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/
Say Goodbye
Paul Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say goodbye darling
Now you know there's no waves in those shells
Say goodbye darling
Tell me when
You will ever get back to that place again
To the place where you feel that you're safe again
Now you're in love for the first time
Say goodbye darling
Now you know he ain't all that he seems
Say goodbye darling
If you could
You would tell everybody his love is good
And you're feeling a little misunderstood
Now you're in love for the first time
Don't worry. Don't worry. I can read you like a book
Don't take much to get you hooked
Don't take much to get you hooked
When everything that you thought you know is wrong
Hey baby call me I'll be the last one to string you along
Won't you just do one thing and trust in me
If you're looking for a lifeline
'Cos this is just the first time
And it sure won't be the last
Say goodbye to the wind in your sails
Say goodbye darling
Say goodbye to the man in your dreams
Say goodbye darling
Don't worry. Don't worry...
The song "Say Goodbye" by Paul Young is a ballad about letting go of what once was and coming to terms with the reality of the present. The song is addressed to a woman who has fallen in love for the first time and is now facing the difficulties that come with it. The lyrics encourage the woman to say goodbye to the wind in her sails and to the man of her dreams because they are not what they seem.
The first verse encourages the woman to let go of the past and to stop holding onto things that are not real. The second verse acknowledges that the woman's current relationship is not what she thought it would be and that she is feeling misunderstood. The chorus reminds her that she can trust the singer and that he will be there to offer support and guidance when she needs it.
The song speaks to the universal experience of falling in love and facing the challenges that come with it. It is a reminder that sometimes we have to let go of what we thought we wanted and embrace what is right in front of us.
Line by Line Meaning
Say goodbye to the wind in your sails
Leave behind the things that drove you forward, my dear
Say goodbye darling
Bid farewell, my love
Now you know there's no waves in those shells
You've realized there's nothing there, my love
Tell me when
Let me know
You will ever get back to that place again
Will you return to that safe harbor once more?
To the place where you feel that you're safe again
To the place of comfort and security
Now you're in love for the first time
You've found new love, my love
Say goodbye to the man in your dreams
Say farewell to your dream man, my love
Now you know he ain't all that he seems
You've discovered he's not who you thought he was, my love
If you could
If only you could
You would tell everybody his love is good
You'd like everyone to know his love is real, my love
And you're feeling a little misunderstood
You feel like no one understands your love, my love
Don't worry. Don't worry. I can read you like a book
Don't fret. I understand you perfectly, my love
Don't take much to get you hooked
You're easy to please, my love
When everything that you thought you know is wrong
When all you believed in turns out to be false, my love
Hey baby call me I'll be the last one to string you along
Call me if you need someone to help you through, my love
Won't you just do one thing and trust in me
Just trust me, my love
If you're looking for a lifeline
If you need someone to hold on to, my love
'Cos this is just the first time
This isn't the end, my love
And it sure won't be the last
There will be more, my love
Say goodbye to the wind in your sails
Leave behind the things that drove you forward, my dear
Say goodbye to the man in your dreams
Say farewell to your dream man, my love
Say goodbye darling
Bid farewell, my love
Don't worry. Don't worry...
Don't fret, my love
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
María Angélica Rivello
¡Hace más de veinticinco años que admiro a este cantante!!! ¡Es maravillosa su voz!!!
Barry Dunne
I was living in London when this album came out and I went to see him for my 19th birthday, i'm now 36 and i'm so clad i got to hear him when he still had his good voice.
JJUNIPER
Still love him. Beautiful song
Z.J. Gordon
Darling Paul, remember
"We won't say goodbye"
I L-O-V-E you soooo much
💓💓
sue carrigan
Good bye, if thats what you want, but if I'm honest its the last thing I want
Woolahula
fwoar!