Paul Young born Paul Antony Young on 17 January 1956 in Luton, Bedfordshire… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Young born Paul Antony Young on 17 January 1956 in Luton, Bedfordshire) is an English pop musician. Young was the lead singer in blue eyed soul group Q-Tips before going solo in 1982. Young's biggest worldwide hit followed in 1985 with a version of Daryl Hall's "Everytime You Go Away". The song reached #1 on the U.S. pop charts.

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/

The Man In The Iron Mask
Paul Young Lyrics

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When he drops you off, I will not say
Who was that who so quickly drove away
The things you've done and the places you've been
When I open the door for you
I will not let them in

As long as you come back to me
I will never ask

For you I will be

The man in the iron mask

You said you love me and it broke my heart
I was always your prisoner right from the start
The nights you spend without me
this house is like a dungeon
And you only return to torture me more

You must have your reasons
I will not ask

For you I will be
The Man in the Iron Mask

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Paul Young's "The Man In The Iron Mask" tells a story of a man who is deeply in love with someone who has caused him heartbreak and pain. He depicts himself as the man who will always be there for her, no matter the circumstances. This idea is strongly portrayed in the line "As long as you come back to me, I will never ask. For you I will be the man in the iron mask." The man is willing to be emotionally restricted and unable to express his true feelings, similar to the man in the iron mask who was imprisoned and forced to wear a mask so he remained unrecognizable.

The lyrics also speak about the woman's actions and how her love for the man may not be as genuine as she claims. The line "You said you love me and it broke my heart. I was always your prisoner right from the start" reveals that the woman's words and actions have been hurtful and limiting to him. He feels trapped and controlled by her, and the song paints a picture of a toxic relationship where the man is willing to stay in it even if it hurts him.

Overall, "The Man In The Iron Mask" is a beautifully written song that delves into the struggles of love and emotional sacrifice. It is a reminder that love can be painful, but the heart is willing to do anything to hold onto it.

The Man In The Iron MaskPaul Young Lyrics

The Man In The Iron Mask
Paul Young Lyrics