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.
The Drifter
Paul Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a feeling inside of me
Nothing new
I've felt it before
Like the voice of hunger
Inside of me crying out
There's got to be more
In the arms of an open road
And you can come along
If you choose
'Cause there's places
That I've never been to
Sunsets to be ridden into
Not a lot I can do
But give in to the drifter
There's a drifter in me
Though I've tried it
I'm just not a settler
And nine to five
Don't make it with me
Why deny it
It makes me feel better
To come alive
And prove that I'm free
I wear no chains
And I carry no heavy load
So much to gain
And nothing to lose
'Cause there's places
That I've never been to
Sunsets to be ridden into
Not a lot I can do
But give in to the drifter
There's a drifter in me
"The Drifter" by Paul Williams is a song about the singer's restless spirit and desire to explore the world. At the beginning of the song, the singer describes an inner feeling that he has experienced before, a sense of hunger that demands to be fed with new experiences. He chooses to place his faith in the open road and encourages others to join him on his journey. The singer's desire to explore is portrayed as a part of his character that he has embraced, and he acknowledges that a life of routine and monotony does not suit him. Instead, he prefers to remain unencumbered by the burdens of a sedentary life and claims to have nothing to lose.
Throughout the song, the singer uses imagery to emphasize his point. He speaks of "sunsets to be ridden into," an evocative image of the freedom and mystery of the road. "The drifter" in the singer could be seen as a metaphor for his desire to travel and explore but could also represent his unwillingness to be tied down by anything or forced to live a life that does not bring him joy. In the end, the singer seems content with his nomadic lifestyle and is at peace with the knowledge that he will always be a drifter.
Line by Line Meaning
Once again
I am experiencing a familiar feeling once more
There's a feeling inside of me
I am experiencing an emotion
Nothing new
This feeling is not unique or original
I've felt it before
I have previously experienced this feeling
Like the voice of hunger
This feeling is like a physical need for sustenance
Inside of me crying out
This feeling is making itself known to me
There's got to be more
I believe that there is something else, something more fulfilling
I'll put my faith
I am choosing to believe in something
In the arms of an open road
I have chosen to have faith in the opportunities presented by travel
And you can come along
Others are welcome to join me on this journey
If you choose
This is an optional decision, and others are free to decline
'Cause there's places
I believe that there are locations that I have not yet visited
That I've never been to
I have not yet experienced everything that the world has to offer
Sunsets to be ridden into
There are opportunities to experience beautiful and unique sights
Not a lot I can do
I am limited in what I can control or change
But give in to the drifter
I am surrendering to my wandering nature
There's a drifter in me
I have an inherent desire to explore and move on
Though I've tried it
I have attempted to settle down in one place
I'm just not a settler
I do not find satisfaction in staying in one place for too long
And nine to five
I am not content with a traditional office job
Don't make it with me
I am not suited for the routine of a regular workday
Why deny it
I cannot hide the fact that I am not meant for a standard way of life
It makes me feel better
Following my instincts and desires improves my mood
To come alive
I feel truly alive when I live a life of adventure
And prove that I'm free
I feel empowered when I am able to make choices for myself
I wear no chains
I do not feel trapped or restrained by my lifestyle choices
And I carry no heavy load
I do not feel weighed down by responsibilities or possessions
So much to gain
There are limitless possibilities for me to experience and discover
And nothing to lose
I do not have anything tying me down, so I am free to take risks
Contributed by Anthony H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.