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.
Take Me
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But they don't really know
All the bills, the burdens
And problems I bear
But only you alone
You're the one that's
Lyrics courtesy Top40db.
Strength to go on and on
And for you, I sing this song
My pockets ain't filled with money
The old car I drive runs funny
And I don't have much to offer
A sweet fine girl like you
But here's my heart, please take it
You see, I need your love
If I'm gonna make it
Come on, take me
Oh, darling, take me
Take me, take me as I am
Just as I am
Now listen to this
Wilson Pickett found himself
Someone to love, Joe Tex did too
And Otis Redding said
I've tried and I've tried
He found someone to love
But I believe there's different
Strokes for different folks
And if you give your woman
What she wants when she wants it
How she wants it, where she wants it
And every time you think she wants it
You won't ever have to
Worry about anything
And that's why, darling, to you
I can stretch out my arms
Baby, I'm yours and yours alone
(Take me) take me, take me
(Take me) right now, right now
Just as I am, you got it, baby
I'm all yours, come on
Let me hear you say yeah (yeah)
Everybody, clap your hands one time
(Yeah, yeah, yeah) feel alright
Oh. my, my, my, my, my
Makes you wanna moan a little bit
In "Take Me," Solomon Burke sings about how people believe him to be a wealthy man but, in reality, his pockets aren't filled with money, and he doesn't have much to offer a girl. However, he tells that only his significant other has given him the courage and strength to keep moving forward, so he sings this song to them. Even if he's not rich, he offers his heart to them and pleads for them to take it because he needs their love to make it. Solomon is speaking about the fact that when you have someone that loves you, materialistic things don't matter because they give you the strength to keep going.
Burke highlights the fact that although many artists have found love by being successful or just being themselves, he thinks there are different strokes for different folks. He suggests that if you give your woman what they want, how and when they want it, you'll never have to worry about anything. He then pleads again with his lover to take him as he is, with all his problems and bills, and confesses that he's all theirs, and they're all his.
Line by Line Meaning
Some folks think I'm a millionaire
People assume I am a rich man
But they don't really know
However, they lack the right information
All the bills, the burdens
I have a lot of financial responsibilities
And problems I bear
And problem that I must solve
But only you alone
Nevertheless, you are the only one that
You're the one that's
Helps me face challenges and keeps me going.
Given me the courage and
You give me the bravery and
Strength to go on and on
Strength to keep moving and pushing
And for you, I sing this song
That's why for this reason, I sing this song dedicated to you
My pockets ain't filled with money
Despite being spoken of as a fulfilling person, I do not have that much cash
The old car I drive runs funny
The car I use is not in the best of shapes
And I don't have much to offer
I do not have enough to give, nor do I promise any presents
A sweet fine girl like you
To an attractive and amazing woman like you
But here's my heart, please take it
However, I offer you this heart of mine, I give it to you
You see, I need your love
I request that you please love me
If I'm gonna make it
It is only through your love that I can endure.
Come on, take me
Come and have me.
Oh, darling, take me
Love, please have me
Take me, take me as I am
Accept me as I am
Just as I am
Without any judgment
Now listen to this
I have a significant message you need to hear
Wilson Pickett found himself
Wilson Pickett discovered someone
Someone to love, Joe Tex did too
Someone like Joe Tex found love as he wanted
And Otis Redding said
Otis Redding once spoke of how
I've tried and I've tried
he did all he could but
He found someone to love
discovered that special one for him to love
But I believe there's different
However, I have come to understand that every
Strokes for different folks
Person has individual preferences
And if you give your woman
In case you offer your woman
What she wants when she wants it
The precise thing she craves at the time she demands it
How she wants it, where she wants it
The way that fascinates her, at any location that suits her preference
And every time you think she wants it
And rather than guess what she wants, provide when she implies a need for it.
You won't ever have to
You will never have to deal with any of her mood-laden issues anymore.
Worry about anything
It brings peace of mind.
And that's why, darling, to you
That is why, my love, I say this to you
I can stretch out my arms
I want to embrace you
Baby, I'm yours and yours alone
Because, my dear, I belong to you alone
The hook
Repeating the following lines of the song
(Take me) take me, take me
Take me, Take me
(Take me) right now, right now
take me immediately
Just as I am, you got it, baby
Without any judgment, you have me.
I'm all yours, come on
I belong to you; let's go.
Let me hear you say yeah (yeah)
Mentioning that he needs her to agree with his proposal
Everybody, clap your hands one time
Call to a crowd's participatory action
(Yeah, yeah, yeah) feel alright
Expressing satisfaction
Oh. my, my, my, my, my
Exclamation of joy or happiness
Makes you wanna moan a little bit
Mentioning that his movements cause her pleasure, meant to insinuate sexual connotation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LINDON OLDHAM, DAN PENN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind