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.
Upholstery
Paul Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what life is all about
That's what life is all about
That's what life is all about
I was not myself last night
Lost a fight, my woody barely running
By a dude I should have beat
I finally lost control
And tore my tuck-n-roll
Upholstery, where my baby sits up close to me
That's supposed to be what our life is all about
Upholstery where my baby sits up close to me
That's supposed to be what our life is all about
Of all life's mysteries the greatest one I've seen
My short runs better when it's clean
I was not myself last night
Ran a light without my registration
Where the cops were bound to see
And you know me already on probation
I wound up on parole
I tore my tuck-n-roll
Upholstery - Where my baby sits up close to me
That's supposed to be what our life is all about
Upholstery where my baby sits up close to me
That's supposed to be what our life is all about
The lyrics of Paul Williams's song "Upholstery" depict the frustration, disappointment, and struggles of the singer in various aspects of his life, ranging from a lost fight, a car crash, to his struggles with the law. The repetition of the phrase "That's what life is all about" throughout the song is a juxtaposition to the events that unfold in the lyrics, highlighting the irony of how life is not always what it is supposed to be. The singer's car, which represents his life, has been battered and bruised, much like him. The damage to the upholstery where his baby sits close to him signifies how his mistakes have also impacted his loved ones.
The singer's lack of control is illustrated through his inability to protect himself in a fight, his failure to keep his car running, and his disregard for the law with a missing registration. The damage to his "tuck-n-roll" upholstery mirrors his lost control and the need for repair. However, the message that is being conveyed here is that even amidst these adversities, the singer recognizes that the real essence of life is his loved ones represented by the "Upholstery" where his baby sits close to him. It's a reminder that what really matters in life is the relationships we share with those around us, and it's something worth fighting for.
Line by Line Meaning
That's what life is all about
The true essence of life is sitting close to our loved ones on our vehicle's upholstery.
I was not myself last night
I was not in the right state of mind last night.
Lost a fight, my woody barely running
I lost a fight and my car was barely functioning.
By a dude I should have beat
I was beaten in a fight by someone I thought I could beat easily.
And on the street a blow like that is stunning
Being hit like that in public was shocking.
I finally lost control
I lost control of my emotions and actions.
And tore my tuck-n-roll
I damaged the upholstery of my car in the process.
Upholstery, where my baby sits up close to me
The upholstery of my car is where my loved one sits close by my side.
That's supposed to be what our life is all about
The experience of having loved ones near us is the ultimate purpose of life.
Of all life's mysteries the greatest one I've seen
The most significant mystery of life that I have observed is that my car runs better when it is clean.
My short runs better when it's clean
My car performs better when it is clean.
Ran a light without my registration
I drove through a red light without my car registration.
Where the cops were bound to see
It was inevitable for the police officers to spot me.
And you know me already on probation
Since I am already on probation, a run-in with the police might not bode well for me.
I wound up on parole
As a result of my actions, I was put on parole.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL H. WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Coldred243
Carburators man, that's what life is all about
That's what life is all about
That’s what life is all about
That's what life is all about
That’s what life is all about
I was not myself last night
Lost a fight, my woody barely running
By a dude I should have beat
And on the street a blow like that is stunning
I finally lost control
And tore my tuck-n-roll
Upholstery - Where my baby sits up close to me
That's supposed to be what our life is all about
Upholstery where my baby sits up close to me
That's supposed to be what our life is all about
Of all life's mysteries the greatest one I've seen
My short runs better when it's clean
I was not myself last night
Ran a light without my registration
Where the cops were bound to see
And you know me already on probation
I wound up on parole
I tore my tuck-n-roll
Upholstery - Where my baby sits up close to me
That's supposed to be what our life is all about
Upholstery where my baby sits up close to me
That's supposed to be what our life is all about
@omgidontno
I'm a 29 year old lesbian, I watched this movie for the first time last night at like 1am without any idea what I was getting into, super stoned on my couch with my headphones on.
I think I've listened to this song like 20 times already
@t-bonestickyfingers1336
No one cares that you are a lesbian
@Shiznit304
smd
@Amore825
Ok so now you Have to watch TOMMY the movie 😅❤
@dr.coffinnails
Welcome to the club. 👍
@RedakaiCity
What does you being lesbian have anything to do with your anecdote?
@Snafuski
Yes!!! I saw the movie in 74... and whenever someone says "upholstery" I always add when my baby sits up close to me... This was a great love it...
@mydearvalerie
Me too!
@muskokan59
The last time I heard this was in 1975....and yet to this day I'll still blurt out "carburetors man...that's what life is all about" Cool!!
@TerriJean62
I do, too! LOL!
Thanks for making me feel validated, lol!