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.
The Bend
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's the road, it's not the map
It's not the answer, it's the asking
It's the catch, it's not the trap
It's the joy and not the cheering
It's the key and not the lock
It ain't solving, it's the riddle
Not the store but what's in stock
It is time, it's not the clock
I see your eyes and not your looks
Not the squeezing but the juice
It's the hole, it's not the digging
It's the truth, it's not the news
It's not living, it is life
The meaning and not the end
It's the cut, it ain't the knife
It's you're home, it ain't the rent
It ain't speeding, it is driving
Not the white lines but the bend
Not the white lines but the bend
It's expression, it ain't cashing
It's the breeze and not the trees
It's the cause and not the bashing
It's a smile and not the cheese
It ain't liquor, it's the drinking
It's not the figure, it's the count
It's the floating not the swimming
It's not where you are
But where you're bound
To know instead of thinking
It's your heart and it's the sound
In your heart it's the sound
It ain't the buzz, it's inspiration
It's the secret not the hype
Build-up, not demolition
It's the person not the type
No fulfillment, it is hoping
Taking part not being best
It is tasting, not toping
It's not the case but the test
Not struggling but coping
It's not the grail but it's the quest
Not the grail, it's the quest the Bend
The song "The Bend" by Solomon Burke and De Dijk is a testament to the idea that life is not about the destination but the journey. The first verse establishes that it's not about taking risks, but rather about seizing opportunities. It's not having all the answers, but asking the right questions. It's not about the end goal, but the process of getting there. The second verse emphasizes the importance of love over appearance, of living in the moment instead of worrying about time, and of substance over material possessions.
The chorus, "It ain't speeding, it is driving, Not the white lines but the bend," drives home the theme of the song. It's not about rushing through life, but taking the time to appreciate the twists and turns of the journey. The song also touches on the importance of expression, of building things up instead of tearing them down, of hope over fulfillment, and of the journey over the destination.
The lyrics of "The Bend" are a reminder to live in the present and enjoy each moment of life as it comes. To focus on the experiences and people that matter, rather than the things that society tells us we should value. The song encourages listeners to embrace the journey of life, to take the time to appreciate the little things, and to value the process as much as the result.
Line by Line Meaning
It ain't the gamble, it's the chance
What matters is not the risk you take, but the opportunities you have
It's the road, it's not the map
The journey itself is more important than the plan you have
It's not the answer, it's the asking
Asking questions leads to more knowledge than having all the answers
It's the catch, it's not the trap
The things you catch in life bring more value than the traps you lay out
It's the joy and not the cheering
The personal joy you experience is more valuable than the admiration of others
It's the key and not the lock
Having the power to unlock something is more important than the lock itself
It ain't solving, it's the riddle
Being inquisitive and learning is more important than finding solutions to problems
Not the store but what's in stock
It's not the establishment but the valuable resources it contains
It ain't you, it's who you love
The people you love are more important than yourself
It is time, it's not the clock
Time itself cannot be measured by a device, but it exists and is valuable
I see your eyes and not your looks
Seeing someone's true self is more important than their appearance
Not the squeezing but the juice
Meaningful results are more important than the effort it takes to achieve them
It's the hole, it's not the digging
The created space is more important than the act of creating it
It's the truth, it's not the news
Discovering the truth is more important than receiving news from others
It's not living, it is life
Living is not just the act of existing, but it is the experiences you have
The meaning and not the end
It's more important to understand and appreciate the journey than to focus solely on the end result
It's the cut, it ain't the knife
The mark you leave is more important than the tool you used to make it
It's you're home, it ain't the rent
The sense of belonging you have is more important than the legal document that proves it
It ain't speeding, it is driving
Rushing through life is less important than the act of experiencing it
Not the white lines but the bend
The turns and twists of life are more important than the clear path that leads you there
It's expression, it ain't cashing
The quality of expression is more important than the amount of money it brings in
It's the breeze and not the trees
The simple pleasures in life, not the ostentatious ones, bring true enjoyment
It's the cause and not the bashing
Working towards something positive is more important than finding fault in others
It's a smile and not the cheese
The happiness of others is more valuable than the things you have to share
It ain't liquor, it's the drinking
Drinking to feel good is less important than enjoying the company of others while doing it
It's not the figure, it's the count
The total and cumulative effect of something is more important than a single data point
It's the floating not the swimming
The feeling of freedom is more important than the destination you are trying to reach
It's not where you are, but where you're bound
The ultimate goal of your life is more important than your current circumstances
To know instead of thinking
Actively seeking knowledge is more valuable than passive thinking
It's your heart and it's the sound
Following your passions and making a difference in the world is more valuable than remaining silent
It ain't the buzz, it's inspiration
The impact you have on the world is more important than the temporary excitement it causes
It's the secret not the hype
The little-known valuable information is more important than the flashy marketing that surrounds certain things
Build-up, not demolition
Building towards something positive is more valuable than tearing down something else
It's the person not the type
The individual themselves are more important than any group or classification they may belong to
No fulfillment, it is hoping
The process of hope and progress is more valuable than the actual attainment of goals
Taking part not being best
Being involved and contributing to something is more important than succeeding beyond all others
It is tasting, not toping
Savoring and enjoying something is more important than consuming it as fast as possible
It's not the case but the test
Discovering new challenges and working to overcome them is more important than the results of a single trial
Not struggling but coping
Learning to manage stress and difficulties is more important than constantly fighting against them
Not the grail, it's the quest the Bend
The journey, not the end goal, is what truly enriches life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HANS VAN DER LUBBE, HUUB VAN DER LUBBE, WOUTER PLANTEIJDT, SOLOMON BURKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind