#44. Rock 'N Soul - Solomon Burke (1964)

Is it wrong that I had never heard of Solomon Burke before this weekend? Although, I think he was mentioned in the book (and movie) High Fidelity.

Anyway, I did my research and found out that Burke was the self-proclaimed "King of Rock 'n Soul," hence the title of this album, his 3rd for Atlantic Records. He didn't want to be pigeonholed into the rhythm & blues category just because he was a black singer in the 60s.

The most recognizable song for me on this album was "Cry To Me." You may remember it as the song in the dance seduction scene in Dirty Dancing. It would also go on to be covered by the Rolling Stones in 1965. Overall, the album was a great mix of rock, soul, pop, country and gospel. That may seem a bit all over the place, but Burke was able to reel it all in to one cohesive sound.

Favorite Tracks: "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)," "Cry To Me" and "Beautiful Brown Eyes"