Growing up with an older brother Mark and a younger sister Joanne, Young first went to work at the Vauxhall Motors factory and in his spare time played in several bands as bass guitarist. The first group for which he became lead singer was Kat Kool & The Kool Kats. In the late 1970s he joined the Streetband, who had one Top 20 hit in the UK, with the humorous, novelty track "Toast", reaching No. 18 in November 1978.
In December 1979 the Streetband broke up and Young formed the Q-Tips, who established their name by playing live and supporting The Who on their 1982 tour but had no chart hits in the UK, although their single "Letter Song" did enjoy minor success in mainland Europe.
The Q-Tips went their separate ways in 1982, and Young was signed by CBS Records as a solo performer, uniting the fields of New Wave and Soul. His first two singles, "Iron Out the Rough Spots" and a cover of Nicky Thomas’ "Love of the Common People" had no success, but the third, a cover of the Marvin Gaye B-side "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" was No. 1 in the UK singles chart for three weeks in the summer of 1983, the first of fourteen British Top 40 singles.
Similar success followed all over Europe. In the UK, follow-up single "Come Back and Stay" reached No. 4, and a re-release of "Love of the Common People" made it to No. 2, while his début album No Parlez was certified platinum in various countries.
Young's style at the time was a warm, approachable white soul, though he sometimes received playful criticism for his fashion decisions. However, his choice of an Antony Price leather suit for the cover of No Parlez was impractical for stage, where an energetic show dictated more robust clothing.
1984 was a difficult year for Young, as his first heavy promotional and live concert tour of America affected his vocal cords to the extent that he couldn't sing at all for most of the year. He recovered, however, to famously perform the opening line to the Band Aid single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and his second album, The Secret of Association, secured his future success in the U.S., Japan and Australia. Young's biggest worldwide hit came from this album in 1985 with a version of Daryl Hall & John Oates's album track "Everytime You Go Away". The song reached #1 on the U.S. pop charts.
His third and fourth albums, Between Two Fires, in 1986, and Other Voices, in 1990, were commercial failures (though the latter was a success in the US) but a popular duet, "Senza una donna-Without a Woman", with Italian blues singer Zucchero in 1991 and a corresponding greatest hits album (which also featured duets with Clannad and Joni Mitchell) returned him to success. It also included a new track, 'I’m Only Foolin Myself'. He sung "Radio Ga Ga" with Queen in 1992, at the tribute concert to the recently deceased Freddie Mercury.
In 1992, Paul Young formed Los Pacaminos, a Tex-Max style live band including other top-class musicians such as Jamie Moses and the late Matt Irving. The group have released two albums, with a third scheduled for released in 2024.
In 1993, Young released The Crossing, which produced his first solo Top 20 hit since 'Everytime You Go Away', 'Now I Know What Made Otis Blue'. After this, Young was freed from his contract with CBS. In 1994, he released the covers album Reflections, which was a commercial failure.
He reformed the Q-Tips for a short series of concerts that year in 1993. A year later he suffered significant vocal damage, which has followed him ever since. He contributed to the Vangelis album Voices in 1995. Young sang the British national anthem "God Save the Queen", on the eve of England's Euro '96 semifinal match against Germany.
In 1997, he released his final album to feature original material on EastWest Records. The album featured his final UK Top 40 hit, 'I Wish You Well' and abandoned soul in favour of a more country style somewhat similar to that of Garth Brooks. In 2006 and 2016, he released covers albums, Rock Swings On The Wild Side of Swing and Good Thing, with the former being only released in Germany.
Paul still actively tours solo and with Los Pacaminos and is releasing a new albums both solo and with his group in 2023. He spends his time with his family and following his past time of cooking.
www.paul-young.com/
Broken Man
Paul Young Lyrics
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Close your eyes and take it
And if you feel that pain can tear you in two
Go ahead and bear it
You know the words he's gonna say
Still you sit and listen
And those tender words can melt this strong man's heart
And when you hear him say
"I don't want your love"
Try not to turn away
A broken man almost died of a broken heart
A broken man, that's what I am
And when you think you've had enough
Just say stop, I understand
You'll stop your tears from building up inside
Baby, stop your trembling hands
And when you hear him say
"I don't want your love"
Try not to turn away
A broken man almost died of a broken heart
A broken man, that's what I am
I'm a broken man
The lyrics to Paul Young's "Broken Man" are emotional and introspective, with Paul singing from the perspective of someone who has been hurt and is struggling to move on from a broken heart. The opening lines encourage the listener to embrace pain as a necessary part of healing. Paul sings, "If you feel the hurt is but a kiss away / Close your eyes and take it / And if you feel that pain can tear you in two / Go ahead and bear it." Here, he's recognizing that sometimes pain is inevitable, but that it can ultimately lead to healing if we allow ourselves to feel it fully.
The chorus reveals the depth of the singer's heartbreak: "A broken man almost died of a broken heart / A broken man, that's what I am." Despite his pain, however, he's willing to listen to the kind words of another, even if he knows they won't change his situation. He acknowledges that hearing those words can soften his heart and teach him important lessons about love and life: "And those tender words can melt this strong man's heart / Yours will learn a lesson."
The final verse offers some advice to anyone going through a similar experience: "You'll stop your tears from building up inside / Baby, stop your trembling hands / And when you hear him say / 'I don't want your love' / Try not to turn away." Here, Paul is encouraging us to take care of ourselves and stay present, even when the rejection feels unbearable. Ultimately, the song is a powerful reminder that we can heal from heartbreak if we're willing to be vulnerable and learn from the experience.
Line by Line Meaning
If you feel the hurt is but a kiss away
If you think that the solution to your pain is just a simple gesture of affection
Close your eyes and take it
Just take a deep breath and allow yourself to be vulnerable
And if you feel that pain can tear you in two
And if you believe that the agony you're experiencing can destroy you
Go ahead and bear it
Then, don't be afraid to suffer and endure it
You know the words he's gonna say
You have an idea of the phrases or sentences he's going to utter
Still you sit and listen
But you sit down and lend him an ear anyway
And those tender words can melt this strong man's heart
He will express words of love that can soften the heart of even the strongest man
Yours will learn a lesson
Your heart will learn something from his words
And when you hear him say 'I don't want your love'
And when he tells you that he doesn't want your affection
Try not to turn away
Don't shut down or ignore him
A broken man almost died of a broken heart
A man whose heart was shattered almost died from it
A broken man, that's what I am
He is a man whose heart is broken and shattered
And when you think you've had enough
And when you feel like you can't take anymore
Just say stop, I understand
Just tell him to stop, and let him know that you comprehend
You'll stop your tears from building up inside
You'll prevent yourself from crying internally
Baby, stop your trembling hands
Don't let your hands shake anymore
And when you hear him say 'I don't want your love'
And when he repeats that he doesn't desire your love
Try not to turn away
Try to listen and understand
A broken man almost died of a broken heart
He's someone whose shattered heart nearly killed him
A broken man, that's what I am
He admits that he is a broken man
I'm a broken man
He repeats that he is a shattered and broken individual
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IAN KEWLEY, PAUL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind