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.
I'm Leaving On That Late Late Train
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You really don't wanna take the chance
Of falling in love again?
Hahaha, I have, too
Have you ever been misused, mistreated
Lied on and cheated on?
Or when someone says they love and
You don't even know whether
Know what to do? I have, too
Well, if you have and you
Realize that I'm talking about
Then here's the only thing
Left within your heart
Your mind and soul to do
One night, get yourself together and say
I'm leaving on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
I'm leaving on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
Oh, baby, baby
Can't you see what this has done to me?
My heart's been broken, my words spoken
I'm still in misery all that I can think of
Is the memories left behind
I've got to find myself someone someplace
So peace of mind hey, baby
'Cause I'm leaving on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
Hey, you better believe me
I'm leaving on that late
Late train, good God
And I ain't coming back
I'm serious as a heart attack
Hey, I'm leaving, baby, on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
Ol' raggedy car won't take it
'Cause I'm leaving on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
If you love me, you better come with me, baby
Can't you see what you've done to me?
My heart's been broken, words been spoken
I'm still in misery all that I can think of
Is the memories left behind
I've got to find myself
Someone someplace, somewhere, peace of mind
That's why, that's why
I'm leaving on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
I'm serious as a heart attack
Yes, I'm leaving on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
You better believe me, baby
The lyrics to Solomon Burke's song "I'm Leaving On That Late Late Train" convey a sense of heartbreak, betrayal, and the desire to escape a painful past and find peace of mind. The song speaks to the experiences of being hurt by love, feeling misused and mistreated, and the struggle to trust again. Burke acknowledges that he has gone through these painful experiences himself, creating a sense of relatability and empathy for the listener.
The theme of leaving is prominent in the lyrics, as the singer expresses their intentions to leave on that "late train" and not return. This metaphorical train represents a path to liberation and a fresh start, away from the pain and heartbreak they have endured. The repetition of the phrase "I ain't coming back" emphasizes the singer's determination to move on and not be held back by the past.
Burke's powerful and soulful delivery adds depth to the lyrics, highlighting the emotional turmoil and vulnerability that accompanies heartbreak. The rawness in his voice reflects the pain and resolve expressed in the lyrics, creating a heartfelt connection with the listener.
Overall, "I'm Leaving On That Late Late Train" is a poignant and relatable song that captures the universal experiences of heartbreak, betrayal, and the desire for a fresh start.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever been hurt by love so much 'til
Have you ever experienced an immense amount of pain and emotional turmoil caused by love to the point where
You really don't wanna take the chance
You are truly hesitant and unwilling to take the risk
Of falling in love again?
Of opening yourself up to the possibility of falling in love once more?
Hahaha, I have, too
I understand and relate to that feeling as well
Have you ever been misused, mistreated
Have you ever experienced being taken advantage of, abused, and treated poorly
Lied on and cheated on?
Deceived and betrayed by someone you trusted?
Or when someone says they love and
Or when someone expresses their love for you, but
You don't even know whether
You aren't even certain if
To believe them or you don't
You should believe them or if you
Know what to do? I have, too
Feel lost and uncertain about how to proceed? I have felt the same way
Well, if you have and you
Well, if you have experienced these hardships and you
Realize that I'm talking about
Recognize that I am discussing
Then here's the only thing
Then the only option remaining
Left within your heart
Remaining deep within your heart
Your mind and soul to do
Within your thoughts and deepest essence
One night, get yourself together and say
One night, gather yourself and firmly declare
I'm leaving on that late
I am departing on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
Late train, and I have no intention of returning
Oh, baby, baby
Oh, my dear, my beloved
Can't you see what this has done to me?
Are you not able to comprehend the extent of the damage this has caused me?
My heart's been broken, my words spoken
My heart has been shattered, and I have expressed my pain
I'm still in misery all that I can think of
I am still trapped in a state of anguish, and all I can think about is
Is the memories left behind
The memories that remain in my mind
I've got to find myself someone someplace
I must seek out someone, somewhere
So peace of mind hey, baby
In order to attain peace of mind, my dear
'Cause I'm leaving on that late
Because I am departing on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
Late train, and I have no intention of returning
Hey, you better believe me
Hey, you should truly believe my words
I'm leaving on that late
I am departing on that late
Late train, good God
Late train, my goodness
And I ain't coming back
And I have no intention of returning
I'm serious as a heart attack
I am utterly serious, just like a heart attack
Hey, I'm leaving, baby, on that late
Hey, baby, I am departing on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
Late train, and I have no intention of returning
Ol' raggedy car won't take it
My old, worn-out car cannot handle the journey
'Cause I'm leaving on that late
Because I am departing on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
Late train, and I have no intention of returning
If you love me, you better come with me, baby
If you truly love me, you should accompany me, my dear
Can't you see what you've done to me?
Are you not able to comprehend the impact of your actions on me?
My heart's been broken, words been spoken
My heart has been shattered, and the pain has been articulated
I'm still in misery all that I can think of
I am still trapped in a state of anguish, and all I can think about is
Is the memories left behind
The memories that remain in my mind
I've got to find myself
I must search for my own
Someone someplace, somewhere, peace of mind
Someone, somewhere, a place where I can find peace of mind
That's why, that's why
That is the reason, that is the justification
I'm leaving on that late
I am departing on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
Late train, and I have no intention of returning
I'm serious as a heart attack
I am utterly serious, just like a heart attack
Yes, I'm leaving on that late
Yes, I am departing on that late
Late train and I ain't coming back
Late train, and I have no intention of returning
You better believe me, baby
You should truly believe my words, my dear
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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