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.
Please Send Me Someone To Love
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Understanding and peace of mind.
But, if it's not asking too much
Please send me someone to love.
Show all the world how to get along,
Peace will enter when hate is gone.
But, if it's not asking too much,
I lay awake night and ponder world troubles.
My answer is always the same.
That unless men put an end to all of this,
Hate will put the world in a flame, (oh) what a shame.
Just because I'm in misery.
I'm not begging for no sympathy.
But if it's not asking too much,
Just send me someone to love.
Heaven please send to all mankind,
Understanding and peace of mind.
But if it's not asking too much,
Please send me someone to love.
Learn to love me or leave me, either one you wanna do
Learn to love me or leave me, either one you wanna do
Because strange things are happenin', babe, an' somethin' might happen to you
If you know you don't love me, why don't you let me be?
If you know you don't love me, why don't you let me be?
Because it's better to be without you, then to live on in misery
Hey!
Midnight find me cryin', daylight find me cryin', too
Midnight find me cryin', daylight find me cryin', too
You better change your ways pretty baby or somethin' might happen to you
The song "Please Send Me Someone To Love" by Solomon Burke is a plea for love and understanding. The lyrics express the desire for world peace and an end to hatred and misery. The singer addresses Heaven, asking for understanding and peace of mind for all mankind. However, he also admits that he is asking for one more thing, which is for someone to love him. He believes that if he can find love, then the world would be a better place.
The song speaks to the issue of hate, and the importance of love to combat it. The singer asserts that if people learn to love each other, the world will be a better place. He emphasizes that he is not asking for sympathy, but for love. The lyrics also indicate that the singer is willing to accept a change in his situation if it means finding love.
Line by Line Meaning
Heaven please send to all mankind, Understanding and peace of mind.
Solomon Burke asks heaven to grant mankind with understanding and peace of mind.
But, if it's not asking too much Please send me someone to love.
Solomon Burke humbly asks heaven to grant him with someone to love.
Show all the world how to get along, Peace will enter when hate is gone.
Solomon Burke states that if people learn how to get along, there will be peace.
But, if it's not asking too much, Please send me someone to love.
Solomon Burke repeats his request for someone to love.
I lay awake night and ponder world troubles. My answer is always the same. That unless men put an end to all of this, Hate will put the world in a flame, (oh) what a shame.
Solomon Burke reflects on the world's problems and his conclusion is that if people don't stop hating, it'll bring about destruction.
Just because I'm in misery. I'm not begging for no sympathy. But if it's not asking too much, Just send me someone to love.
Solomon Burke clarifies that he doesn't want sympathy, but in his misery, he would like someone to love.
Learn to love me or leave me, either one you wanna do Learn to love me or leave me, either one you wanna do Because strange things are happenin', babe, an' somethin' might happen to you
Solomon Burke challenges someone to either love him or leave him before something unexpected occurs.
If you know you don't love me, why don't you let me be? If you know you don't love me, why don't you let me be? Because it's better to be without you, then to live on in misery
Solomon Burke advises someone who doesn't love him, to let him go because it's better to be without them than to stay unhappy.
Hey!
Solomon Burke expresses a feeling of excitement or motivation.
Midnight find me cryin', daylight find me cryin', too Midnight find me cryin', daylight find me cryin', too You better change your ways pretty baby or somethin' might happen to you
Solomon Burke reveals that he's always crying and encourages someone to change their ways before something bad happens to them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Percy Mayfield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Citysue
I wish I could have met him just to say hi. He's a big memory in my life. God Bless You Solomon Burke!
grosper
Great!