WoD 3: Solomon Burke

Some discussion has been had here at The Wall as to whether the big man of soul really merited a place on the bulwark of deference, but eventually it was decided that his influence was sufficiently elevated on two counts.


Solomon Burke died 10th Oct on a plane bound for Schiphol Airport Amsterdam, bringing to an end a rollercoaster of a life in music. He was a huge touring and songwriting success in the 60's, when he wrote and recorded his first justification for ascent of The Wall: Everybody Needs Somebody To love. Of course, despite his own rendering of the song, a Rolling Stones cover, and a version by Wilson Pickett, this song was truly made great in 1980 by the Blues Brothers and will be forever thought of accompanied by Ray Ban shades, pork-pie hats and fitted black suits: the staple 80's fancy dress outfit for one tall skinny guy and a short, fat dude with extreme personality and drug consumption...


Though Solomon's popularity waned he enjoyed a resurgence having been inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (a sort of musically based lesser brother of The Wall... for the living) in 2001. Subsequent gig-goers thrilled to spectacle of the by-now mighty Burke being carried on-stage on a massive gold throne. All thirty stone of him. He also ran his own church (the 'House of God for All People' - which is nice), and finally, his second credential for The Wall fathered 21 children and 90 grandchildren. Which just goes to show...

remember people, no matter who you are and what you do to live, thrive and survive, there's still some things that make us all the same... you, me, them, everybody... everybody...

(and, look, it's TOTP too...!)