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/
Cold Sweat
Paul Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't care about your past
I just want our love to last
I don't care darlin' about your faults
I just want to satisfy your pulse
Oh
When you kiss me
Hold my hand
Make me understand
I break out - in a cold sweat
Ho! Uh! Ho!
I don't care about your wants
I just wanna tell ya about the does and don'ts
I don't care about the way you treat me darlin' ha
Just want huh! to understand me honey
Oh
When you kiss me
And ya miss me
You hold me tight
Make everything all right
I break out - in a cold sweat
Mercy on me
C'mon now
Brother
put it, put it where it's at now
Let him have it
The lyrics of Paul Young's song "Cold Sweat" convey a passionate desire for love and understanding, while also addressing the complexities and challenges that come with it. The first verse sets the tone by expressing an indifference towards the person's past and faults, emphasizing the singer's focus on the longevity of their love. The chorus further emphasizes the intensity of their connection, with the mention of kissing and holding hands as means to deepen their understanding and connection.
In the second verse, the lyrics take a slightly different direction, highlighting the singer's disregard for the person's wants and instead focusing on teaching them about what is right and wrong. This might imply a desire for a relationship based on mutual respect and understanding of boundaries. Despite potential issues in the way the person treats the singer, the lyrics express the need for them to comprehend and empathize with the singer's perspective.
The repetition of "When you kiss me" and "You hold me tight" in both verses reflects the physical and emotional intimacy that the singer craves from their partner. The mention of breaking out in a cold sweat adds a sense of urgency and intensity to their desires. It could indicate a yearning that is so powerful it affects the singer physically, causing a sudden rush of emotions.
The final lines of the song, "Mercy on me, Brother, put it where it's at now, let him have it," suggest a plea for understanding, support, and acceptance from those around the singer. This may indicate a desire for others to recognize the deep connection the singer shares with their partner and to support their relationship, perhaps even seeking forgiveness and understanding for any misunderstandings or disagreements.
Overall, "Cold Sweat" portrays a passionate longing for an enduring and fulfilling love, while acknowledging the challenges and complexities that may arise in relationships. It emphasizes the need for empathy, understanding, and support from both the partner and those around them.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't care about your past
I am not concerned with your previous experiences
I just want our love to last
I desire for our love to endure
I don't care darlin' about your faults
I am unconcerned, my dear, with your imperfections
I just want to satisfy your pulse
I simply aim to fulfill your desires and needs
When you kiss me
In moments of affectionate embrace
When you mess me
When you disrupt my emotional state
Hold my hand
Grasp my hand firmly
Make me understand
Help me comprehend
I break out - in a cold sweat
I become overwhelmed with anxiety and fear
Ho! Uh! Ho!
Exclamations expressing intense emotions
I don't care about your wants
I am not interested in your desires
I just wanna tell ya about the does and don'ts
I merely wish to educate you on what is acceptable and what is not
I don't care about the way you treat me darlin' ha
I am indifferent to the manner in which you behave towards me, my dear
Just want huh! to understand me honey
I simply desire for you to comprehend me, my dear
And ya miss me
When you feel my absence
You hold me tight
You embrace me firmly
Make everything all right
Restore harmony and resolve any issues
Mercy on me
An appeal for compassion towards oneself
C'mon now
Encouragement to act swiftly
Brother
An informal way of addressing someone, usually a friend or comrade
put it, put it where it's at now
Place it or direct it to the appropriate position or situation
Let him have it
Allow him to possess or experience it
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind