Paul Young (singer and guitarist)

This article is about the solo singer. For the former Sad Café and Mike + The Mechanics singer, see Paul Young (singer and percussionist). For other persons named Paul Young, see Paul Young (disambiguation).

Paul Young
Young performing in May 2011
Background information
Birth name	Paul Antony Young
Born	17 January 1956 (1956-01-17) (age 55) Luton, Bedfordshire England, United Kingdom
Genres	Rock Blue-eyed soul Pop
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Bass Vocals Guitar
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Columbia Records MCA Records Spectra Records (US & CAN)
Associated acts	Kat Kool & The Kool Kats Streetband Q-Tips Pino Palladino
Website	paul-young.com

Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English pop musician. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & The Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, his following solo success as a solo recording artist turned him into a 1980s teenage pop idol. He was famous for hit singles such as "Love of the Common People", "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)", "Come Back and Stay", "Everytime You Go Away" and "Oh Girl". His debut album No Parlez turned him into a household name. Since the mid-1980s he has had international success, along with his backing band Los Pacaminos.

Early Life (1956-1977)

Paul Young was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. He has an older brother, Mark, and a younger sister, Joanne.^[1] As a youth, after school, he played football for the Vauxhall Motors factory and in his spare time played in several bands as a bass guitarist.

Career

Early Band Work (1978-81)

The first group for which he became lead singer was Kat Kool & The Kool Kats. In the late 1970s he joined Streetband, who had one Top 20 hit in the UK, with the humorous, novelty track "Toast". The single peaked at number 18 in November 1978. In December 1979 the Streetband broke up and Young formed the Q-Tips, who established their name by playing live but had no hits in the UK, although their single "Letter Song" did enjoy minor success in mainland Europe.

Solo Work

No Parlez, The Secret of Association and Between Two Fires (1982-89)

The Q-Tips disbanded in 1982, and Young was signed by CBS Records as a solo performer. By way of tying up some loose contractual ends, Paul Young embarked on the ‘Last Chance To See The Best Live Band In The World Tour’ throughout March and April of ‘82. Though initially billed as Q-Tips, only keyboardist Ian Kewley accompanied Young, and without the surging brass section of Q-Tips, the band had an entirely different dynamic. The Rewind label issued a live set of Q-Tips during this period, ‘Live At Last’, and a decade later the band’s much vaunted BBC sessions were officially released. The famed Q-Tips brass section toured with Adam Ant during his ‘Friend Or Foe’ tour, but aside from a brief 1993 reunion with Paul Young, the Q-Tips brand (of the band variety) came to an end.

Paul Young’s new backing band 'The Royal Family' included keyboardist Kewley, fretless bass player Pino Palladino, guitarist Steve Bolton, drummer Mike Pinder, and backing singers Maz Roberts and Kim Leslie AKA 'The Fabulous Wealthy Tarts'. Helped by the driving sound of Pino Palladino's fretless bass in his backing band, his first two singles, "Iron Out the Rough Spots" and a cover of "Love of the Common People", had no success, but the third, a cover of the Marvin Gaye song "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)", reached No. 1 in the UK singles chart for three weeks in the summer of 1983, the first of 14 British Top 40 singles. (The song was included on the soundtrack of the 1992 British comedy film Peter's Friends.)

Similar success followed all over Europe. In the UK, follow-up single "Come Back and Stay" reached No. 4, and a re-release of "Love of the Common People" made it to No. 2 and even received radio airplay in the United States (thanks to its soundtrack inclusion in John Hughes's film "Sixteen Candles"), while his debut album No Parlez was certified platinum in various countries.

Young's style at the time was a warm, approachable white soul, though he sometimes received playful criticism for his fashion decisions. However, his choice of an Antony Price leather suit for the cover of No Parlez proved to be impractical for the concert stage, where his energetic shows dictated more robust clothing.

Paul Young performing in Budapest Hungary on 18 June 1987

The year 1984 was a difficult one for Young, as his first heavy promotional and live concert tour of America strained his vocal cords severely, to the extent that he was completely unable to sing for most of the year.^{[citation needed]} He recovered sufficiently to provide a famous lead performance on the opening and closing lines to the Band Aid single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" He returned to the UK Top Ten with a version of Ann Peebles' "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down". The latter appeared on his second album, ' The Secret of Association, released in 1985, which secured his future success in the United States, Japan and Australia. The album went to No. 1 in the UK. However, he continued to have occasional voice and throat difficulties. That year, Young scored the biggest worldwide hit of his career with "Everytime You Go Away", a version of a Daryl Hall song from a 1980 Hall & Oates album. "Every Time You Go Away" topped the pop charts in the U.S., and was his biggest success in the U.S. He would perform the song during the London segment of the Live Aid concert.

Other Voices, The Crossing and Reflections (1990-96)

In 1990, he released a cover of The Chi-Lites' "Oh Girl", which peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

He continued to have a successful career, with some highlights such as singing the Crowded House track "Don't Dream It's Over" at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute in 1988, producing a popular duet, "Senza una donna (Without a Woman)," with Italian blues singer Zucchero in 1991, and singing "Radio Ga Ga" with the surviving members of Queen in 1992, at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert soon after Freddie Mercury died. In 1991, he recorded a duet with Irish group Clannad for the Blake Edwards film Switch, a cover of the Joni Mitchell song, "Both Sides Now".

"Don't Dream It's Over", "Senza una donna (Without a Woman)" and "Both Sides Now" were all featured on his first greatest hits album, From Time To Time - The Singles Collection, released in 1991. The album included the most prominent hit singles from Young's first four solo albums, the three above-mentioned songs, and a previously unreleased selection called "I'm Only Foolin' Myself".

Los Pacaminos at the 2006 Wickham Festival

The compilation also went to No. 1 in the UK album charts.

In 1993, Young was freed from his contract with the CBS/Sony Records label, and afterward, released fewer solo albums. He reformed the Q-Tips for a short series of concerts that year. He contributed to the Vangelis album Voices in 1995. Young sang the British national anthem, "God Save the Queen", at Wembley Stadium before England's Euro '96 semi-final match against Germany.

Paul Young and Rock Swings - On the Wild Side of Swings (1997-Present)

From there, he was known to divide his time between family, the informal Tex-Mex group Los Pacaminos, and performing live during '80s revival tours in the UK between 2001 and 2008. In November 2001, when Paul was on the final night of the Here and Now tour, Michael Aspel awarded him his This is Your Life book. The show went out on BBC One on 5 December that year.

2006 saw the release of a new album called Rock Swings - On The Wild Side Of Swing.

In September 2006, he appeared in the BBC1 cooking show Celebrity MasterChef, and won his show, allowing him a place in the semi-finals. A year later, he was a contestant on another cooking show, ITV's Hell's Kitchen.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Paul met his wife, former model Stacey Smith, on his video for "Come Back and Stay" in 1983. They married while they were living in Los Angeles in November 1987. Together they have three children: daughters Levi (born March 1987), Layla (born August 1994), and son Grady Cole (born January 1996). Young and Smith split in May 2006; however, in March 2009, it was announced that they had reconciled.^[2] Young is a close friend of singer and Spandau Ballet front man Tony Hadley. The two toured Australia and New Zealand during October and November 2008. Young has one outside child Derrick Bone (born January 1973), and a grandson Kaizen Bone (born October 1995)

Music Trivia

David Gilmour from Pink Floyd has mentioned, in an interview to Q Magazine, that he was impressed by Paul Young's usage of laser in his concert, which inspired him to also use similar lighting systems in the A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour.^[3]

Discography

Paul Young discography

Paul Young performing in Kiel, October 2009
Releases
↙Studio albums	8
↙Live albums	1
↙Compilation albums	13
↙Singles	36

The discography of English singer Paul Young.

Albums

Studio albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		UK [4]	AUT [5]	FRA	GER [6]	NL [7]	NZ [8]	NOR [9]	SWE [10]	SWI [11]	US [12]	Certification
1983	No Parlez Released: 18 July 1983 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, cassette, LP	1	4	16	1	1	3	3	1	1	79	UK: 3× Platinum
1985	The Secret of Association Released: 1 April 1985 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, cassette, LP	1	20	7	6	3	3	2	1	4	19	UK: 2× Platinum US: Gold
1986	Between Two Fires Released: October 1986 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, cassette, LP	4	—	—	63	12	39	—	19	27	77	UK: Platinum
1990	Other Voices Released: June 1990 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, cassette, LP	4	—	—	—	49	39	—	40	—	142	UK: Gold
1993	The Crossing Released: October 1993 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, cassette	27	—	—	82	65	—	—	—	—	—
1994	Reflections Released: November 1994 Label: Vision Formats: CD	64	—	—	—	39	—	—	—	—	—
1997	Paul Young Released: May 1997 Label: East West Formats: CD	39	—	—	90	—	—	—	—	—	—
2006	Rock Swings – On the Wild Side of Swing Release: June 2006 Label: SonyBMG Formats: CD, digital download	—	—	—	89	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released

Compilation albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		UK [4]	AUS [13]	DK [14]	FRA	GER [6]	NL [7]	NZ [8]	NOR [9]	SWE [10]	US [12]	Certification
1991	From Time to Time – The Singles Collection Released: 9 September 1991 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, cassette, LP	1	6	—	4	32	2	2	2	6	—	UK: 3× Platinum
1993	Love Hurts Recordings with Q-Tips Released: 1993 Label: Success Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1995	Best Ballads Released: 1995 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	36	40	—	—	—	—
1996	Love Songs Released: October 1996 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	93	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1999	Simply the Best Released: 1999 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2000	Best of Paul Young Released: August 2000 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	—	—	—	13	—	—	—	—	—	—
2001	Love Will Tear Us Apart Released: 2001 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2002	Greatest Hits Released: 2002 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	—	—	16	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2003	Super Hits Released: 2003 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	The Essential Released: June 2003 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	27	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2007	Collections Released: 2007 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2008	Hit Collection Released: 2008 Label: Columbia Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	Wherever I Leave My Hat: The Best of Paul Young Released: 2008 Label: Music Club Deluxe Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released

Live albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		UK [4]	AUT [5]	FRA	GER [6]	NL [7]	NZ [8]	NOR [9]	SWE [10]	SWI [11]	US [12]
1984	Come Back... Live with Q-Tips Released: 1984 Label: Teldec Formats: LP	—	—	—	49	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released

Other albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		UK [4]	AUT [5]	FRA	GER [6]	NL [7]	NZ [8]	NOR [9]	SWE [10]	SWI [11]	US [12]
2002	Los Pacaminos with Los Pacaminos Released: 2002 Label: Mazur Medi/SunnyMoon Formats: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions												Album
		UK [4]	AUT [5]	FRA	GER [15]	IRE [16]	NL [7]	NZ [8]	NOR [9]	SWE [10]	SWI [11]	US [17]	US A.C. [17]
1982	"Iron Out the Rough Spots"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	No Parlez
	"Love Of The Common People"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1983	"Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)"	1	—	—	19	1	48	4	—	8	—	70	—
	"Come Back and Stay"	4	3	5	1	3	2	1	3	16	1	22	—
	"Love of the Common People" [re-release]	2	3	24	5	1	1	10	—	—	3	45	—
1984	"Love Will Tear Us Apart"	—	—	—	40	—	9	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down"	9	—	—	37	8	17	18	9	14	—	—	—	The Secret of Association
	"Everything Must Change"	9	—	—	28	6	23	42	—	—	—	56	—
1985	"Everytime You Go Away"	4	—	16	40	2	16	14	2	—	—	1	1
	"Tomb of Memories"	16	—	—	—	6	39	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" [re-release]	88	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	13	—
	"Bite the Hand That Feeds"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1986	"Wonderland"	24	—	—	—	4	22	—	—	—	—	—	—	Between Two Fires
	"Some People"	56	—	—	—	19	—	—	—	—	—	65	—
1987	"Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong?"	63	—	—	—	25	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1990	"Softly Whispering I Love You"	21	—	—	—	16	44	—	—	—	—	—	—	Other Voices
	"Oh Girl"	25	—	—	—	20	73	41	—	—	—	8	1
	"Heaven Can Wait"	71	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1991	"Calling You"	57	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Senza una donna (Without a Woman)" (with Zucchero)	4	8	2	2	2	2	—	1	1	2	—	23	From Time to Time – The Singles Collection
	"Both Sides Now" (with Clannad)	74	—	—	—	3	41	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Don't Dream It's Over" (with Paul Carrack)	20	—	27	71	13	67	—	6	25	—	—	—
	"Come On In" (with Masayuki Suzuki)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	From Time to Time – The Singles Collection [Japanese version]
1992	"I'm Only Foolin' Myself"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	From Time to Time – The Singles Collection
	"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted"	—	—	—	—	—	—	46	—	—	—	22	1	Fried Green Tomatoes Soundtrack
1993	"Now I Know What Made Otis Blue"	14	—	16	51	—	36	38	—	—	—	—	—	The Crossing
	"Hope in a Hopeless World"	42	—	—	51	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994	"It Will Be You"	34	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"That's How Heartaches Are Made"	118	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Reflections
	"Until You Come Back To Me"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1995	"Grazing In the Grass"	144	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1997	"I Wish You Love"	33	—	—	82	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Paul Young
	"Ball and Chain"	—	—	—	92	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Tularosa"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Make Someone Happy"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2010	"Come Back" (with Chicane)	151	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Giants (Chicane album)
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or was not released.

References

1. ^ http://www.paul-young.com/Home.html
2. ^ Ryan, Rosalind. "Wherever I lay my hat: Paul Young reunites with wife after three-year separation", The Daily Mail, 27 March 2009.
3. ^ "The Rightful Heir?". Q Magazine #48. September 1990. http://www.pinkfloydfan.net/t1475-david-gilmour-rightful-heir-q.html. Retrieved 2011-07-23. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} / "UK Charts > Paul Young". Official Charts Company. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/paul%20young /. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d} "Austrian Charts > Paul Young". austriancharts.at Hung Medien. http://www.austriancharts.at/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Paul+Young. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d} "Chartverfolgung / Paul Young / Longplay". musicline.de PhonoNet. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Young%2CPaul?sort=entry&type=longplay. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
7. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Dutch Charts > Paul Young". dutchcharts.nl Hung Medien. http://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Paul+Young. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
8. ^ ^{a b c d e} "New Zealand Music Charts > Paul Young". charts.org.nz Hung Medien. http://charts.org.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Paul+Young. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
9. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Norwegian Charts > Paul Young". norwegiancharts.com Hung Medien. http://norwegiancharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Paul+Young. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
10. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Swedish Charts > Paul Young". swedishcharts.com Hung Medien. http://www.swedishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Paul+Young. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
11. ^ ^{a b c d} "Swiss Charts > Paul Young". swisscharts.com Hung Medien. http://www.swisscharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Paul+Young. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
12. ^ ^{a b c d} "Paul Young > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Macrovision. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5897/charts-awards/billboard-albums. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
13. ^ Paul Young - From Time To Time - Australian Charts
14. ^ "Danish Charts > Paul Young". danish.com Hung Medien. http://danishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Paul+Young&titel=Greatest+Hits&cat=a. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
15. ^ "Chartvefolgung / Paul Young / Single". musicline.de PhonoNet. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Young%2CPaul/single?sort=entry. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 
16. ^ "Irish Charts > Paul Young". irishcharts.ie. http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement. Retrieved 01-09-2009. 
17. ^ ^{a b} "Paul Young > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Macrovision. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5897/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved 16-08-2010. 

External links

• Official website
• Paul Young (singer and guitarist) at Allmusic

Persondata
Name	Young, Paul
Alternative names	Young, Paul Antony
Short description	English pop musician
Date of birth	1956-1-17
Place of birth	Luton, England
Date of death
Place of death