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/
Mama
Paul Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothin' but me and the rent
Jesus is breaking
Why'm I back here again?
Can't find my soul, oh no
Not since I don't know when
Lost in a hurricane
Still I go on
Nothin' is shakin'
Nothin' but me and the rent
My heart is aching
I'm 'bout as bad as it gets
I love you because I need to
Not 'cause I needed you
Lost in a hurricane
Strugglin' on
Mama! Salvami l'anima
Mama! Salvami l'anima
Mama! Salvami l'anima
Mama! Saving my soul for me
Saving my soul for me
Nothin' is shakin'
Nothin' but me and the rent
Not 'cause I'm breaking
I'm on my knees here again
Madre dolcissima
Caress my aching head
Lost in a hurricane
But I go on
Mama! Salvami l'anima?
Jesus is breaking
Jesus is breaking
Jesus is breaking
Jesus is breaking
Mama! Salvami l'anima?
The lyrics to Paul Young's song Mama express feelings of despair and loneliness. The singer talks about how his life is going through a lull, where nothing seems to be going well. He's struggling to make ends meet, and his soul feels lost. He compares his life to a hurricane, where he's still going on despite trying situations.
The lyrics "Jesus is breaking" adds a religious twist to the song, indicating that he's calling out to God for help in his difficult times. He also mentions that he loves someone but not because he needs them, which shows how love can be present without material or physical requirements. The chorus of the song, which is repeated four times, asks the singer's mother to save his soul. It's an emotional plea for help from someone he trusts and loves.
Overall, the lyrics to Mama show a vulnerable side of the singer, where he's grappling with his emotions and uncertainties in life. It's a relatable theme that many people can identify with and resonate with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothin' is shakin'
There is nothing happening in my life.
Nothin' but me and the rent
I am struggling to make ends meet and pay rent.
Jesus is breaking
My faith in God is deteriorating.
Why'm I back here again?
I am stuck in a cycle of struggle and hardship.
Can't find my soul, oh no
I have lost a sense of purpose and meaning in my life.
Not since I don't know when
It has been a long time since I have felt satisfied with my life.
Lost in a hurricane
I feel overwhelmed and lost.
Still I go on
Despite my struggles, I continue to persevere.
My heart is aching
I am experiencing emotional pain.
I'm 'bout as bad as it gets
I am in a very difficult situation.
I love you because I need to
My love for someone is based on my own emotional dependence.
Not 'cause I needed you
I did not love you for who you are, but for what you provided me.
Madre dolcissima
Sweet mother.
Caress my aching head
Provide me with comfort and support.
Mama! Salvami l'anima
Mother, save my soul.
Jesus is breaking
My faith in God is deteriorating.
Mama! Saving my soul for me
I am asking my mother to help me find purpose and meaning in my life.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GIAN FRANCO MOCCHETTI, ADRIANO CAGLIONI, GIULIANO CRIVELLENTE, MAURO FARINA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@qudrahrainz
Never would I dream I will be watching this video again at 54. Dont u just missed the music and the ache free youth..
Please save me a seat 🤣
@PandA-yx5ne
Did we take it for granted? I miss those days like nothing else.
@giovannibaruzzi547
52 and still listening this in the middle of the niht
@elizabethstewart8574
As it's Fathers Day now. Thank you Dad. For putting up with me playing this over and over again on our video player. Im sorry. Hope when you hear it in heaven you'll forgive me playing it again for you. just one more time before bedtime. lol
@BibtheBoulder
This song has aged well, unlike the world in which we now exist....
@tamc936
Excatly
@MarvinHuber_KSP
Cant stand this overcomersialised shortlived, overtuned crap music of today. It sounds all the same
@LucianCorrvinus
Try to remember the way it looked when you were young ..it still just as wonderful...we just have to fight the way we get about it as we get older ..
@billc307
Amen.
@helping_others
@@billc307 Amen