Album: The Best Of Solomon Burke (1965)

Charted: 22

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Songfacts®:

• Burke's most successful single, he wrote the song, which is also credited to J.B. Moore and his second wife, Dolores. It's a vengeful song about getting past someone who has found a new lover, and it was inspired by Burke's marital strife. In 2005, Burke told the Independent on Sunday: "I'd sit with Don Covay writing those songs and just cry. I'd say Don you have such a beautiful wife but mine is probably out somewhere slashing my tires because I was off with some chick. I was a young man, girls were coming from every angle. I couldn't love 'em all, but I certainly tried."
• Burke started off as a gospel singer, but quickly moved into more secular songs like this one. Like Sam Cooke and Jerry Lee Lewis, he risked alienating his church community by making the switch, but Burke didn't think this was a contradiction. He explained to The Independent in 2002: "I started with songs like 'To Thee,' but pretty soon I was singing 'Why Do Me This Way?' God is God. And God is in everything good. I love beautiful women, and I'm not going to tell anyone different. Sam Cooke was packing out churches at the same time as me, but when he was singing sacred songs, the young girls were thinking, 'Lord, Jesus, if I could just get with that Sam Cooke. Brother Sam, come over and pray for me one time!' All of that was in the room, it's what life is about. You can't separate it."
• Burke recorded for Atlantic Records, where soul legends like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles were also signed. Like many of his tracks, this one was produced by Jerry Wexler, who was also a powerful executive at Atlantic.

Comments: 3

• AnonymousThe writers are Delores Burke and Solomon Burke, and his mother was also accredited her name was JosephineMoore Burke. Josephine Moore Burke
• Paul Osman from Liverpool, EnglandVan Morrison wrote an identical song called Precious Time but it's obvious this Solomon Burke song wàs the inspiration. To his credit Van Morrison recorded a cover of this song so hopefully the late Reverend Burkes estate should benefit from royalties.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1965 {March 28th} "Got to Get You Off My Mind" by Solomon Burke peaked at #1* {for 3 Weeks} on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart...
  As noted above, "Got to Get You Off My Mind" reached #22 on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
  Between 1961 and 1978 the Philadelphia native had thirty-one records on the Hot R&B Singles chart, nine made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, the above "Got To Get You Off My Mind"...
  Mr. Burke, born James Solomon McDonald, passed away at the age of 70 on October 10th, 2010...
  May he R.I.P.
  * He just missed having two more #1 records when both his "If You Need Me" {1963} and "Tonight's The Night" {1965} peaked at #2...
  And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot R&B Singles Top 10 on March 28th, 1965:
  At #2. "Stop! In The Name of Love" by The Supremes
  #3. "Shotgun" by Jr. Walker & the All-Stars
  #4. "People Get Ready" by The Impressions
  #5. "Nowhere To Run" by Martha & The Vandellas
  #6. "I Do Love You" by Billy Stewart
  #7. "Don't Mess Up A Good Thing" by Fontella Bass & Bobby McClure
  #8. "I'll Be Doggone" by Marvin Gaye
  #9. "My Girl" by The Temptations
  #10. "Mr. Pitiful" by Otis Redding

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