Rock 'N Soul

very solid soul output. great voice.

I have a couple of Solomon Burke compilations and a latter-day album, but listening to this album as it was initially issued by Atlantic in the early 60s was quite a revelation. Burke wanted to distance himself from the term “rhythm and blues”, as he felt it was associated with sinfulness, and instead crowned himself as the “king of rock and soul”. And so…this is one of the early soul records. His voice has a lot of honey, and yet plenty of grit; his sound to me is between that of Sam Cooke and Ray Charles, both of whom he namechecks on one of the tracks. Also, a couple of big country smashes are presented here all souled up, à la Brother Ray’s “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music”. There’s even a song that sounds suspiciously like the 60s Drifters (who also recorded for Atlantic), unsurprisingly penned by Lieber and Stoller. Good solid listen, important historically, and deserving of inclusion on this list

Solomon Burke's 1964 album, *Rock 'N Soul*, is a potent document of a soul pioneer at work. While critics are divided on the consistency of its material, the record stands as a powerful testament to Burke's monumental voice and his role in defining the soul genre. ### 🎵 Music, Production, and Lyrics The music on *Rock 'N Soul* is a textbook example of the early 1960s Atlantic Records sound, built on a foundation of gospel, R&B, and country. The production, led by the legendary Bert Berns, is polished yet retains a raw emotional core. * **Music & Production:** The arrangements feature prominent rhythm sections anchored by walking bass lines and subtle guitar parts, lush gospel-influenced organ fills, and punchy horn sections. A deep roster of session musicians, including guitarists Billy Butler and Al Caiola, and pianists Paul Griffin and Hank Jones, provided the backing. The "soul" is further enhanced by excellent backing vocalists, including a young Cissy Houston. * **Lyrics & Themes:** The album explores the classic soul music themes of romantic devotion, heartbreak, and desire, often with a compelling dose of moral complexity. For instance, "Can't Nobody Love You" is a stirring pledge of fidelity and a playful "callout" to rivals like Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. Conversely, the playful "You Can't Love 'Em All" is surprising for its resolution to embrace polyamory instead of monogamy. ### 👑 Influence and Legacy The album's title itself was a mission statement. Burke famously believed that rock and soul were intrinsically connected, stating, "without soul, there'd be no rock and without rock, there'd be no soul". He was one of the first artists to be called a "soul singer," a term he specifically chose to align his music with his spiritual background and avoid the "profane" stigma of R&B. The album's influence is cemented by its crown jewel. The lead single, **"Cry to Me"**, is a landmark in soul music. Written and produced by Bert Berns, it is considered one of the first songs to unify country, gospel, and R&B. Its portrayal as an "ode to loneliness and desire" helped define the Southern soul ballad and solidified Burke's place in music history. ### 👍 Pros and 👎 Cons * **👍 Pros:** * **Burke's Magnificent Voice:** The primary reason to listen. His rich, powerful baritone, honed from his days as a preacher, can move from a tender caress to a full-throated, ecstatic cry. * **Classic Tracks:** The album features some of Burke's most essential recordings. "Cry to Me" is an all-time classic, and songs like "Can't Nobody Love You" and "If You Need Me" showcase his vocal prowess. * **Historical Significance:** *Rock 'N Soul* is a vital piece of music history. It captures a pivotal moment when R&B was evolving into soul music, with Burke as a key transitional figure. * **👎 Cons:** * **Inconsistent Material:** This is the most common criticism. While the performances are uniformly excellent, the songwriting is seen by some as unimaginative, with several tracks blending into a "generic fusion". This can make the album feel like it has significant "filler". * **Highlights Overshadow the Rest:** The presence of monumental singles like "Cry to Me" can overshadow the other tracks, which, despite Burke's best efforts, are simply not as memorable. ### 🎙️ Final Verdict *Rock 'N Soul* is an album best appreciated for its peak moments and historical context. It's an album where a monumental voice is sometimes let down by average material, resulting in a classic singles collection rather than a flawless full-length listening experience. However, for fans of classic soul and the history of popular music, it is an essential and rewarding listen. If you're looking to explore *Rock 'N Soul* by Solomon Burke, "Cry to Me," "Can't Nobody Love You," and "If You Need Me" are the essential tracks to start with.

Smooooooooooooth

Smooth listening, make me nostalgic of something that I didn't even live. I listened some many times and still kicking ass.

Very nice smooth soul. Beautifully sung and has aged well.

Heard Before? Only "Cry to Me" and "Goodbye Baby" Notes: - production, lyrics and arrangements all very typical of the era. not a bad thing at all, just not really noteworthy. - terrific use of backing vocals, acting almost as a greek chorus at times, amplifying the cause of the narrator. - a bit more mistake variety than i expected. some nice use of 6/8. i especially dig the near-mariachi sound of "Can't Love Em All". - "Cry to Me" is the big hit for obvious reasons. It's got the most thrilling vocal performances, a terrific melody and a slightly atypical lyrical conceit. I love it. - really it's all down to Burke, who sells every song completely, inhabiting the characters with intonation that seems improvised and unhinged while being actually careful and restrained. Verdict: Very much singles+filler, but Burke's surging, unpredictable vocal work elevates it. Listen Again? For sure, if only because my partner is a big soul fan.

Beautiful voice. Soul at its best.

Essential or not, this is an enjoyable listen.

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album. It did start to sound a little one note by the end, but his singing is amazing and the arrangements are quite dense and complex. I’m surprised he didn’t see the same success as some of his peers especially since he’s considered one of the founding fathers of soul music.

Does exactly what it says on the tin

Wonderful stuff with this early fusion of soul, gospel and rock and roll.

Solomon here doesn’t really get talked about as much as some of his contemporaries but he’s excellent. Smooth, powerful voice. I’m such a sucker for this kind of music

Sam Cooke did it better but man they don’t make music that makes you this happy anymore.

Very good album.

c'est smooth, assez divers aussi je dirais pour du soul? Vers la fin j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait des belles petites passes de guit style flamenco. En même temps, je trouve ça un ti peu sans personnalité, generic 60s. 3.5 arrondissons à 4 je me sens généreux

Solid album. Enjoyed the voice and enjoyed the songs. Never heard of Solomon before which is quite a surprise given his obvious talent

Really liked it

Echt episch. Heerlijke slow jams. Zou zelf zeggen meer woo wop of hoe je het ook spelt dan rock of soul, maar ik heb er geen verstand van natuurlijk. Alleen geen 5 sterren omdat het niet zo sterk als een album staat maar meer een fijne verzameling nummers. Mist wat variatie ook. Maar puur muzikaal echt heerlijk

This was a crazy good vibe

Short good listening

This is really smooth and I was having a kind of blah morning due to dispute with landlord, deadlines etc., and Solomon Burke helped, and I wonder how much guys like Solomon Burke got up in the morning and had their coffee and looked out at the East River or whatever and thought "I'm helping people all over the world right now."

hell yeah. great voice. great vibes. not mind-blowing but definitely very good. will definitely listen to this again

I like this one! Bluesy, soulful and smooth. Very enjoyable.

He's got a great voice hasn't he?

Great stuff. Shame he only made *checks notes* about 300 albums

Loved it

Jævlig schpa Soothing Calm n shut

One of the best

Great!

Maybe a little safer than some of the other Soul greats of the time, but really solid and enjoyable. I am rounding down for at least one fairly cringed worthy song but great nonetheless.

Fav- cry to me 4/5

Stone cold classic sure. The hits are familiar 60s R&B but I'm surprised by the number of acoustic guitar-forward tracks on here - that's a sound I didn't expect but certainly dig.

Really enjoyable blues rock album. No complaints.

I loved this, didn’t realise the first song was his. The whole album was so smooth

Not sure who this is but it's some pretty good old school soul. Really digging it.

Solomon Burke is underrated

Soul-full

Fantastic doowop soulful album. This style from this era is so fun when done well, which it absolutely is here. Songwriting is fun, and Solomon's voice is so good

8.5/10 I was unfamiliar with Solomon Burke, but he has an incredible voice. The warm tone of his vocals and guitar throughout the album make it pleasant and easy to listen to. Would listen again

yep

Rock my soul indeed

Great vocals and arrangements. In the style of Sam Cooke & Ray Charles, but not their equal. Still, it’s great. A 4.

Absolutely adored this album

mmmhmmm yup that's tasty. Never heard of him or these songs but love this soul and will definitely be diving into his catalog

Very pleasant sound

There’s a slipshod element to this “album”, given the range of recording dates, and as much as I like this era of R&B, it’s definitely not my go-to by any means. Still, Burke sounds amazing, and I’d definitely be interested in checking out more of his work someday. 3.5/5

Really really good soul music, late 50s/early 60s vibes, Sunday morning

un album tranqui, rico de oir, suave y perfecto acompañamiento de tarde. con coros muy lindos y sonidos super soothing. espectacular soul y super enjoyable. de lo mas destacable que es uno de los pioneros del tipo de musica

I never really considered myself a soul fan but I keep loving every album I get in this genre and this album is no exception. Every song just feels like it's wrapping me up in a warm hug on a cold night.

Solomon Burke, dubbed the Bishop of Soul - because he was a preacher as well as a majestic soul man - is a pleasure to listen to. The pipes are immaculate, the songs are great. They've all got titles I recognise but aren't the songs I expect, so listening through the record is a box of surprises when I expected familiarity. But you can hear the influence these kinds of songs had on the pop and rock of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Really foundational stuff. If "He'll Have To Go" doesn't tickle sonic memories of 'Hooked On A Feeling', released 10 years later, then your Spidey senses need tuning. It's gorgeous stuff, that I feel would benefit from familiarity for me to get the most from it. Perhaps on a slow drive, or somewhere I can sing a long, maybe a dinner party - or even, Fallout style, while exploring the wasteland. I want time alone to inhabit these songs and to know every word before it comes. Lovely stuff.

Classic rock and blues sound

Old school sound. I dig it.

good

Emotive soulful music. This guy became a preacher; I can't imagine the influence he held over his congregation as such a skilled vocalist. Underappreciated in his time.

This is obviously really really good. As with many other acts from this time, I prefer the more up-tempo numbers (cry to me, hard, ain't it hard) rather than some of the slower one (just out of reach... Etc) I'm amazed that none of these songs have become popular modern hits as cover versions. All that being said there are probably more misses on this album than hits. It's somewhere in the 3-4 range. I'm going to be generous, but I'm aware that my scores need a bit of readjustment

The album name says it all. Burke can scream like James Brown and croon like Sam Cooke, it's his show and it's all killer. The formulaic, stock- 60s' Atlantic arrangements stop it being a stone cold Otis Blue level classic

Burke's unbridled raw energy and infectious tones make this album a real pleasure to grace your ears

This is a genre I don't normally listen to on purpose - I don't dislike the music, but I'm not really "in to" it. However, the opening track on this album, Cry to me, took me a little by surprise - what a voice! He sings with such power and feeling! The rest of the album didn't really appeal to me but I listened to the end just to hear him sing. I fully appreciate the music and skill needed from everyone involved - the recording process in the 60's was far less forgiving than modern techniques and they had to get it right very quickly.

Enjoyable soulful album. Exactly what it says on the tin. Faves: Cry To Me, Goodbye Bab (Baby Goodbye), If You Need Me

King Solomon Burke! This album has been on my vinyl watch list for some time now. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy listening twice now. There is something so classic about Solomon’s voice. He had the soul of a gospel preacher, the experience of a blues man, and the grit of Phillie R&B. Unfortunately I think that is what bit him in the 1960s: he wasn’t Detroit Motown R&B; he wasn’t Muscle Shoals or Stax Soul; he wasn’t Chicago Chess Blues. And some of the songs on this album (though masterful) were a reflection of the 1950s crooner (eg, Just Out of Reach) rather than evolving 1960s scene. Still, as someone who never lived through that, I appreciate the whole package as is. Cry to Me has always been a favorite, but Someone to Love and You’re Good to Me pulled in that James Brown rawness with the thick Memphis-style horns and just grabs you by the heart strings. This album is still on my vinyl list. Hail to the King!

I find it impossible to hate these old soul records. The vocalists are always excellent singers and the albums are short enough to not outstay their welcome. With his husky voice, today's Solomon Burke LP was no exception to the rule . Like many albums of this ilk, the record sticks to formula and doesn't shake up anything. This album is at its best when Burke belts his heart out and you can hear him strain to land that perfect note. His backing singers keep the album sounding busy. Packed with a staggering 7 top 100 hits, I was only previously aware of 'Cry To Me' as IDLES covered it. Burke's version is excellent, albeit very different to punky version I was familiar with! The rock and roll influence isn't as strong as I hoped. Burke's booming voice does feel somewhat inspired by rock music, but this is just good southern soul music for the most part.

muy lindo sonido anachi

Really nice soul album, and what a vocal range! Really gave the tracks some life. Interested how this fared in the heart of the civil rights era, I know crossover was possible but don’t recognize Burke’s name

I have loved many of these tracks for years and years. R&B from this era is my bread and butter, and Solomon Burke is a giant. But there are a few songs on here that are a little less than great, so I’m stopping just short of five stars. 4.5 stars.

Incredible vocalist. First half of the album is a 5 but the second half doesn't grab me as much. Really glad to have listened to this album.

This guy is one of the best singers I’ve ever heard… was the original king of soul… is in the Rock Hall of Fame and somehow is still criminally underrated. The last three songs aren’t as strong as the beginning of the album, but it’s still damn good 60’s soul music.

Bonne écoute relax. 3.75 étoiles

I like this album. The soul really like me

60 metų albumui o skamba timeless, groovy, easy, quality wavy air

Great vocals. Old school upbeat soul

A vibe like L Armstrong

4/5. Excellent soul, a real treat for someone who loves or is in the mood for this music. Burke is a great crooner who can belt out expressive little lines with the best of him. Good songs here too — safely within the genre but decent variety.

I enjoyed this one.

The foundation of rock n' roll is what this sounded like to me!

Really enjoyed this.

Loved it

Lovely old school R&B

This had a few songs that sounded a tad familiar, I liked it overall. Nice vocals, it leans in the soul side more than rock for me

I really enjoyed this. The less than slick recording sound was really enjoyable for me. I could hear all the real human beings doing their part to make the music. Really great stuff

Get into itttt

This was a vibe!

Loved.

This was a solid album. Didn’t realize I knew so many songs off this album.

Great voice. Can't say I've listened to him before. Music for cooking/cleaning on a weekend. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.

Heard of Solomon Burke but never listened. Incredible voice. Perfectly backup instrumentation. A very pleasant, fun listen. The mono cuts are better than the stereo.

Sooo smooothhhh - honestly thoroughly enjoyed. Didn't expect it

Beautiful, soulful album

7/10 Really good album of early-60s rock... and soul... yes I am just repeating the title of the album, so what? It's genuinely true. I will say that there are no real stand-out tracks, though it never gets too repetitive (well, mostly). As an album it doesn't necessarily work super well, but I'm finding that to be true of most 60s albums - they tend to be collections of singles and songs, with the only throughline being some repetition of music or beats. Anyways, good album, glad I got put on to it.

Came to this thinking I'm more of an Otis Redding gal when it comes to Kings of Soul. But holy shit that voice. Properly took me to to church. Sorry Sol

This was good, but falls into the same category as a lot of these early 60s and 50s albums do for me, where they have one or two really kickass songs, like "Cry to Me" and "Can't Nobody Love You" on here, and the rest feels kinda like filler that was mandated by the record execs. I think this does a little better, cause he has a great voice, and even though it can get a bit samey in parts, it's at least a good same.

It was an enjoyable album that was pretty decent

This is great. I believe that there should be more R&B music on this list. Because so many of the seminal artists from this time and before died way before their time or had their entire style copied and repackaged to be sold as pop music artists like Solomon Burke can sometimes get lost or if not lost pushed to the wayside. I love these more or less simple arrangements and how he does not over do it.

Very classic sounding early soul record. Sounds kinda unoriginal but that's likely just me hearing it backwards in time. Could put this on and really vibe with it.

I love this man’s voice. Gravelly and smooth at the same time!

Great music but I think Solomon has some issues with women (‘little girls’?) he should work on. Liked that “You Can’t Love Em All” had a had him arguing with the backup singers during the song

New addition to my rotation for sure

Actual Rating: 3.5/5

Pretty good soul. Amazing voice!

Rock n Soul is right!

Thought it was great, if I need a go-to early 60s soul album this one would be up there.

Super soulful, Solomon Burke has an amazing voice. I never would have listened to this album without doing this project, but I’m really glad I did.

Loved it. What a voice! Not much variation, but who cares.

Pretty vibey mane

Great tunes, the singer's voice is smooth and emotive and i like the way arrangement of the songs and the way they just feel tight.

Although for me this doesn't quite hit lit Otis or Wilson Pickett, I can see how influential Solomon Burke was. This seems like it sort of straddles the line between a cleaner Sam Cooke sort of R&B vibe and that gritter, later-60s sound. His voice can do it all. Cry to Me is the biggest one I knew but I think is more of that earlier sound - Someone to Love Me is one of my favorites I'd never heard and definitely shows more about why he was so influential to "soul" being known as a genre. Good stuff.

actually really good - great listen if in the mood

Rock and Soul is always a great combo!

aguante el rock n soul

Shame on me for not knowing Solomon Burke. This was a great album and will be exploring more.

the only genre that has yet to disappoint me

I liked it

Great soul/R&B album. Not a lot of variety but it does what it does really well.

In the words of the time, this is river deep country fried buttercream soul. I liked it. I had never heard of Solomon Burke, but apparently he coined the term soul music, and this is it. Right between rock and roll and crooning, it's definitely a classic of this time. His Wikipedia page is also great. Apparently he had 21 children, started his own Church denomination, sold overpriced food to other black artists on tour who couldn't go out to eat because of Jim Crow, and performed at a KKK rally. Awesome. His music was good, theology and diet were questionable at best. Here's his quote concerning the fact that he weighed about 400 pounds: It's very rough. I love to eat and I love to cook—as you can see. But my hip has to be replaced and a knee has to be replaced and I've got to lose 150 pounds before they can do that. And that's a lot. But it's NOT! God knows I've enjoyed every kind of food there is, all around the world. It's not like I'm going to miss any of it. Because I've had it all! Highlights: You Can't Love Em All

incre

Fort agréable, même s'il n'y a rien qui donne envie de déchirer sa chemise.

🥰 Yes. Solomon Burke is the original Diva

A bit too cheesy but still great

This was a great listen. I've heard a ton of covers of "Cry to Me," but this version still really pops. The whole thing was really an enjoyable time.

Paar gute Lieder für den 50-60er energetischen Soul Vibe

Really nice soul album

7/10

Super banging. Shoutout Philadelphia! This is my ideal soul/blues experience. I feel like this guy really knew how to mix in the gospel, all these songs just soar. So cool that he was a preacher too. Hard guy not to like!

I had never heard of Solomon Burke before, and he is a fantastic singer. There are a lot of good songs on this album. I have a weakness for a lot of 1960s music. You would rarely ever see me give a low score to a soul album from that time period.

Pretty good

This is so good. I need more.

Short, sweet, to the point

Very early rock sounding but not bad. I think I have heard If you need me before.

Solid album.

Great voice and emotion, interesting arrangements. A great example of the genre.

Molto bello

I really enjoy this era, but I'd never, or at least only vaguely, heard of Solomon Burke. Why didn't he make it into the "oldies" canon? This was fun, smooth, and soulful with that early 60s rock edge.

It was just a classes soul record with nothing special, but nothing bad. Nice simple listen with the first half carrying a huge part.

love the group vocals, love the trebly guitar, love the snare sound. soul is the coolest.

Sick. So nice.

Fornøyelig lytt! Starter litt standard, men tar seg opp.

what vibe. First song reminds me of dirty dancing. Groooooovin

Very good music for this genre

This was a great album. Classic 60s soul from one of the greats. I really enjoyed it.

I liked dis

Man, people straight stealing from this dude for the next few decades huh?

Really good, I’d still probably rather listen to Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, or Marvin Gaye but I’ll for sure be checking out more of him!

Koselig og kort

Burke is a strong singer, and here he is reinforced by a serious of good, steady soul hits. Granted, a lot of the songs are cut from a similar cloth. But it's a good cloth.

This is quite good. I don't know when I'd choose to play it, but it's a cool vibe. The guy definitely has a great voice. Good range and a lot of cool vocal flairs throughout. This would be 3x more listenable without the chorus of background singers. Hate that style choice! He's got the voice and the music is good, but this wall of warblers come in and cover it up instead of being, y'know, in the background. It's definitely a product of its time and good glimpse into the style of the time. Wonder why he doesn't have more recognition. It's quality tunes from a great singer. A 4 sounds about appropriate.

really great; enjoying this a lot; nice to have going in the background while im working; 4 stars?

Pioneering soul album. Solomon has everything you want from a soul singer right here on this one album. I'm here for it. Influence 4. Hits 4. Quality 4. Intangibles 4. I don't always listen to soul music, but when I do, I like the masters 4.

How did I miss this? I've gone almost 50 years on this planet and not heard this album. It's good. Real good. You can hear the

Sad it took me 38 years to hear Solomon Burke. A lovely album with the right balance of early rock and soul. Sometimes simple is better and this album proves it.

Fantastic every song is great

Great blues album, short and sweet and a good vibe throughout

Great smooth listen from a bygone era. Good stuff

I have a real soft spot for music like this. I think because I went through the original 1001 Albums book from the very start at first, I listened to a higher concentration of 50s and 60s soul than most teenagers in the 2000s English countryside, so in a weird way this feels quite nostalgic to me. Burke's got a really really great voice and so much charisma, I love how the passionate moments cause the janky old 60s recording equipment to fray at the edges, and I like the playful sort of springiness to the instrumentals that gives it all so much room to breathe. Like all of the really old stuff that's come up, it's naturally a little dated, but I still like it!

Solid enjoyable stuff.

This was a refreshing listen from the last few albums, and a time period I don't normally listen to. Solomon Burke has the perfect voice for the genre and feel of this album. 4/5 stars.

super

Awesome

This felt very classic and full of yearning! Favourite track: Cry to Me

.

good good vibe sooting voice amazing

This is a fantastically soulful album, with impressive gospel-style vocals and great musicianship & production throughout the short & sweet 35 minute run. There’s definitely an inconsistency to the album though - the standout tracks had me tapping my feet and nodding my head, happily enjoying the grooves & melodies, whilst other tracks left me feeling a bit flat. Strong 7/10, light 8/10.

Really solid, both feels like 1964 and much newer.

I love 60s soul/blues and this album is incredible. Burke’s voice, and there’s so many hit songs here. But just like all the early 60s soul/rock albums, I just wish there weren’t so many cover songs.

:)

Rocked ‘My World

4.15/5 al green before al green or smth

Not much to say, its a very good album and its a type of genre I very much enjoy. He has a lovely voice.

Very cool very smooth. Dude had an absolutely kooky life too.

Really liked his. Clean listenable blues

Overall liked this one.

nice and easy to listen to. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excellent soulful album. Very tender heartbreak tunes

very classical , not something id thought id enjoy as much as i did

Very pleasant, I love this type of music. Fav: Goodbye Baby

Listened Before: No Good soul music. It's missing some kind of sauce that would make it a 5. But enjoyed each song equally (if you catch my drift)

Really solid stuff here. Easy 4

I enjoyed this album though, again, it's not my genre of choice. He has pretty voice and music is soft and relaxing.

This album took me back to the summer of 1966, sitting in a smoky cocktail bar talking to a woman I just met 20 minutes prior like we were childhood best friends while listening to the soul band playing on the stage. Or something like that.

This is my 64th album and while I’ve had about 4 or 5 already that I didn’t already own, this is the first one that’s new to me and that I really dig. This is very much my kind of soul and I am surprised I’m only hearing him now. The album doesn’t seem to let up in quality throughout and for a 60s album that’s an impressive lack of filler! I will be returning to this album and Investigating Solomon further. Thank you 1001 book.

It's cool. Classic easy listening album. Really enjoyed it. Ideal album to have on in the background on vinyl. Favorite song: can't nobody love you

There's not enough soul on this list - so many names missing - but still a couple things I don't know too well. And maybe this was just some good Christmas Eve listening, but I really loved it. 4.5*

Like... I won't say it's bad but like this there's a lot of albums in the sixties. At this time, love ballads are too strong. But you can't let the feeling that it's always the same thing go. But it's still a great album and voice.

01) Cry to Me - 9,0 02) Just Out of Reach - 8,5 03) Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) - 8,0 04) If You Need Me - 7,5 05) Can't Nobody Love You - 7,5 06) Someone to Love Me - 7,0 07) You're Good for Me - 7,0 08) Won't You Give Him (One More Chance) - 8,0 09) Hard, Ain't It Hard - 8,0 10) You Can't Love Them All - 8,0 11) Beautiful Brown Eyes - 7,5 12) He'll Have to Go - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,83 (78/100) Current ranking: 264/770

Nice Soul Record.

Das Album ist 60 Jahre alt?! So viele gute Motive!

Quality soul music. I'd rate it five were it to be even more amusing and exceptional from the sound perspective. Anyway, a record worth listening.

Wonderful classic soul

I recognized Solomon Burke's picture but couldn't tell you what he sang, which is surprising considering he sits comfortably with other soul singers I like, such as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. My first pass through this didn't do much for me (other than "Cry to Me"), but decided to listen again with headphones. That was the move, because I appreciated it a lot more. Not all of this hits, but it's pretty great regardless. Burke's voice is obviously amazing, the guitar is surprisingly intricate, and I'm generally a sucker for this kind of '60s soul. Thumbs up. FUN FACT: Solomon Burke and I have the same birthday. What does that mean? Nothing.

I'm not sure this will ever go out of style.

this was a fun, fresh, and moving way to start my morning. and I had no idea that Cry To Me was his!

Old fashioned rock n roll with some innovative twists on the formula.

All of these songs are good, but more so as songs I'd have playing in the background than be actively listening to. Saved If You Need Me and You Can't Love Them All. The melody of the lyrics of If You Need Me made the song really stick out to me immediate earworm. You Can't Love Them All is a fun song that made me smile, I can see it releasing today and being received well.

Overall I thought this was excellent, exactly what I would like to see from this list. An album that’s new to me and actually really good. the only reason I’m not going to 5 stars is that I’m not much of a soul aficionado and I want to leave some room for growth, but definitely 4+ stars.

Solomon Burke needs more love! I have loved "Cry to Me" since it was in Dirty Dancing. Not as many standout hits as say Sam Cooke or Otis Redding but lots of good stuff....

I've heard some of the songs beforehand, a great voice and easy to see how he was also a preacher the way he delivered the songs

Great listen, and enjoyed reading up about this guy, hope he shared the royalties out equally between his 21 kids 😯😅

Bonus point for being ahead of its time before music had really been invented.

Man. They don't make music like this any more. Imagine being in the clerb when You're Good For Me drops. What a time.

Easy listening. Something to boogie to or just relax. Could have been in a Fallout game too.

This is just a nice record to have playing on a Sunday afternoon while cleaning the house or something. It sounds great - it’s a clear and bright artifact of its time in the best way. Well performed and crystal clear production for an album that is over 60 years old.

This album is pure class from start to finish. Burke’s voice is a force of nature—rich, commanding, and full of soul. Every track feels like it’s carved out of the foundations of modern R&B and rock, yet it still sounds timeless. The arrangements are tight, the grooves are irresistible, and the emotion in his delivery is undeniable. Would love to hear it on vinyl.

wel oke

Does what it says on the can. A good solid bit of popular music history without any true standout tracks.

6 a simple smooth love classical ballad album that id want to play to someone, someday.

As the title says.

Yes. Good.

Good example of 60s soul music. Good versatile voice. I like most of the songs. Favorite song: you can't love 'em all.

I love these crooner albums and am never sad to hear one on!

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The songs are pretty fun to listen to and I liked his voice

Veldig behagelig å høre på.

I think i might always have this as my soundtrack to a Monday. By the end of the day i was singing along, particularly from You're Good For Me onwards. Beautiful Brown Eyes is one hell of a song also. I hadn't heard of him before, so well done 1001 albums for this one!

Loved this. Straight onto the Sunday sessions playlist at the mythical Café Kelvinos (which incidentally has recently been granted a mythical liquor license and will henceforth be opening on Wed/The/Fri evenings for dedicated evening sessions) Despite being self confessed soul boy, I wasn’t familiar with the work of Solomon Burke. I am now, what a great find! I ended up spending an evening listening to old school soul, Sam, Otis etc An absolutely solid 4 stars.

Very good

What a voice. The quality seems to dive a bit in the 2nd half of the (very short) album, but the openers are amazing.

A thoroughly enjoyable listen. I'm a little annoyed that I haven't stumbled across it before, to be honest. I knew only the opening track, and what an opening track it is. His voice gives me genuine chills in places on this album. Just beautiful.

Pioneering and talented

A classic soul album it seems but wasn’t really rock.

135/1001 Solomon Burke - Rock 'N Soul Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ This was a very pleasant surprise. What a voice! Yes there were moments that felt it was a little samey, but the fact that as an artist who was forging the sound of soul, you can be more lenient. Definitely one for a chilled day soundtrack.

This was such a fun listen. Brief in duration but easily replayable. Something about this era of music is bound to give me goosebumps. Although I was not familiar with the artist (the unsung king of soul) it still felt familiar to me. Standout tracks: I'll be home

9/10

Great soulful vocals

Pretty good Motown soul artist, I wonder if I heard a track of his in a Scorsese sequence.

Not heard of this before but a very solid album

7/10 Favorites: Cry to Me He’ll Have to Go

A great record I've never heard! Super soulful voice.

Beautiful album. Lots to like here. Funny dichotomy of romance.

Big vocal range showcased by these songs.

I'd never heard of Solomon Burke but I came to really appreciate him over the course of an album - he has a great variety of sounds and strengths across the album. I'm glad this album was on the list!!

This album is an easy listening soul record. Some aspects of it are dated, but Burke's versatile and emotional voice makes up for it. The combined effect is a nice, relaxing record to listen to after a long day.

This was the first soul album I have ever given a full listen and I was surprised in the emotion this album brought. Honestly one of the most eye opening listens of my life and I am excited to learn more about soul from this list. I will sadly have to point out, the repetition this album had. This for me kept it away from that perfect spot of 5 stars. My three highlight tracks are, Cry to Me, Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye), and Can’t Nobody Love You.

Pleasant document of the early soul sound, with blues inflection (or back when it was understood that rock was part of the blues tradition). And an interesting contrast to Dylan trying to do the same thing (sort of) to much more annoying effect. Solomon is just so much cooler. The name checks of Ray and Sam, setting out the big three of their time. That said, I think the arrangements were a little busier than I prefer with Burke. This is much more influenced by the sound of the time, whereas his later, sparser ballads is the sweet spot for me.

4/5 hrnst gy evr.

Det va gøy, helt klart den type musikk æ ikke har nokka imot å høre på, men veldig sjelden oppsøke på egenhånd, så de her jevnlige dryppan i albumprosjektet e en fin påminnelse om at smaken min kan gå den veien også.

Beautiful, soulful (duh) voice. This is someone I would've loved to have seen live.

Amazing album. It was pleasure to listen to it. One track added to my collection. However, sounds outdated and it is not my genre.

Not a name that I knew well enough - it was only dimly familiar, so thank you, 1001. He was clearly hugely gifted and influential, and I loved his voice. The songs are arranged simply, but he expresses much emotion in that considered, restrained setting. Proper soul.

Really good album, a classic!

So good

Less well known than Otis, Sam and James and I wonder why. Gorgeous vocals and warm songs that engulf you in a hug.

Great sounding vocal, didn't stay too long but still felt it lacked any big wow moments and variety.

Great voice. Backup singers. Horns. Vibe. It’s all working. This was another great one for our time at the lake.

This style of music always reminds me of spending time with my Pop Pop

Love songs from a hustle-king-pastor with 21 kids. Now I've seen it all. His voice is great, cry for me is excellent. The other songs aren't as standout but I simply have very little to complain about here. Could use some more variety. Still a solid soul record.

06/10/2025 I don't really remember it. So there was clearly nothing to set it apart from the rest, but it was good. Spotify listeners: 1.9 million

Rockin' good times

Wonderful record that I had never heard!

What a voice! Burke’s versions of some of these songs are the best I’ve ever heard. He should be a bigger name in soul up there with Otis Redding and Al Green, because this was excellent.

Solomon Burke’s music might sound dated by today’s standards, but his voice remains undeniable. He had a gift for delivering raw emotion with power and grace, the kind of voice that could carry any song regardless of the era’s production choices. Tracks like Can't Nobody Love You and Cry to Me stand out as timeless showcases of his range and soul. Listening now, you can’t help but wonder what his music would have been like if he had come up in the 2000s, where modern soul and blues revival production could have given his voice a fresh canvas. Still, this album holds strong as a piece of classic blues and soul history. 8/10.

Solid stuff, would listen again

very nice

Someone who wanted to take soul more seriously than just have it as lover's tunes which it often got reduced to. It's a great album with many different interpretations and some of Burke's own writings. For the time it might've been superb, now it's "only good" with the selection of songs.

Great voice, some amazing songs.

What a velvety voice, like if Sam Cooke and Elvis had a baby and taught it to sing like Bobby Vinton.

Opens with an absolute banger. Beautifully done 60s soul. Sultry and cool.

This was great

Good simple music - really enjoyed

Initially was going to rare this a 3 but this guy's voice is so soulful I've gotta go for a 4. Can't believe I hadn't heard of him. Similar to a Sam Cooke with such a rich voice, you get lost a little when he's singing. Very good stuff

What a great voice. Not usually a fan of this era but boy can he sing.

1960s Soul: Another "not my genre" unlocked! (Not fair. Much more my genre than Britpop or pre-post-punk or alt-noise or whatever else this thing has fed me.) Good voice, though.

Enjoyable oldies listen

What a singer.

This was a great listen. Not my usual style but given the historical context it is really impressive. Such a beautiful voice

Awesome stuff.

I have to say, I didn't know much about Solomon Burke before today. Obviously, I immediately recognised "Cry to me", but interestingly I also recognised The Rolling Stones. I know they've covered him before, and even played live with him on stage, but it's moreso that I recognized the building blocks of that early Rolling Stones sound: the bright clean guitar soloing away as the singer continues, not waiting for a break, but working together; and the seamless switching between speech and singing; I couldn't listen to "If you need me" without hearing "Time is on my side". All that is a good thing. I'm a big fan of the Stones, and I can see why they're big fans of Solomon Burke. An amazing voice, great energy and fantastic songwriting. Happy to have discovered this.

Yes, very groovy

I can’t believe I’ve never heard of Solomon Burke before today. Rock N Soul is just a beautiful example of soul music from the mid 60s. The opening song Cry to Me is an interesting song that incorporates a somewhat Caribbean feel that seems to contradict its lyrics.

I've never heard of this artist before. But I really enjoyed this album. Really chill soul vibes probably a 7.5/10

Was good! I honestly dont have much to say lol, really fun album 6.5 or 7 out of 10. Enjoyed front to back, nothing that blew me away.

It was really enjoyable . a singalong album if only I knew the words

Fun old timey stuff. Pleasant listen

This is solid.

Pretty solid

Really like this, knew one song, now he's in my 60s R&B rotation

That classic rock. Elvis could learn a thing or two

Nice

Nice! (I think)

I have only heard the hit song 'Cry to Me' from this album before today. That song is great but there are a lot of other great songs on the album too. I thought 'Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)' was a great song too. Great beats and his voice is very smooth, the lyrics are good too. Definitely enjoyed this one and will be listening to it again.

An amazing voice. A beautiful album and a great experience Fav song - Can't Nobody Love You 4/5

Loved this

Never heard of Solomon Burke before, which does seem odd. Amazing voice, somewhat standard soul/rock sound but thoroughly enjoyable album. I like it! 3.5 rounded up Heard before? No Owned: No, 7/1001, 7/28 (25%) Will I get? Maybe Recommend: Sure

i love soul, this soothed me when i was feeling lonely and missing my lil kitty 😔

Yeah Solomon. Þetta er fínt soul. Basic að mestu leyti en Cry to me er alveg up there hvað varðar early soul classics. Tímamótalag sem lifir ef til vill betur í minningunni útaf Dirty Dancing. SWAYZEEEE.

muy nice

Sweet voice. Nice atmosphere. Delivers on the name

Good album that just warms your soul. Great for a night at home when it's raining outside. My favorites were "Cry to me", "good bye baby", "you're good for me", and "beautiful brown eyes".

Burke's warm, easy voice and straightforward style gave me chills front to back on the basis of the emotionality he baked into every verse. Tugged at the heart and plumbed the soul amply, with each song capturing the essence of a universal theme effortlessly. Without having heard this before, it felt like I was listening to the inspiration for many songs from the last 20, 30 years or more, and that realization made me enjoy this album all the more. Much like reading a foundational work in a literary genre then suddenly realizing its fingerprints were all over some of your favorite novels. Will be listening again. 4/5

NOT BAD!

This was really fun! Short and sweet, lots of songs about dances and sweethearts. I had never heard of Solomon Burke before, but you can definitely tell his influence on R&B/Soul.

Piękne to było. Nawet nie wiedziałam ile z tych utworów jest gdzieś głęboko w sercu. Zaśpiewać je z taką dawką emocji i kokieterii... wow. Niesamowity album, mięsisty, melodyjny, spójny. Słuchanie go jest jak przesuwanie dłonią po aksamicie. 8/10

I listened to it a few times, i love it, first favorite from this list.

Got the blues babeeeeeee

pretty pretty good

Really good classic soul sound. Great vocals. Will revisit this

Love Solomon Burke. Had listened to Cry to Me a lot before during some of my big Motown phases, but hadn't gone deep on any album. I'm not sure how much historical significance he had in the R&B genre, but as someone who loves Sam Cooke I appreciate his range (Sam is great but pretty one-note and safely written, almost sterile manufactured songs). Solomon has some edge to him - love the rasp at the high end of his range. Nice harmony on You're Good For Me - not sure who the other vocalist is but I dig it. Good find!

How is this guy not way more well known? Maybe he is? I could listen to him sing anything. Loved the first half of the album.

7.5/10 Does exactly what it says on the tin. Good stuff, slightly more heavy on the soul than the rock, but that’s maybe because it was still in early rock days. One of those albums that does a load of short good times then gets out before it hits 40 minutes. Best: Someone to Love Me

Bro is a true lover

pleasant to hear

Solid soul album.

Legends are usually legends for a reason. This is a good piece of evidence therein.