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.

Now Is the Time
Solomon Burke Lyrics

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I woke this morning and I looked at my life
It was filled with so much sorrow and grief
And in my troubled mind
I could see through all my sorrows
That time is only a thief

Time is a thief
That will rob you of your years

Your youth the only ransom you can pay

So treasure each moment
Don't let a single minute slip away
Life is for the living
Lord, I'm gonna try my best
To live life everyday

You see time is a thief

That rob you of your years
And never return ton yesterday

Overall Meaning

In Solomon Burke's song "Time Is a Thief," the lyrics convey a profound reflection on the passing of time and its impact on our lives. The singer wakes up feeling burdened by sorrow and grief, and as he contemplates, he realizes that time acts as a thief, stealing away the precious years of our lives. It becomes clear to him that time is relentless and unforgiving, always moving forward and never giving back what has already passed.

The chorus emphasizes the idea that time takes away our years, leaving only our youth as a currency to pay for its passage. The singer urges the listener to treasure each moment and not let any time slip away unnoticed. He recognizes the importance of living fully in every single minute, as life is meant to be experienced and embraced. The singer vows to do his best to seize each day and make the most of his existence.

The closing lines reiterate the notion that time robs us of our years and never allows us to return to the past. The lyrics reflect a sense of urgency to appreciate the present and make the most of the time we have, as there will be no second chances to relive what has been lost.

Overall, "Time Is a Thief" highlights the fleeting nature of time and encourages listeners to treasure and make the most of each passing moment.

Line by Line Meaning

I woke this morning and I looked at my life
Upon awakening, I reflected upon my existence

It was filled with so much sorrow and grief
It was brimming with immense sadness and anguish

And in my troubled mind
Within my distressed thoughts

I could see through all my sorrows
I could perceive past all my hardships

That time is only a thief
That time solely steals from us

Time is a thief
Time is a deceiver

That will rob you of your years
That will steal your precious years away

Your youth the only ransom you can pay
Your youth is the sole payment you can offer

So treasure each moment
So cherish every single moment

Don't let a single minute slip away
Do not allow any minute to elude you