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Solomon Burke
Everybody Needs Somebody To Love

(Atlantic, 1964)

In vain hope that the terrible singing on that Celebrations ad sparks interest in the original and best version.

Solomon Burke

Earlier this year Allen Toussaint told me how much he had appreciated Boots The Chemist using his song Here Come The Girls in an advertisement campaign - financial reward, a degree of artistic exposure, confirmation of his melody's long life. As the sole surviving member of the three composers of Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, another classic soul song now appearing in a tedious version on a UK TV ad, it's to be hoped this will prompt a fresh airing for the wonderful early works of Solomon Burke. The mealy-mouthed ad version is a pretty poor representation of an original that, Burke explained to me in the summer of 2008, he adapted from an offertory march, a piece of music played in church as worshippers marched down the aisles towards the altar to place cash donations in a bowl or box or on a plate. Burke, like soul singers from Ray Charles and Sam Cooke down, has a long and honourable history of rock'n'rolling gospel music, and this is one of his most effective, and effervescent ways to start a show. "I'm so happy to be here tonight," Burke announces in an opening speech punctuated by shouts of encouragement from the studio gallery, "so glad to be in your wonderful city. [Yeah!] And I have a little message for ya. And I wanna tell every woman and every man tonight, [Yes?] that's ever needed someone ta lurve. [Yes!] That's ever had somebody to love. [All right now!] That's ever had somebody to understand them [Yes!]..." and above the steadfast 4/4 groove the band is laying down - fast choppy guitar chords and walking bass, baritone sax phrases - Burke's voice gradually metamorphosing from speech, into sung recitation "that's ever had someone to need to love all the time. Someone that's with them when they're up! Someone that's with them when they're down. If ya had y'self somebody like this, you better hold on to 'em. Cos let me tell you something. Sometimes you get what you want, and you lose what you had. [All right!] But there's a song I sing, and I believe if everybody was to sing this song it would save the whole world. Listen to me..." And the rest of the track, sung, becomes a brilliant exposition of how this gospel root is whipped up into a thrilling and climactic screamer of a soul performance. It's easy to visualise Burke Pied Piping his audience/congregation out of the club/church into the streets. Wilson Pickett plugged into its powers, The Rolling Stones used the song in 1965, on their second album, as did The Blues Brothers in the first BB movie 15 years later. They, like Burke, were on "a mission from God". Even a heathen like me gets it.

Geoff Brown

Posted by Ross_Bennett at 6:00 AM GMT 02/12/2009

Further Listening

Solomon Burke - Home In Your Heart: The Best Of... (Atlantic, 1992)

The Impressions - People Get Ready (ABC-Paramount, 1965)

The Staple Singers - Swing Low (Vee-Jay, 1962)

Related MOJO content:

Rolling Stones , Solomon Burke

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