Montfair
February 11, 2022
Burke recorded the song, one of four, during a recording session on January 22, 1965. The song was written by Burke, his second wife Delores (by then mother of 11 of his children) and his mother Josephine Burke Moore. It was started on 11 December 1964, just hours after Burke heard that his friend Sam Cooke had been murdered. Burke explained the origin of "Got to Get You Off My Mind": “It was written in California the night of Sam Cooke’s death. I learned of Sam Cooke’s death after leaving him two hours prior to that. At the same time I learned about my wife wanting a divorce. A special delivery letter was at the desk waiting for me in the hotel... so all of these things came about very quickly and very drastically.” Burke completed the song on the train back to Chicago for Cooke's funeral.
A couple of awesome covers — one by Van Morrison and another by Tyrone Davis.