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/
Love Has No Pride
Paul Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To think that they don't mean much any more.
Fine times have gone and left my sad home,
Friends who once cared just walk out my door.
Love has no pride when I call out your name.
Love has no pride when there's no one left to blame.
I'd give anything to see you again.
I've been alone too many nights
To think that you could come back again.
But I've heard you talk: "She's crazy to stay."
But this love hurts me so, I don't care what you say.
Love has no pride when I call out your name.
Love has no pride when there's no one left to blame.
I'd give anything to see you again.
If I could buy your love, I'd truly try my friend.
And if I could pray, my prayer would never end.
But if you want me to beg, I'll fall down on my knees
Asking for you to come back
I'd be pleading for you to come back
Begging for you to come back to me.
Love has no pride when I call out your name.
Love has no pride when there's no one left to blame.
I'd give anything to see you again.
Yes, I'd give anything to see you again.
The first stanza of Paul Young's Love Has No Pride speaks of the loneliness and disappointment that the singer has experienced in his life, as reflected in his bad dreams and friends who have left him. Even though love has failed him in many ways, he still feels compelled to reach out to the person he loves. This person is likely an ex-lover who has walked out of his life, leaving him alone and hurting. The refrain "Love has no pride when I call out your name" highlights the singer's vulnerability and desperation, suggesting that he is willing to put aside his pride for the sake of love.
In the second stanza, the singer reveals that he has spent many nights alone, hoping for his love to return, even when others have tried to convince him to move on. The line "But this love hurts me so, I don't care what you say" shows that his feelings are so intense that he is willing to endure the pain of rejection and heartbreak. The singer also expresses a willingness to go to any lengths to win back his love, including buying their affection, praying, and begging on his knees.
Line by Line Meaning
I've had bad dreams too many times,
I have had numerous nightmares and tough experiences that it seems irrelevant now.
To think that they don't mean much any more.
I perceive and believe that nothing in life is bound to affect me since I have already had experience with harsh realities of life.
Fine times have gone and left my sad home,
The good times and flourishing days of my happy home are gone, and now there is only melancholy in my home.
Friends who once cared just walk out my door.
The ones who were once friends and showed care for me have left me; they are nowhere to be found.
Love has no pride when I call out your name.
My love is unconditional when it comes to calling your name, and it is unaffected by any ego or pride.
Love has no pride when there's no one left to blame.
When situations do not allow blaming anyone or anything, my love remains selfless and unadulterated.
I'd give anything to see you again.
I am so desperate to meet you again that I am ready to give up anything for it.
I've been alone too many nights
The long nights of loneliness seem unbearable now.
To think that you could come back again.
I still think that there is a chance for you to come back to me.
But I've heard you talk: "She's crazy to stay."
I have heard you tell others that I am insane to keep waiting and hoping for your return.
But this love hurts me so, I don't care what you say.
Even though my love for you is hurting me, I don't mind it since I love you unconditionally.
If I could buy your love, I'd truly try my friend.
If it were possible, I would go to any extent to get your love, even if it means trying to buy it.
And if I could pray, my prayer would never end.
If it were possible, I would pray for your love incessantly so that I could get it.
But if you want me to beg, I'll fall down on my knees
If your love requires me to beg, I will do so with humility and sincerity.
Asking for you to come back
Seeking your return with all the eagerness and fondness.
I'd be pleading for you to come back
Begging for your return with all my heart and might.
Begging for you to come back to me.
Extreme desperation and sincere asking for your return to me.
Yes, I'd give anything to see you again.
Reiterating my love and desperate need to see you again.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Eric Kaz, Libby Titus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind