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.
Time
Paul Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back when I was young
And summer was forever
Time, good was your first name
Ev'ry day a lesson
With something new to learn
Time, I guess you've known us all
The cowards and the kings
Time, when did you begin
Trading your tomorrows
For worn out yesterdays
You have shared my life
Like a trusted friend
You have watched me grow old
While this story I have told
Is ending
Time, you're leaving me behind
I feel you movin' on
As you'll go on forever
Time, rolling into years
Years that left me walking
When you began to fly
When you began to fly
Oh you've begun to fly
In these evocative lyrics, Paul Williams reminisces about his relationship with Time. He personifies Time as a friend who was good and full of lessons when he was young, but who has gradually grown apart from him. Williams captures the nostalgic feeling of the endless summers of youth and the bittersweet recognition that Time is slipping away from him as he grows older.
The opening lines of the song convey Williams' fondness for Time, describing it as a friend who was always there for him when he was young. He goes on to describe Time as a great teacher, imparting new lessons every day. However, he acknowledges that Time has been around for everyone, including "the cowards and the kings." This line reflects the impartial nature of Time and suggests that it's something that touches everyone equally.
In the chorus, Williams voices his sadness at Time's departure, saying that he's "leaving [him] behind" and "movin' on." He acknowledges that Time will continue, "rolling into years" and leaving him behind as he grows old. This is tied in with the metaphor of Time flying, suggesting that it's moving a lot faster than Williams is able to keep up with.
Line by Line Meaning
Time was a friend of mine
Paul Williams remembers when he was young and had plenty of time to explore the world.
Back when I was young
Paul Williams reflects that time only seemed infinite when he was innocent and inexperienced.
And summer was forever
Paul Williams recalls the long summer days of his youth, when he had nothing but time to spare.
Time, good was your first name
Paul Williams has always thought of time as a positive force in his life.
Ev'ry day a lesson
Paul Williams sees each day as an opportunity to learn something new, a gift that time bestows upon us all.
With something new to learn
Paul Williams finds that every day there is a new experience or lesson waiting to be discovered if we only have the time to look for it.
Time, I guess you've known us all
Paul Williams notes that time has seen everything in history, from the greatest kings to the most insignificant of people.
The cowards and the kings
Paul Williams acknowledges that time does not discriminate, that it is a constant presence in both the lives of the famous and the unknown.
And well you must remember
Paul Williams jokes that time must have a good memory, given all that it has seen over the centuries.
Time, when did you begin
Paul Williams ponders the origins of time, a mystery that has intrigued humans for millennia.
Trading your tomorrows
Paul Williams notes that people often waste their time worrying about the future, forgetting that tomorrow is not yet here and today is all we have.
For worn out yesterdays
Paul Williams observes that some people get trapped in the past, unable to let go of memories that no longer serve them.
You have shared my life
Paul Williams recognizes that time is an inseparable part of our lives, always with us from the moment we are born until the day we die.
Like a trusted friend
Paul Williams sees time as a friend who is always there for us, no matter what challenges we may face.
You have watched me grow old
Paul Williams acknowledges that time has passed by as he has aged, and that he is not the same person he was when he was young.
While this story I have told
Paul Williams recognizes that his life is a unique story, one that time has helped him to create.
Is ending
Paul Williams realizes that his time on earth is limited, and that his life is slowly coming to an end.
Time, you're leaving me behind
Paul Williams recognizes that time will continue moving forward, even after he is gone.
I feel you movin' on
Paul Williams senses that time is slipping away, that it is always moving forward no matter how much we wish it would pause.
As you'll go on forever
Paul Williams understands that time is infinite, that it will continue long after we are gone.
Time, rolling into years
Paul Williams recognizes that time passes in years, and that each year is a chapter in the story of our lives.
Years that left me walking
Paul Williams reflects on all the years that have passed him by, leaving him with a sense of nostalgia and longing for the past.
When you began to fly
Paul Williams acknowledges that time seems to speed up as we age, flying by like a bird, until we can hardly believe how quickly it has gone.
Oh you've begun to fly
Paul Williams again notes that time seems to be moving faster than ever, as if it has taken flight and is no longer under our control.
Contributed by Cooper T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.