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 Will Tear Us Apart
Paul Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and ambitions are low
And resentment rides high
But emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways
taking different roads
And love
love
Love will tear us apart again
Why is the bedroom so cold
Turn away on your side
Is my timing that flawed
and respect run so dry
Yet there's still this appeal
That we've kept through all our lives
And love
Love will tear us apart again
And love
Love will tear us apart again
Resentment rides high
But emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways
taking different roads
Do you cry out in your sleep
All my failings exposed
And there's a taste in my mouth
as desperation takes hold
Yet it's something so pure
I just can't function no more
And love
Love will tear us apart again
And love
Love will tear us apart again
Love
Love will tear us apart again
And love
Love will tear us apart again
The lyrics to Paul Young's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" speak to the struggles of a tumultuous, failing relationship. When the routine of life weighs heavily and there seems to be little hope for success, resentment takes hold but love continues to hold on. Despite the desire to change and take different roads, the love that once held the couple together tears them apart once again.
The lines "Is my timing that flawed and respect run so dry," reflect the breakdown of communication and understanding that often comes with a failing romance, leading to increased resentment and despair. The questions "Do you cry out in your sleep/All my failings exposed" highlight how both partners in the relationship are struggling with their own shortcomings while trying to hold onto the love they have shared for so long. The phrase "something so pure" suggests that the love that once united the couple is still present but the relationships' changing dynamics have made it impossible to function together.
Overall, the song conveys the heartbreak of two people struggling to maintain a relationship that is no longer working. The lyrics and melody of the song have made it a classic in the post-punk/new wave era, and it continues to be a popular song today.
Line by Line Meaning
When routine bites hard
When the monotony of daily life becomes overwhelming
and ambitions are low
and we have lost our passion for life
And resentment rides high
Emotions of bitterness and anger are prevalent
But emotions won't grow
But we are unable to express our feelings to each other
And we're changing our ways
taking different roads
And we are going through a period of change, seeking different paths
And love
Love will tear us apart again
love
Love will tear us apart again
Our love for each other will be the root cause of our separation
Why is the bedroom so cold
We are emotionally distant from each other
Turn away on your side
We are not physically close in bed
Is my timing that flawed
and respect run so dry
Have I lost your trust and respect by not being there for you when you needed me the most?
Yet there's still this appeal
Yet there's still an attraction between us
That we've kept through all our lives
That has remained with us from the beginning until now
Do you cry out in your sleep
Do you suffer from nightmares and torments by the things I did to you?
All my failings exposed
All my mistakes and weaknesses are revealed
And there's a taste in my mouth
as desperation takes hold
And I taste the bitterness of despair taking over me
Yet it's something so pure
I just can't function no more
Yet the love we shared is so pure that it has consumed me and left me unable to function
And love
Love will tear us apart again
And love
Love will tear us apart again
Love
Love will tear us apart again
And love
Love will tear us apart again
Our love is the source of our pain and sorrow, and it will continue to tear us apart again and again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bernard Sumner, Ian Kevin Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Paul David Morris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@antster1983
The band:
Paul Young - lead vocals
The Royal Family
==============
Ian Kewley - keyboards (was also in Q-Tips with Young, sadly passed in September 2020)
Pino Palladino - fretless bass
Steve Bolton - guitar
Mark Pinder - drums
The Fabulous Wealthy Tarts
=======================
Marilyn "Maz" Roberts & Kim Lesley - backing vocals
@rodneymiddleton1044
i was 16 y.o when this came out on the No Parlez Album and i thought Paul was the bee's knee's pop artist alive, my dear cousin
sue bought me the album for Christmas and every chance i had . Mothers brand new $1,100 stereo system would be playing with me singing along to every song. I so miss the 1980's so many awesome artists and songs bringing new emotions of life :-)
@guidine7
If YouTube still exists in 100 years from now, people will still enjoy this recording 💃🎸💁🇩🇪
@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx
And this particular performance.
@YenneyRossi
Affascinante spettacolo 🎶👍 Grazie infinite caro Paul Young per condividere questa fantastica canzone 🙏 Eccellente video ✳️👌 Complimenti ed un meritato applauso 👏 A dopo 🇮🇹✔️💙🤗🌱🌼🌱
@nedeniaholm4369
My husband introduced me to this album. I was captivated. So great.
@andrewdouglass1427
OMFG Paul Young I am forever grateful to you for this!!!
@01Moodies
fantastic song and i love this rendition .paul had such a wonderfull voice and you gotta love pino on bass
@tomjones5338
Rip to the leader singer of joy division a really talented musician Paul Young ur version is its own masterpiece
@crrimini64
Che sacrilegio
@patrickdorgan2332
Fantastic bass playing from Pino ,as always .Wow.