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.
What Am I Living For
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What am I living for if not for you,
What am I living for if not for you,
Oh nobody else, nobody else will do
What am I longing for each lonely night,
To feel your lips to mine, to hold you tight
You'll be the only girl my whole life through,
I want you close to me that's all I know,
I want you all the time because darling I love you so
What am I living for if not for you,
What am I living for if not for you,
What am I living for if not for you,
Baby nobody else, nobody else will do
What am I living for if not for you,
Darling nobody else, nobody else will do
Nobody else, nobody else will do
The lyrics of "What Am I Living For" by Solomon Burke are about the singer's deep love for his significant other. He questions the purpose of his life if it isn't for his lover and declares that nobody else will suffice. The first three lines repeat this sentiment, emphasizing how crucial the person is to his life. The following lines describe the singer's longing for intimacy with his partner, confessing that he wants to spend the rest of his life with them.
The chorus repeats the same questions, hammering in the idea that his lover is the only reason he has for living. The final lines encapsulate this feeling, reiterating that nobody else could take their place in his heart. The song is a passionate expression of love, and Burke's soulful delivery only emphasizes the depth of his emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
What am I living for if not for you,
I cannot imagine the purpose of my life if it is not spent in loving you.
Oh nobody else, nobody else will do
There is no one else that can take your place in my heart and in my life.
What am I longing for each lonely night,
Every night, my greatest desire is to have you close to me and to feel your love.
To feel your lips to mine, to hold you tight
I yearn for the sensation of your lips touching mine and for the comfort of holding you in my arms.
You'll be the only girl my whole life through,
You are the only woman that I want to spend my entire life with, loving and cherishing.
I want you close to me that's all I know,
All I know for sure is that I want you to be near me, to feel your warmth and your love.
I want you all the time because darling I love you so
My love for you is so intense that I want to be with you all the time, lacking nothing.
Darling nobody else, nobody else will do
My love for you is so unique and special that there is no one else who can take your place in my heart.
What am I living for if not for you,
I can only find meaning and happiness in this life if I am loving and sharing my life with you.
Baby nobody else, nobody else will do
No one else can bring me the love and joy that you give me, my love for you is irreplaceable.
What am I living for if not for you,
My love for you gives me direction and purpose in this life, it is the reason for my existence.
Nobody else, nobody else will do
There is no one else that can satisfy my soul, my heart belongs only to you.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED JACOBSON, ART HARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind