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/
Come Back And Stay
Paul Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I shut my eyes and I fantasize
That you're here with me
Will you ever return?
I won't be satisfied
'Til you're by my side
Don't wait any longer, come back
Why don't you come back?
Please hurry, why don't you come back?
Please hurry
Come back and stay for good this time
(Did you write the book of love?)
Come back and stay for good this time
(Ego, envy, lust)
When you said goodbye
I was trying to hide what I felt inside
Until you passed me by
You said you'd return
You said that you'd be mine
'Til the end of time
Well, don't wait any longer
Why don't you come back?
Please hurry, why don't you come back?
Please hurry
Come back and stay for good this time
(Did you write the book of love?)
Come back and stay for good this time
(Ego, envy, lust)
Oh, since you've been gone
Opened my eyes and I realized
What we had together
Will you ever return?
Or have you changed your mind?
If you won't stay mine just love me forever
Love me forever
Why don't you come back?
Please hurry, why don't you come back?
Please hurry, why don't you come back?
Please hurry, why don't you come back?
Please hurry
Just come back and stay for good this time
(Did you write the book of love?)
Come back and stay for good this time
(Ego, envy, lust)
Come back and stay for good this time
(Did you write the book of love?)
Come back and stay for good this time
(Ego, envy, lust)
Don't ever leave
(Did you write the book of love?)
(Ego, envy, lust)
(Did you write the book of love?)
All the, every-everything, we had together
(Ego, envy, lust) I don't wanna lose you
Don't wanna lose you
(Did you write the book of love?) And all the time we had
Good times and the bad
(Ego, envy, lust)
is finally falling apart? That is the essence of Paul Young's song, "Come Back and Stay." The singer is pleading with his former lover to come back to him and reconcile their differences. The lyrics convey raw emotion, vulnerability, and a sense of desperation. The song's melancholic tone and upbeat rhythm create a contrasting tension, making the listener feel a range of emotions.
At the beginning of the song, the singer confesses that since his lover left him, he has been living in delusion, fantasizing about her return. He assures her that he won't be satisfied until she is back by his side. The chorus is a plea for her to come back, and the singer keeps repeating it until he is heard.
In the second verse, the singer reveals that he was trying to hide his feelings for her when they initially parted ways. He expresses regret as he recalls how she left him, even after promising to return. He tries to appeal to her sense of loyalty by reminding her of the promise she made to him. The song ends with the singer firmly asking his lover to come back and stay for good.
Line by Line Meaning
Since you've been gone
Ever since you left, I can't help but think of you.
I shut my eyes and I fantasize
I close my eyes and imagine that you're next to me.
That you're here with me
I wish you could be here with me in reality.
Will you ever return?
Do you plan on coming back to me?
I won't be satisfied
I won't be happy or content.
'Till you're by my side
Until you're next to me.
Don't wait any longer, come back
Please don't wait any longer and come back to me.
Why don't you come back?
I'm wondering why you haven't come back yet.
Please hurry, why don't you come back?
I'm pleading for you to come back soon.
Come back and stay for good this time
Please come back and stay with me forever.
You said goodbye
You left me.
I was trying to hide what I felt inside
I was trying to conceal my feelings for you.
Until you passed me by
Until you came back again.
You said you'd return
You promised to come back.
You said that you'd be mine
You said you were mine.
'Till the end of time
Forever, until the end of time.
Well don't wait any longer
I'm urging you not to wait any longer.
Opened my eyes and I realize
Now that you're gone, I see things clearly.
What we had together
Our relationship.
I'll have you change your mind
I'll do whatever it takes to make you stay with me.
If you won't stay mine just love me forever
If you won't be mine, please love me forever.
Don't ever leave
Please don't ever leave me again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Unison Rights S.L.
Written by: Jack Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@HappyCharlie
And some song facts about this awesome tune.
-- The distinctive background vocals for this song were provided by the team of
Kim Lesley and Maz Roberts.
The duo were dubbed The Wealthy Tarts when they recorded and toured with
Jools Holland. They moved over to do the vocals with Young and work on
his tours.When joining Young, they became known as The Fabulous Wealthy Tarts.
With that moniker, they tried for their own career and released a single in 1983 titled
"The Last Time." It was a cover of the Rolling Stones song, but it failed to do anything.
-- This was Paul Young's debut hit in the US. In the UK, it was the follow
up to his chart-topping "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home).
-- Paul Young met his future wife Stacey Smith while making the video for this song.
-- This is a remake of a song originally written and recorded by Jack Lee.
Lee's 1981 version would appear on his lone solo album Jack Lee's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1.
Lee was originally a member of the mid-70's L.A. power pop band The Nerves.
Their 1976 self-titled EP featured the Lee-written song "Hanging on the Telephone," which would later be famously covered by Blondie for their Parallel Lines.
Enjoy Music Lovers, Cheers :-)
@HappyCharlie
And some song facts about this awesome tune.
-- The distinctive background vocals for this song were provided by the team of
Kim Lesley and Maz Roberts.
The duo were dubbed The Wealthy Tarts when they recorded and toured with
Jools Holland. They moved over to do the vocals with Young and work on
his tours.When joining Young, they became known as The Fabulous Wealthy Tarts.
With that moniker, they tried for their own career and released a single in 1983 titled
"The Last Time." It was a cover of the Rolling Stones song, but it failed to do anything.
-- This was Paul Young's debut hit in the US. In the UK, it was the follow
up to his chart-topping "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home).
-- Paul Young met his future wife Stacey Smith while making the video for this song.
-- This is a remake of a song originally written and recorded by Jack Lee.
Lee's 1981 version would appear on his lone solo album Jack Lee's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1.
Lee was originally a member of the mid-70's L.A. power pop band The Nerves.
Their 1976 self-titled EP featured the Lee-written song "Hanging on the Telephone," which would later be famously covered by Blondie for their Parallel Lines.
Enjoy Music Lovers, Cheers :-)
@nwlman
Thanks for that info, I loved the wealthy Tarts, they were with the Piranahs as well on Zambezi. They should have been bigger stars,
@ilgattogrande
So what exactly are the backup singers saying?
@masongarrett3066
I enjoyed every fact and trivia you just gave me thank you
@misslanapford9169
Anybody know where this was filmed... it looks like Scarborough
@dladdy01
Happy Charlie As well as Daryl Hall on background vocals.
@mehranhooshmand8407
The 80s! Come back and stay for good this time!
@mriyefa2196
We used to take this music for granted back then. We now realise how talented artists like Paul actually were.
@Kevin-1969
It was the whole band and the girls that deserve the credit here, the Royal Family and Kim and Maz. Fantastic
@cacophonycake2234
I truly fell for this song when it came out.. and still love it .. it's just gorgeous ... vocals, keys, and man alive... that amazing bass-playing / bass-line rendered by Pino Palladino!! Good ole memories of the end of high school / start of college for me.. How lucky I feel to have been able to live through the 80s & enjoy all the exciting music & times when it was all rolling out .. you just don't get that anymore...