Solomon Burke



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JANICE'S BLUES ALLEY PRESENTS



Solomon Burke
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Solomon Burke





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Solomon Burke -- Biography and RecommendationsSolomon Burke -- Biography and Recommendations
Solomon Burke - King of Rock and SoulSolomon Burke - King of Rock and Soul


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Born - March 21, 1940, Died - October 10, 2010. 

While Solomon Burke never made a major impact upon the pop audience -- he never, in fact, had a Top Twenty hit -- he was an important early soul pioneer. On his 1960s singles for Atlantic, he brought a country influence into R&B with emotional phrasing and intricately constructed, melodic ballads and mid-tempo songs. At the same time, he was surrounded with sophisticated "uptown" arrangements, and provided with much of his material, by his producers, particularly Bert Berns. The combination of gospel, pop, country, and production polish was basic to the recipe of early soul. While Burke wasn't the only one pursuing this path, not many others did so as successfully. And he, like Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, was an important influence upon the Rolling Stones, who covered Burke's "Cry to Me" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" on their early albums.

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 cult soulster 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 gospelish 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. -- Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide



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LINKYEARTITLE
1962Solomon Burke
1963If You Need Me
1964Rock 'n' Soul
1965The Rest of Solomon Burke
1968I Wish I Knew
1968King Solomon
1969Proud Mary
1972King Heavy
1972Electronic Magnetism
1972The History Of Solomon Burke
1974I Have a Dream
1975Back to My Roots
1975Music to Make Love To
1979Sidewalks, Fences & Walls
1979Lord We Need a Miracle
1979Get up and Do Something
1979Let Your Love Flow
1981King of Rock 'n' Soul
1984Cry To Me
1985Soul Alive!
1986A Change Is Gonna Come
1987You Can Run But You Can't Hide
1988The Bishop Rides South
1990Homeland
1993Soul of the Blues
1994Live at House of Blues
1997Definition of Soul
1998The Very Best Of Solomon Burke
1998We Need a Miracle
1999Not by Water But Fire This Time
2001King of Rock 'N' Soul (Fuel 2000)
2002Don't Give Up on Me
2005Make Do with What You Got
2006Nashville
2008Like a Fire
2010Nothing's Impossible


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1962 Solomon Burke

01. If You Need Me
02. Words
03. Stupidity
04. Go on Back to Him
05. I Said I Was Sorry
06. It's All Right
07. Home in Your Heart
08. I Really Don't Want to Know
09. You Can Make It If You Try
10. Send Me Some Loving
11. This Little Ring
12. Tonight My Heart She Is Crying


1963 If You Need Me

01. If You Need Me
02. Words
03. Stupidity
04. Go On Back To Him
05. I Said I Was Sorry
06. It's All Right
07. Home In Your Heart
08. I Really Don't Want To Know
09. You Can Make It If You Try
10. Send Me Some Loving
11. This Little Ring
12. Tonight My Heart She Is Crying
13. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)
14. Cry To Me


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1964 Rock 'n' Soul

01. Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)
02. Hard Ain't It Hard
03. Can't Nobody Love You
04. Just Out Of Reach
05. You're Good For Me
06. You Can't Love 'Em All
07. Someone To Love Me
08. Beautiful Brown Eyes
09. He'll Have To Go



1965 The Rest of Solomon Burke

1968 I Wish I Knew

01. I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)
02. Get Out Of My Life Woman
03. Meet Me In The Church
04. By The Time I Get To Phoenix
05. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye
06. What'd I Say
07. Since I Met you Baby
08. Save It
09. Shame On Me
10. Why, Why, Why


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1968 King Solomon

01. It's Been A Change
02. Take Me (Just As I Am)
03. Time Is A Thief
04. Keep A Light In The Window Till I Come Home
05. Baby Come on Home
06. Detroit City
07. Someone Is Watching
08. Party People
09. When She Touches Me (Nothing Else Matters)
10. Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do
11. It's Just A Matter Of Time
12. Presents For Christmas
13. Tonight's The Night
14. Only Love (Can Save Me Now)
15. I Don't Want You Anymore
16. (No, No, No) I Can't Stop Loving You Now


1969 Proud Mary

1972 King Heavy

1972 Electronic Magnetism

1972 The History Of Solomon Burke

01. Just Out Of Reach
02. I Almost Lost My Mind
03. Got To Get You Off My Mind
04. I Can't Stop Loving You
05. If You Need Me
06. Love's Street And Fool's Road
07. Tonight's The Night
08. The Electronic Magnetism(that's heavy baby)
09. Cry To Me
10. My Prayer


1974 I Have a Dream

1975 Back to My Roots

1975 Music to Make Love To

1979 Sidewalks, Fences & Walls

01. Please Don't You Say Goodbye to Me
02. Hold on! I'm Comin'
03. Sidewalks, Fences and Walls
04. Boo Hoo Hoo (Cra-Cra-Craya)
05. Lucky
06. Let Your Love Flow
07. The More
08. See That Girl
09. Sweeter Than Sweetness
10. Please Come Back Home to Me


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1979 Lord We Need a Miracle

1979 Get up and Do Something

1979 Let Your Love Flow

01. Boo Hoo Hoo (Cra-Cra-Craya)
02. Sidewalks, Fences and Walls
03. Lucky
04. The More
05. Please Come Back Home to Me
06. Let You Love Flow
07. See That Girl
08. Sweeter Than Sweetness
09. Please Don't You Say Goodbye to Me
10. Hold on! I'm Comin'


1981 King of Rock 'n' Soul

01. Boo Hoo Hoo (Cra-Cra-Craya)
02. Hold on! I'm Comin'
03. Sweeter Than Sweetness
04. Sidewalks, Fences and Walls
05. Let the Love Flow
06. The More
07. Lucky
08. Please Come Back Home to Me


1984 Cry To Me

01. Be Bop Grandma
02. Just Out Of Reach(of my two empty arms)
03. Cry To Me
04. Down In The Valley
05. I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You
06. Stupidity
07. Can't Nobody Love You
08. If You Need Me
09. Won't You Give Me One More Chance
10. You're Good For Me
11. Goodbye Baby(baby goodbye)
12. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
13. Yes I Do
14. The Price
15. Got To Get You Off My Mind
16. Maggie's Farm


1985 Soul Alive!

01. Introduction: Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
02. Medley
03. Cry to Me
04. Medley: Monologue/Take Me/I Can't Stop...
05. Down in the Valley
06. Proud Mary
07. Introduction to Encore: Gotta Get You off My Mind
08. Medley: Meet Me in Church/The Price/Words...
09. Medley: You're Good for Me/Send Me Some...
10. Medley: Gotta Get You off My Mind/Having a...


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1986 A Change Is Gonna Come

01. Love Buys Love
02. Got To Get Myself Some Money
03. Let It Be You And Me
04. Love Is All That Matters
05. Don't Tell Me What A Man Won't Do For A Woman
06. A Change Is Gonna Come
07. Here We Go Again
08. It Don't Get No Better Than This
09. When A Man Loves A Woman



1987 You Can Run But You Can't Hide

1988 The Bishop Rides South

01. Proud Mary
02. These Arms of Mine
03. I'll Be Doggone
04. How Big a Fool (Can a Fool Be)
05. Don't Wait Too Long
06. Uptight Good Woman
07. That Lucky Old Sun
08. I Can't Stop
09. Please Send Me Someone to Love
10. What Am I Living For?
11. The Generation of Revelations
12. I'm Gonna Stay Right Here
13. God Knows I Love You
14. In the Ghetto


1990 Homeland

01. Baby Please Don't Cry
02. Try a Little Tenderness
03. I Don't Need Nobody
04. Make It up to You
05. Stayin' Away
06. Home Land
07. I'll Be There
08. Love Ain't No Easy Place to Be
09. You're Gonna Love Me
10. What I've Got to Do


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1993 Soul of the Blues

01. My Babe
02. Good Rockin' Tonight
03. Sufferin' Mind
04. Letter from My Darling
05. Don't Deceive Me
06. Candy
07. Crawdad Hole
08. Along About Midnight
09. Pledging My Love
10. Lonesome Highway
11. Street Walking Woman
12. No Nights by Myself


1994 Live at House of Blues

01. Introduction: Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
02. Medley: If You Need Me/Tonight's the Night...
03. Cruel World
04. Cry to Me
05. Candy/Candy Rap
06. Got to Get You off My Mind
07. No More Nights by Myself
08. Ain't Nobody's Business
09. Down in the Valley
10. I Want a Little Girl
11. Medley: Beautiful Brown Eyes/Just a Matter...
12. Good Rockin' Tonight


1997 Definition of Soul

01. Why Can't We Come Together
02. Your Time to Cry
03. Sweet Spirit
04. You're the One
05. Just for You
06. Oooooo You
07. Everybody's Got a Game
08. Today Is Your Birthday
09. Use Me, But Leave My Mind Alone
10. It's So Hard
11. Nobody But You



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1998 The Very Best Of Solomon Burke

01. Just Out Of Reach
02. Cry To Me
03. Down In The Valley
04. I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You
05. If You Need Me
06. Can't Nobody Love You
07. You're Good For Me
08. Goodbye Baby(baby goodbye)
09. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
10. The Price
11. Got To Get You Off My Mind
12. Tonight's The Night
13. Someone Is Watching
14. Take Me(just as I am)
15. I Wish I Knew(how it would feel to be free)
16. Soul Meeting


1998 We Need a Miracle

01. Twelve Gates to the City
02. I Believe in Jesus (I Believe in God)
03. Never Alone
04. Mother Loves Her Children All the Time
05. This Little Light of Mine
06. Aunt Margarite
07. You Should Be a Witness
08. Lord We Need a Miracle (Right Now)
09. I Want Jesus to Walk With Me



1999 Not by Water But Fire This Time

01. Not by Water, But Fire This Time
02. I'm Trusting in Him
03. Turn This Thing Around
04. He Knows How Much We Can Bear
05. Music Box
06. In the Midst of Us
07. Mighty Rushing Wind
08. Thank You, Jesus...
09. The Word of God
10. I'm Blessed
11. How Will I Know?
12. Silent Prayer
13. Praise Him/Yes Lord
14. It's Over


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2001 King of Rock 'N' Soul (Fuel 2000)

01. Good Rockin' Tonight
02. Sufferin' Mind
03. Letter From My Darling
04. My Babe
05. Don't Deceive Me
06. Candy
07. Crawdad Hole
08. Along About Midnight
09. Pledging My Love
10. Lonesome Highway
11. Street Walking Woman
12. No Nights By Myself
13. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
14. If You Need Me/Tonight's The Night/
      I Almost Lost My Mind
15. Cry To Me
16. Got To Get You Off My Mind
17. Down In The Valley


2002 Don't Give Up on Me

01. Don't Give Up on Me
02. Fast Train
03. Diamond in Your Mind
04. Flesh and Blood
05. Soul Searchin'
06. Only a Dream
07. The Judgement
08. Stepchild
09. The Other Side of the Coin
10. None of Us Are Free
11. Sit This One Out



2005 Make Do with What You Got

01. I Need Your Love in My Life
02. What Good Am I?
03. It Makes No Difference
04. Let Somebody Love Me
05. After All These Years
06. Fading Footsteps
07. At the Crossroads
08. I Got the Blues
09. Make Do With What You Got
10. Wealth Won't Save Your Soul


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2006 Nashville

01. That's How I Got to Memphis
02. Seems Like You're Gonna Take Me Back
03. Tomorrow Is Forever
04. Ain't Got You
05. Valley of Tears
06. Honey Where's the Money Gone
07. Atta Way to Go
08. Millionaire
09. Up to the Mountain
10. Does My Ring Burn Your Finger
11. Vicious Circle
12. We're Gonna Hold On
13. You're the Kind of Trouble
14. 'Til I Get It Right


2008 Like a Fire

01. Like a Fire
02. We Don't Need It
03. The Fall
04. A Minute to Rest and a Second to Pray
05. Ain't That Something
06. What Makes Me Think I Was Right
07. Understanding
08. You and Me
09. Thank You
10. If I Give My Heart to You


2010 Nothing's Impossible

01. Oh What a Feeling
02. Everything About You
03. Dreams
04. Nothing's Impossible
05. It Must Be Love
06. You Needed Me
07. Say You Love Me Too
08. You're Not Alone
09. New Company
10. When You're Not Here
11. The Error of My Ways
12. I'm Leavin'


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