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 Good Am I
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I turn away when I see how you're dressed
If I shut myself off so I can't hear you cry
Oh, what good am I?
What good am I, if I know and don't do
If I see and don't say, if I look right through you
If I turn a deaf ear to the thunder in the sky
What good am I, if I say foolish things
And I laugh in the face of what sorrow brings
If my hands are tied, must I wonder within
Who tied them and why?
And where have I been, where have I been
What good am I, while you softly weep
And I hear in my head what you say in your sleep
And I freeze in the moment like the rest that don't try
You tell me, what good am I ?
What good am I, what good am I, if I watch you cry
If I sat an' lay there while you slowly die
You need somebody to try
Someone to wipe your weepin' eye
Someone to sob for you and never say good bye
You need somebody to try
Someone to wipe your weepin' eye
Someone to sob for you and never say good bye
What good am I ?
Solomon Burke's "What Good Am I?" is a song that's self-reflective and introspective. The lyrics are focused on asking what kind of person he is if he can't do anything useful for others. The first two verses deal with Burke's appearance and how it affects his ability to help others; he wonders if he's any good if he's like everybody else who would judge a person based on their appearance. The third verse is about not doing the right thing despite being aware of it. He acknowledges that he sees people who are hurting, and he could help them, but he chooses not to. The chorus is all about asking what kind of person he is.
In the fourth verse, Burke talks about his inability to handle grief, and he's helpless when he sees someone in sorrow in front of him. He becomes frozen and doesn't take any action to help. The final verse is all about how he could help people who are struggling in their lives but chooses not to due to his selfishness. The words "what good am I?" underline the heart of the song, which is a reflection of how one can be helpful to society and how at times we fall short. It's a self-conscious reflection of whether he is doing enough to meet the needs of those around him.
Line by Line Meaning
What good am I, if I'm like all the rest
If I don't stand out from the crowd and show my unique qualities, what value do I bring?
If I turn away when I see how you're dressed
If I judge you based on your appearance instead of getting to know you, what kind of person am I?
If I shut myself off so I can't hear you cry
If I ignore your pain and refuse to empathize, am I truly fulfilling my duty as a compassionate human being?
What good am I?
Am I really contributing to society in a valuable way if I exhibit these negative behaviors?
What good am I, if I know and don't do
If I am aware of what needs to be done but lack the motivation to take action, am I fulfilling my potential?
If I see and don't say, if I look right through you
If I willfully ignore your struggles and act as though they don't exist, what does that say about my character?
If I turn a deaf ear to the thunder in the sky
If I ignore the warning signs of danger or impending crisis, what kind of role model or leader am I?
You tell me, what good am I?
It's up to others to determine whether or not I am living up to my potential and being a positive force in the world.
What good am I, if I say foolish things
If I lack tact or sensitivity and think only of myself, how can I expect to be respected or given credibility?
And I laugh in the face of what sorrow brings
If I don't take other people's pain seriously and belittle them when they are hurting, how can I expect them to ever trust or confide in me?
If my hands are tied, must I wonder within
If I feel powerless to affect change in a given situation, should I just give up and not try to seek alternative approaches or solutions?
Who tied them and why?
Am I being hindered by external factors beyond my control or am I limiting myself through negative self-talk or beliefs?
And where have I been, where have I been
Reflecting on my past experiences and choices can help me identify patterns and areas for self-improvement moving forward.
What good am I, while you softly weep
If I remain inactive or indifferent when someone close to me is hurting, what kind of friend or ally am I?
And I hear in my head what you say in your sleep
If I am privy to someone's deepest thoughts and fears, it's my responsibility to use this knowledge to help them, not exploit them.
And I freeze in the moment like the rest that don't try
If I am paralyzed by fear or indecision and lack the courage to take action, how can I expect to make a meaningful impact or change?
You tell me, what good am I ?
Others can provide valuable feedback about my strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to grow and improve as a person.
what good am I, if I watch you cry
If I see someone suffering and choose not to intervene or provide comfort, am I fulfilling my obligation to show compassion and empathy?
If I sat an' lay there while you slowly die
If I am not actively working to improve someone's situation or alleviate their pain, what kind of person am I?
You need somebody to try
We all need someone who is willing to make an effort on our behalf and support us through difficult times.
Someone to wipe your weepin' eye
In times of sadness or hardship, having someone to provide emotional support and comfort can make a huge difference.
Someone to sob for you and never say good bye
A true friend or ally is someone who sticks by our side through thick and thin, no matter what challenges we may face.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pierremardue
What Am I Living For Songtext Übersetzung
Für was lebe ich, wenn nicht für Dich?
Für was lebe ich, wenn nicht für Dich?
Für was lebe ich, wenn nicht für Dich?
Oh Baby, niemand sonst würde das tun.
Nach was sehne ich mich in einer einsamen Nacht,
wenn ich Deine Lippen auf meinen fühle
und ich Dich ganz festhalte.
Du wirst mein ganzes Leben hindurch
mein kleines Mädchen bleiben.
Baby, niemand sonst würde das tun.
Ich will Dich ganz nah bei mir haben
Das ist alles was ich weiß.
Ich will Dich die ganze Zeit,
weil ich Dich so liebe, Darling.
Für was lebe ich, wenn nicht für Dich?
Für was lebe ich, wenn nicht für Dich?
Für was lebe ich, wenn nicht für Dich?
Oh Baby, niemand sonst würde das tun.
@1400spy
What an artist a performer of note... pure soul magic...live on through your music King Solomon
@detari88
What a performance from Solomon :-)...great!!!
@silkyway4024
Love him so much... This is so incredible beautiful
@pinop1960
Magia pura, grande, grande, grande ARTISTA!!!
@tatiana5654
Какой кайф слушать его и смотреть, как он поёт 👍😇🎧
@williamwilliams7525
Truly no words for this.. it permeates your soul and opens your heart to a world beyond ones imagination
@adaosantos4581
adoraria se fosse possível traduzir em português seria lindo demais
@jcilom7
Awesome!! This brings back lots of beautiful memories for me thank you for sharing!!
@patriciathewisher2315
What a guy. What a performance.!
@davidweiner5468
RIP Rev. Solomon a once in alifetime perfomer. Fantastic always.