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/
Right About Now
Paul Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She smiles and throws her light on me
But this is no heaven, ‘cos I’m without you
A summer breeze can’t cool me down, oh no
I need to dance and I want you
Where are you baby, now that I need you
Right about now, I feel you there besides me
Right about now, I shiver when we touch
But night after night, day after day, I get this feeling
Right about now
As I watch the moon I’m thinking of you
Sleep won’t give herself to me
Where are you baby, now that I need you
Right about now, I feel you there besides me
Right about now, I shiver when we touch
Right about now, I wish the stars would guide me
But night after night, day after day, I get this feeling
Right about now
The touch of my hand is all I can stand, as I’m laying here alone
You satisfy, you get me high, I can’t do it on my own
Where are you baby, now that I need you
Right about now, I feel you there besides me
Right about now, I shiver when we touch
Right about now, I wish the stars would guide me
But night after night, day after day, I get this feeling
Right about now
In Paul Young's song, "Right About Now," the lyrics explore the feeling of loneliness and longing for someone special. The city outside his window serves as a metaphor for the vibrant world that he is cut off from without the presence of his lover. He describes how even the warmth of the summer breeze cannot cool him down, emphasizing the intensity of his emotions. The chorus repeats the phrase "Right about now" to stress the immediacy and urgency of his need for his lover's presence. He reflects on an inability to sleep and how his thoughts keep returning to his lover. The touch of his own hand is not enough, and he is left longing for the comfort of their partner. The lyrics build upon these themes, showcasing the intensity of the need for love and human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I see the city thru my window tonight
Looking out my window late at night, I see the cityscape, but I can't enjoy its beauty without you by my side.
She smiles and throws her light on me
The city lights up my night and gives me a sense of joy, but it's not enough to fulfill the longing I have for you.
But this is no heaven, ‘cos I’m without you
Even though the city seems heavenly, without you it's not the paradise I truly desire.
A summer breeze can’t cool me down, oh no
Not even the refreshing breeze of summer can ease my restless heart.
I need to dance and I want you
To truly enjoy myself and the music, I need you to be my dance partner, my companion in life.
Where are you baby, now that I need you
I feel a sense of loneliness and longing for you, and I wish you were with me to fill that void.
Right about now, I feel you there besides me
At this moment, I can almost sense your presence and imagine that you're right here beside me.
Right about now, I shiver when we touch
When we touch, my body shivers with delight and anticipation, and I crave that feeling more than anything.
Right about now, I wish the stars would guide me
I feel lost without you, and I wish the stars could lead me to you or to a way to fill the void you left in my life.
But night after night, day after day, I get this feeling
Despite my efforts to move on and enjoy life without you, I can't shake this feeling of longing and emptiness.
As I watch the moon I’m thinking of you
When I gaze up at the glowing moon, my thoughts turn to you and the memories we shared together.
Sleep won’t give herself to me
Even when I try to rest and forget my troubles, I can't seem to fall asleep at night without you by my side.
The touch of my hand is all I can stand, as I’m laying here alone
The only comfort I can find is in touching my own hand or arm, but it's not enough to fill the emptiness without you.
You satisfy, you get me high, I can’t do it on my own
Only you can truly satisfy me and make me feel complete and fulfilled, and I can't achieve that on my own.
Contributed by Benjamin O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jigglybean
Excellent song, thanks so much for posting
Rafael Adriano.☯️✡️
Sensacional.
Cool Cat
There were so many potential singles on this album it's not even funny. And this is one of my favorites. Especially luv that dramatic synth opening and Manu Katche's unmistakable drumming.
barnesfam
Great song
MV 2112
Gave up looking for this years ago . Thought I'd give it one more shot . Thanks ! Manu Katche ( of Peter Gabriel fame ) on drums .
PHi LOS
Whoa! For the last twenty years or so I was singing "What About Love" for the chorus and the song title...DOH! Couldn't find it on YouTube and then saw this video, tried it and Eureka! Thanks for posting and for the red faced laugh :)
TheMgallacher
You're very welcome and that quartet sounds good to me.
Mark Hardwick
Mr Manu Katche take a bow. Groove on, lil drummer boy!
TheMgallacher
You're very welcome.
TheMgallacher
You're welcome.