Billy Paul

So, am I the last one in the joint that’s been turned on to Billy Paul’s ‘Greatest Hits’?

But, in a way I’m thinking that it’s not such a bad thing when I think of it in terms of being turned on to something I’ve never heard before. And, I loves me music I’ve never heard before – especially by an artist that I only know as a one hit wonder. Which in Billy’s case is “Me And Mrs. Jones.”

I literally only heard something different by Billy just around one month ago driving back home from a friend’s house – I think it was on an NPR station here in the Worcester area, 90.5. And, as it’s playing I’m thinking, “I know this voice, but who is it?” Turns out, much to my surprise, to be Mr. Paul.

I thought it so different, that I knew that I had to have the complete album pronto. To my surprise it has many, many tracks that are simply wonderful! Filled with melody, somewhat radical interpretations and all delightfully soulful.

Your Song
This is the tune my ears were treated to as I drove home that night. As many of you know, I’m a sucker for a tune that almost redefines the original and I believe that this is the case here. At first, I thought it a bit of a stumble when he pauses and elongates the phrases beginning with “How wonderful life is …”, but now I can feel just how much it adds. I try to imagine that Sir Elton smiles when he hears this.

It’s Too Late
Some improvisation displayed here alongside a fine flute, bongos and tight as can be arrangement. Yet again, I think that the original composer - Carole King, is happy knowing that her song is in good adopted hands. This is ‘Light and breezy’, without drifting into bedtime, background music – which in a lesser hand, would have been so easy to do.

Billy Paul: Your Song
Billy Paul: It’s Too Late
From: Greatest Hits

Addendum: Thanks to two readers of this blog, bubblehead and G Simmermaker, I have successfully acquired a title from my 'What I'm (unsuccessfully) Searching For' list which is located to the right of this blog. They both found that I could get it for FREE through the generosity of Tom Robinson on his own web site! Thank you to you both, and thank you to Tom Robinson.