Solomon Burke

Born March 21, 1940 in Philadelphia, PA Burke came by his gospel roots even more deeply than most soul stars. He was preaching at his family's Philadelphia church and hosting his own gospel radio show, even before he'd reached his teens. He began recording gospel and R&B sides for Apollo in the mid- to late '50s. Like several former gospel singers (Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett), he was molded into a more secular direction when he signed with Atlantic in the 1960s. Burke had a wealth of high-charting R&B hits in the early half of the '60s, which crossed over to the pop listings in a mild fashion as well. "Just Out of Reach," "Cry to Me," "If You Need Me," "Got to Get You Off My Mind," "Tonight's the Night," and "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)" were the most successful of these, although, unlike Franklin or Pickett, he wasn't able to expand his R&B base into a huge pop following as well. He left Atlantic in the late '60s and spent the next decade hopping between various labels, getting his biggest hit with a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary" in 1969, and recording an album in the late '70s with the iconic Swamp Dogg as producer.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Burke became one of the most visible living exponents of classic soul music, continuing to tour and record albums in a rootsy, at times gospel-ish style. Although these were critically well received, their stylistic purity also ensured that their market was primarily confined to roots music enthusiasts rather than a pop audience. His live and later recorded work, however, is a favorite of those who want to experience a soul legend with his talents and stylistic purity relatively intact. Burke's 2002 release "Don't Give Up On Me" was hailed as a major comeback for the legendary soul man. Great songwriters like Elvis Costello, Dan Penn, Nick Lowe, and Tom Waits contributed songs and Joe Henry produced the album, which has been compared to Johnny Cash's landmark American Recordings. After the critical success of the LP reaffirmed Burke's status as one of the greatest living exponents of classic soul, the singer teamed up with producer Don Was for "Make Do With What You Got", a updated variation on his classic style that was released in spring 2005. A year later, Burke released an interesting country and soul hybrid, "Nashville", on Shout! Factory. A third album from the label, "Like a Fire", followed in 2008.
 

Album Discography

"Solomon Burke's Greatest Hits" (Atlantic 1962)

Down In The Valley/Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms)/How Many Times/Baby (I Wanna Be Loved)/Gotta Travel On/Looking For My Baby//I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You/Cry To Me/I Almost Lost My Mind/A Tear Fell/Be Bop Grandma/Keep The Magic Working

"Solomon Burke" (Kenwood 1962)

No Man Walks Alone/Why Do Me That Way/You Are My One Love/Don't Cry/I'm All Alone/A Picture Of You//Walking In A Dream/For You And You Alone/I'm In Love/To Thee/I Need You Tonight/You Can Run, But You Can't Hide

"If You Need Me" (Atlantic 1963)

**** If You Need Me/Words/Stupidity/Go On Back To Him/I Said I Was Sorry/It's All Right//Home In Your Heart/I Really Don't Want To Know/You Can Make It If You Try/Send Me Some Loving/This Little Ring/Tonight My Heart She Is Crying

"Rock N' Soul" (Atlantic 1964)

**** Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)/Cry To Me/Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)/If You Need Me/Hard Ain't It Hard/Can't Nobody Love You//Just Out Of Reach/You're Good For Me/You Can't Love 'Em All/Someone To Love Me/Beautiful Brown Eyes/He'll Have To Go

"The Best Of Solomon Burke" (Atlantic 1965)

*** 1/2 Got To Get You Off My Mind/The Price/Down In The Valley/I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You/If You Need Me/Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms)//Cry To Me/Everybody Needs Somebody To Love/Home In Your Heart/Tonight's The Night/I Really Don't Want To Know/Words

"The Rest Of Solomon Burke" (Atlantic 1965)

"King Solomon" (Atlantic 1967)

**** It's Been A Change/Take Me (Just As I Am)/Time Is A Thief/Keep A Light In The Window/Baby, Come On Home/Detroit City//Someone Is Watching/Party People/When She Touches Me (Nothing Else Matters)/Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do/It's Just A Matter Of Time/Presents For Christmas

"I Wish I Knew" (Atlantic 1968)

*** I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)/Get Out Of My Life Woman/Meet Me In Church/By The Time I Get To Phoenix/Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye//What'd I Say/Since I Met You Baby/Save It/Shame On Me/Why, Why, Why

"Proud Mary" (Bell 1969)

*** Produced by Swamp Dogg but it doesn't sound like it. Proud Mary/These Arms Of Mine/I'll Be Doggone/How Big A Fool (Can A Fool Be)/Don't Wait Too Long//That Lucky Old Sun/Uptight Good Woman/I Can't Stop/Please Send Me Someone To Love/What Am I Living For

"Electronic Magnetism" (Polydor 1972)

** After a large chunk of hits in the 60s things had dried up chartwise for Burke at this point. This explains why it is a slightly discofied effort. The Electronic Magnetism (That's Heavy, Baby)/Three Psalms Of Elton: Your Song & Border Song & Take Me To The Pilot/You Can Run But You Can't Hide/All For The Love Of Sunshine/Together We'll Light Up The World//Stand/PSR 1983/Lookin' Out My Back Door/No Man Walks Alone/J.C. I Know Who You Are/Bridge Of Life

"Cool Breeze" (movie soundtrack) (MGM 1972)

** Motion Picture Soundtrack. Cool Breeze/PSR 1983/The Bus/Icbyatht W.T.?/Get Up And Do Something For Yourself//Love's Street And Fool's Road/It Must Be Love/Fight Back/Then I Want To Come Home (instr.)/Then I Want To Come Home (vocal)/We're Almost Home

"We're Almost Home" (MGM 1972)

** We're Almost Home/I've Got To Do My Own Thing/I Got To Tell It/Drown In My Own Tears/I Can't Stop Loving You//The Things Love Will Make You Do/Everybody Wants To Fall In Love/Misty/Everything's Going To Be Alright Very Soon/Sweet, Sweet Reason

"King Heavy" (MGM 1972)

"The History Of" (Pride 1972)

*** Another compilation. Short one. Just Out Of Reach/I Almost Lost My Mind/Got To Get You Off My Mind/I Can't Stop Loving You/If You Need Me//Love's Street And Fool's Road/Tonight's The Night/The Electronic Magnetism (That's Heavy Baby)/Cry To Me/My Prayer

"I Have A Dream" (ABC/Dunhill 1974)

*** I Have A Dream/Now Is The Time/Looking For A Sign/Ring, Ring, Ring/We Can Be Together Again//Social Change/I Ain't Gonna Give Up (Till I Find A Way)/Mountain Top/Medley: Precious Lord, Take My Hand & We Shall Overcome

"Music To Make Love By" (Chess 1975)

** Burke in his loveman mode ala Teddy Pendergrass/Barry White. Music To Make Love By (part 1)/Let Me Wrap My Arms Around You/Come Rain Or Come Shine/You And Your Baby Blues//All The Way/Thanks, I Needed That/Everlasting Love/Midnight And You/Music To Make Love By (part 2)

"Back To My Roots" (Chess 1976)

** Somewhat misleading title. This is not Atlantic-quality let alone style material. Burning For Your Love/Night And Day/Everybody's Got To Cry Sometime/I'm Going Back To My Roots//Precious Flower/The Do Right Song/Life Has It's Ups And Downs/Over And Over (Hugging And Loving)/I'll Never Stop Loving You

"Star Collection" (Atlantic 1975)

"Sidewalk, Fences & Walls" (Infinity 1979)

*** 1/2 Typical of the era the set has it's Disco influence but Burke's singing and better than average material is found. Yes I Love You/Heavenly/Does Life Have A Meaning//Sweeter Than Sweetness/Sidewalks, Fences And Walls/Boo Hoo Hoo (Cra-Cra-Craya)/Hold On I'm Coming

"From The Heart" (Charly 1980)

"Lord, I Need A Miracle Right Now" (Savoy 1981)

*** He finally goes all the way back to Gospel. Lord We Need A Miracle (Right Now)/I Believe In Jesus (I Believe In God)/Here's My Life/The Holy Ghost Is Smarter Than Me//Pray It Away/It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)/Aunt Margurite/You're The Only One I've Got/I'm Gonna Trust In The Lord (Until I Die)

"Into My Life You Came" (Savoy 1982)

*** Into My Life You Came/Mother Loves Her Children All The Time/Victory (We Shall Be Free)/My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me/Medley: Just A Closer Walk With Thee & This Little Light Of Mine & Amen//Never Alone/Try Jesus/Miracle Can Happen/Time Is Running Out

"Take Me Shake Me" (Savoy 1983)

*** Energetic live set. Take Me, Shake Me/Precious Lord, Take My Hand/Twelve Gates To The City/I Want Jesus To Walk With Me//You Should Be A Witness/Peace In The Valley/Praise Him/Swing Low Sweet Chariot

"This Is His Song" (Savoy 1984)

*** This Is His Song/I Know He Lives In Me/In The Garden//I'm Gonna Praise Him/Reach Out/Plant My Feet On Higher Ground/Somebody Touched Me

"Soul Alive" (Rounder 1985, 2002)

**** Exciting live set includes his hits "Cry To Me", "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", etc.. a 2 CD version was released by Rounder some seventeen years later. Introduction & Everybody Needs Somebody To Love/Medley: If You Need Me & Tonight's The Night & You're Good For Me & I Almost Lost My Mind & What Am I Living For & Just Out Of Reach//Medley: monologue & Take Me (Just As I Am) & I Can't Stop Loving You & monologue & I Can't Stop Loving You (reprise) & Down In The Valley & Proud Mary///Medley: Tonight's The Night (reprise) & Beautiful Brown Eyes & Just A Matter Of Time & monologue & Hold What You've Got & He'll Have To Go & Cry To Me//Introduction to encore & Gotta Get You Off My Mind (instr.)/Medley: Meet Me In Church & The Price & Words & monologue/Medley: You're Good For Me (reprise) & Send Me Some Lovin' & Gotta Get You Off My Mind/Medley: Having A Party & Amen

"A Change Is Gonna Come" (Rounder 1986)

**** This strong disc should have been his comeback record. His laidback, disparate reading of the title track is tremendous. The Jimmy Lewis-penned "Don't Tell Me What A Man Won't Do" and his cover of "When A Man Loves A Woman" aren't far behind.

  "Love Trap" (Isis-Voice 1987)

N/R Love Trap/Do You Believe In The Hereafter/Every Breath You Take/Daddy Love Bear/Isis (Every Breath You Take)//Nothing But The Truth/Only God Knows/Drive/Sweet Spirit

"You Can Run But You Can't Hide" (Mr. R & B 1987)

N/R A collection of Burke's earliest material

"The Bishop Rides South" (Charly 1988)

*** The "Proud Mary" album with four tracks added (Generation Of Revelations/I'm Gonna Stay Right Here/God Knows I Love You/In The Ghetto)

"Homeland" (Bizarre/Straight 1991)

"Home In Your Heart: The Best Of" (Rhino 1992)

"Soul Of The Blues" (Black Top 1993)

"Let Your Love Flow" (Shanachie 1993)

"Live At The House Of Blues" (Black Top 1995)

"King Of Rock N' Soul" (Black Top 1997)

"The Definition Of Soul" (Pointblank 1997)

"We Need A Miracle" (601 Music 1998)

"The Very Best Of" (Rhino 1998)

"Not By Water But Fire This Time" (CGP 1999)

"Proud Mary" The Bell Sessions" (Sundazed 2000)

"Don't Give Up On Me" (Fat Possom 2002)

"Soulman" (Prestige Elite 2002)

"The Incredible Solomon Burke At His Best" (Amherst 2002)

"The Apollo Album (Live)" (P-Vine 2003)

"That's Heavy Baby 1971-1973" (Raven 2005)

"Make Do With What You Got" (Shout! Factory 2005)

"Definitive Soul Collection" (Rhino 2006)

"The Chess Collection" (UM3/Island UK 2006)

"Nashville" (Shout! Factory 2006)

"Soul Lucky" (Music Avenue 2006)

"Like A Fire" (Shout! Factory 2008)

"This is It: Apollo Soul Origins" (Shout! Factory 2008)