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.
You
Solomon Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love you like I do?
When all the time I keep saying
I'm quitting you
Woman, there's something that you got
I don't know exactly know just what
Woman, how do you make me
Woman, how do you make me work so hard
Each day? And I can hardly wait to run and
Bring you home my pay?
Now there's something that you got
I don't know really know just what
Woman, how do you make me
Love you like I do?
Down through the years in my lifetime
I've been so jealous of you, my love
And there were times that
Friends tried to tear us apart
When I hΠ΅ard the gossip
There wΠ΅re times that I thought that
My buddies had something better than me
But I found out that
You can't get everything you want
And have everything you see
Woman, how do you make me
Love you like I do?
When all the time I keep saying
I'm quitting you
I don't know exactly what you got
Whatever it is, I get a lot
Woman, how do you make me
Love you like I do?
Woman, how do you make me
Love you like I do?
The lyrics to Solomon Burke's song "You" paint a picture of a man, who despite his repeated attempts to quit his significant other, cannot resist the love that she brings him. He questions how she has such an effect on him, causing him to love her so deeply and also how she motivates him to work hard each day and bring home his earnings. He talks about how he has been jealous of her over the years, but despite the opinions of others, he has found that he cannot get everything he wants and have everything he sees.
"Bad luck follows me everywhere I go" is the opening line, this shows the prevalence of fate in Solomon's life, and that he believes that he may be destined for love's suffering. The chorus itself repeats the question of how she makes him love her, despite his trying to leave her, and emphasizes the mystery that love can bring. One interpretation of the song is that the woman represents the positive aspects in Solomon's life, and he is powerless to resist the allure of that light amidst darkness.
In some ways, the lyrics mimic the themes of classic soul and R&B music of the 1960s and 1970s, showing the deep emotional pain of love and how it can overpower rational thought. It's a love song that conveys both the frustration and joy that comes from loving someone who makes everything better.
Line by Line Meaning
Woman, how do you make me Love you like I do?
The singer is experiencing intense love for the woman and is curious about what qualities she possesses that make him feel this way.
When all the time I keep saying I'm quitting you
Despite his declaration of wanting to quit the woman, the singer's love for her persists.
Woman, there's something that you got I don't know exactly know just what
The singer acknowledges that the woman possesses something desirable but he can't put his finger on what it is.
Woman, how do you make me work so hard Each day? And I can hardly wait to run and Bring you home my pay?
The woman serves as the inspiration for the man to work hard and provide for her, which he happily does without complaint.
Down through the years in my lifetime I've been so jealous of you, my love
Jealousy has been present in their relationship throughout the years.
And there were times that Friends tried to tear us apart When I hΠ΅ard the gossip
Outside forces have tried to damage their relationship with rumors and gossip.
There were times that I thought that My buddies had something better than me
The singer at times questioned the value of his relationship with the woman compared to his friends' relationships.
But I found out that You can't get everything you want And have everything you see
The singer realizes that having it all is not possible and appreciates what he has with the woman.
I don't know exactly what you got Whatever it is, I get a lot
The singer is still unable to pinpoint what exactly it is that the woman possesses, but acknowledges it contributes greatly to his happiness.
Woman, how do you make me Love you like I do? When all the time I keep saying I'm quitting you
Repeating the opening line, the singer expresses the same perplexed yet unshakeable love for the woman despite his attempts to end the relationship.
Woman, how do you make me Love you like I do?
The closing line reiterates the songwriter's request to understand what makes his love for the woman so strong.
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gloriajohnson3626
One of the best singers of all time and this song is fire!
@HardRock281
I WAS A BASS GUITAR PLAYER IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA IN TH 60S. I MET SOLOMON BURKE AT THE HOWARD THEATER NEXT TO THE HOWARD THEATER CALL THE STAGE DOOR (Cecillia). RIP SOLOMON
@fourcoline4375
Je l'Γ©coute en boucle jai 75ans arriΓ¨re g mere je fond sa voix m envouteπππ―π―
@kenwarfield7232
R.I.P.
Thanks for Letting me play bass for you...Too Gave me my One and only world tour
What a Joy it was...
1987 Germany.My
Thanks To One of the Greats
Of soul..Gospel..blues...
@janhowell3493
This was my Husbandβs first release on Little Darlin Records in 1968.
@artistmac
Those backup singers! They came straight from Thursday choir rehearsal, and they still had that liquid heat in their voices.
@lisasanchez4570
Omg I love this song thanks baby boy one of kind π
@marcellanorfleet4438
This is the real music y'all! I love Mr. Burke's voice! Just awesome in 2020!!
@MrDorbel
The King of Soul!
@darrylevans4401
Solomon Burke have mercy great soul singer right here.