1) Paul Hamilton Wil… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists named Paul Williams;
1) Paul Hamilton Williams Jr. (born September 19, 1940) is an American composer, singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for writing popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s, including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Out in the Country," Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World," David Bowie's "Fill Your Heart" and the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days and Mondays."
Williams is also known for his musical contributions to films, including the Academy Award-nominated song "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie, and penning the lyrics to the #1 chart-topping song "Evergreen," the love theme from the Barbra Streisand vehicle A Star Is Born, for which he won a Grammy for Song of the Year and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. He wrote the lyrics to the opening theme for the television show The Love Boat, with music previously composed by Charles Fox, which was originally sung by Jack Jones and, later, by Dionne Warwick.
Williams had a variety of high-profile acting roles, such as "Little Enos Burdette" in the action-comedy Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and the villainous Swan in Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise (1974), which Williams also co-scored, receiving an Oscar nomination in the process.
Williams was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Paul Hamilton Williams, an architectural engineer, and his wife, Bertha Mae (née Burnside), a homemaker.
His father died in a car accident in 1953, when Williams was 13 years old, after which Williams grew up living with his aunt. As a result, Williams moved to Long Beach, California with his family and attended Woodrow Wilson Classical High School.
One of his brothers was John J. Williams, a NASA rocket scientist, who participated in the Mercury and Apollo programs and was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, their highest honor, in 1969. His other brother was Mentor Williams, a songwriter as well who penned Dobie Gray's 1973 hit "Drift Away".
2) Paul Williams (born August 7, 1992 in Nelson, New Zealand) is a musician, singer, rapper and comedian. He has released three albums - Songs About Girls, Jungle River Adventures, and Surf Music. His music videos often feature other members of the New Zealand comedy scene, include Chris Parker, Rose Matafeo and Brynley Stent. Outside of his music, Paul is best known for being the Taskmaster's Assistant in Taskmaster NZ. His musical influences include Kanye West, The Strokes, Drake, Animal Collective, Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, Kid Cudi, and MGMT.
3) Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams (July 13, 1915 – September 14, 2002) was an American rhythm and blues bandleader, songwriter and saxophonist. He composed "The Hucklebuck", a twelve-bar blues that also spawned the dance craze of the same name.
4) Paul Williams is a British guitarist and Gospel artist.
5) Paul Williams is a Canadian electronic artist.
Lifeboat
Paul Williams Lyrics
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With the kind of life that I lead
When my voice amounts to nothing
But another mouth to feed
When the situation's hopeless
And the whole world's let me down
When I'm sinking fast
And thinking
Your love's like a lifeboat
Pickin' me up from a stormy sea
Your love's like a lifeboat
Always on time
Always room for me
You're good for me
You're my life
You are the wind in my sales
You are the truth to my tales
You're good for me
On the rainy side or my life
When the road is rocky and rough
When I give my best and then some
And I'm told it's not enough
When my spirit's almost broken
And I've lost the will to bend
When I'm long on worry
Short on money and friend
Your love's like a lifeboat
Pickin' me up from a stormy sea
Your love's like a lifeboat
Always on time
Always room for me
You're good for me
You're my life
You are the wind in my sails
You are the truth in my tales
You're good for me
In the song "Lifeboat," Paul Williams sings about the times in life when he feels down, defeated, and alone. He reflects on moments where he has given his best effort but receives nothing in return. Williams also mentions his worries, financial struggles, and lack of friends. Despite all this, he finds comfort and reassurance in his partner's love. He compares this love, which is always there for him whenever he needs it, to a lifeboat that rescues him from a stormy sea. This love serves as an anchor in Williams' life and gives him hope to carry on.
The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has gone through tough times and felt the need for support and love. Williams' portrayal of his partner's love as a lifeboat is a powerful and straightforward analogy that captures the resilience and dedication of true love. The song shows a transformation from a sense of hopelessness to a feeling of security and hope, reminding us of the power of love and the importance of having an anchor in life's storms.
Line by Line Meaning
On the times that I'm unhappy
At times, when I am sad or feeling low
With the kind of life that I lead
Unhappy with the way my life is progressing
When my voice amounts to nothing
Feeling worthless when my opinions and thoughts are irrelevant to others
But another mouth to feed
When I am adding to the burden of those around me
When the situation's hopeless
In situations that seem difficult or impossible to overcome
And the whole world's let me down
When everyone or everything has disappointed me
When I'm sinking fast
In moments of despair, when I am losing hope
And thinking
Deep in thought, contemplating
I'm gonna drown
That I will succumb to my problems and fail to cope
Your love's like a lifeboat
Your love is similar to a lifeboat, providing rescue and support
Pickin' me up from a stormy sea
Rescuing me from a difficult and tumultuous time in my life
Always on time
Consistently available when I need it the most
Always room for me
Providing me with a sense of belonging and acceptance
You're good for me
You are positive and helpful for me
You're my life
You are essential to my life
You are the wind in my sales
You give me the extra motivation and momentum to move forward in life
You are the truth to my tales
You provide me with honesty and insight to acknowledge my experiences
On the rainy side or my life
During hard times in my life
When the road is rocky and rough
In challenging situations when things are not going smoothly
When I give my best and then some
When I offer my best efforts and more
And I'm told it's not enough
Receiving criticism despite my best efforts
When my spirit's almost broken
In moments of hopelessness, when I am losing faith
And I've lost the will to bend
In times of exhaustion and inability to remain resilient
When I'm long on worry
Overwhelmed with anxiety and stress
Short on money and friend
Experiencing financial difficulty and a lack of social support
Contributed by Christian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.