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.
Out in the Country
Paul Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or feel the need to get away
I find a quiet place
Far from the human race
Out in the country
Before the breathing air is gone
Before the sun
Out where the rivers like to run
I stand alone
And take back something worth remembering
Whenever I feel they're closing in on me
Or need a bit of room to move
When life becomes too fast
I find relief at last
Out in the country
Before the breathing air is gone
Before the sun
Is just a bright spot in the night time
Out where the rivers like to run
I stand alone
And take back something worth remembering
The lyrics of Paul Williams's song "Out in the Country" speak of going to a place where the troubles and pressures of life can be left behind, a place where one can find solace and breathe again. This place is out in the countryside, far away from the concrete jungle and the rat race. The singer sings of finding a quiet place where one can stand alone, surrounded only by nature. A place where the rivers run free and the air is pure, and where one can take back something worth remembering.
The lyrics are evocative of the need for a break from the hustle and bustle of life, and the importance of taking time to reflect and recharge. The song's message is one of finding a way to escape the noise and speed of modern life, and finding oneself in the stillness and beauty of nature. The lyrics make us realize that amidst our busy lives, there is a need for moments of quiet reflection, where we can be alone with nature and take time to appreciate the simple things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Whenever I need to leave it all behind
Whenever I feel the need to get away from everything
Or feel the need to get away
Or when I feel the need to escape from my busy life
I find a quiet place
I search for a peaceful location
Far from the human race
A place that is far from the hustle and bustle of city life and human activity
Out in the country
In a secluded, rural place
Before the breathing air is gone
Before pollution has caused the air to become unbreathable
Before the sun
Before the sun has set and darkness has taken over
Is just a bright spot in the night time
When the sun is only a faint light in the distance
Out where the rivers like to run
In a location where rivers flow freely and naturally
I stand alone
I am by myself
And take back something worth remembering
And I cherish and remember the experience for a long time
Whenever I feel they're closing in on me
Whenever I feel overwhelmed by others' demands or expectations
Or need a bit of room to move
Or when I just need some space to breathe and relax
When life becomes too fast
When everything around me seems to be moving too quickly
I find relief at last
I find comfort and peace at last
Contributed by Miles V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jorgeespinosa3179
Suddenly.....I'm 9 years old again. Paul's singing over the radio.....Ladies and Gentlemen, life would never be more perfecterer than this.
@gardenvarietypenis
god, I know how you feel. a moment in time, crystalized to perfection by an aged mind.
@glenns9812
We owe a great deal of indebtedness to Paul Williams for his songwriting and performing talents
@carlrosendorf5210
This song is heaven..
Can I cry..
Peace ✌️ 2023..three dog night did a beautiful version
@depaulconsiglio
Out in the Country. Never better. Thanks Paul Williams for this one and all the others. -dP 🍎🇺🇸✌️. NY NY
@alanlake4614
Might be my favorite song that Paul sings, though 3dognight did it up well too .
@keithh2755
He wrote so many songs that became hits. A friend of mine once met him knowing nothing about him. She told me “I met this guy who wrote music for this play I went to...his name was Paul Williams”. She was flabbergasted when I told her that she met a multiple Grammy winner and the myriad of hits he wrote.
@TheJollycoppers
Very cool. She didn't know and he didn't elaborate. He seems like really nice guy. And lots of great songs that people don't realize he wrote. I once met Randy Newman...he's also very personable. He was willing to talk as long I'd like. Unfortunately, I ran out of things to say.
@Oldiesmann
Paul Williams is really underrated as a singer. He (co-)wrote many great songs yet many people probably haven't heard his versions of the songs he wrote. I learned about him from watching The Muppet Show 15 or so years ago - I grew up listening to oldies music so I was quite familiar with "Old Fashioned Love Song", and it was great seeing the guy who wrote it singing it.
@richardthunderbay8364
A great song by Paul Williams. Beautiful.