lovely
If I found I could fly
If I discovered I could take off
Oh I'd soar to the sun
I would fly high towards the sun
And look down at the sea
And observe the ocean underneath
Than I'd sing 'cause I know, yea
Subsequently, I would sing because of my comprehension, yes
I'd know how it feels
In that moment, I would perceive the sensation
Oh I know how it feels to be free
I am fully conscious of what it implies to be liberated, oh yes
Yea yea! oh, I know how it feels
Yes! Oh, I comprehend the sentiment
Yes I know
I do comprehend
Oh, I know
Oh, I comprehend
How it feels
The sentiment involved
How it feels
The sentiment involved
To be free
The idea of being liberated
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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