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 Almost Lost My Mind
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I lost my baby i almost lost my mind
Ah, my head is in a spin
Since she left me behind
I went to see the gypsy
(Yes, I went to see the gypsy)
And had my fortune read
I went to see the gypsy
(All that I found was that myself just)
And had my future read (I was only gonna be
Hurt me in, but I
Somehow I just had to know)
And the words the gypsy told me
Yes, was so sad what she said
Well, I can tell you, people
The news was not so good
Well, I can tell you, people
The news was not so good
She said "This time your baby's lеft you"
"This time she's gone for good" (shе's
Gone for good) Bah bah bah bah bah bah bah ah
The song "I Almost Lost My Mind" by Solomon Burke is a classic rhythm and blues ballad that speaks to the heartbreak of losing a loved one. The opening lines express the deep pain and confusion that comes with losing someone who means everything to you. The repetition of the phrase "When I lost my baby" emphasizes the shock and disbelief of the situation.
The second verse takes the listener on a journey to find some solace in going to see a gypsy to have their fortune read. The desperation in the singer's need to know what the future holds is palpable. However, the news from the gypsy is not what the singer wanted to hear, and they can be heard hanging their head in sorrow after hearing the news.
The final verse delivers the fatal blow, revealing that the singer's love has gone for good, leaving them to cope with the aftermath of their loss. The final line of the song ends on a sorrowful note, with Burke's powerful voice lingering on the "oohs" that fade into the background.
Overall, "I Almost Lost My Mind" captures the raw emotions of heartbreak and loss, underlining the pain of losing someone who meant the world to you.
Line by Line Meaning
When I lost my baby (baby)
My mind was almost lost when my partner left me
My head is in a spin since she's left me behind
I'm extremely disoriented since my lover left me
I went to see the gypsy
I visited a psychic reader
I hung my head in sorrow when she said what she said
I felt dejected after hearing the psychic's predictions
Well, I can tell you, people (people)
Let me tell you, dear listeners
The news was not so good
The prediction was unfavorable
She said "Your baby's left you"
The psychic claimed that my lover had left me
"This time she's gone for good" (gone for good)
She had left for the final time
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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