Paul Young

Paul Young lyrics

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Biography

Paul Young was born in Luton, north of London in Bedfordshire, on January 17, 1956. He started his music career playing bass and guitar in several local bands, gradually working his way up to lead singer posts. Young first made a splash as frontman of new wavers the Streetband, who scored a national U.K. hit with 1978's "Toast." When they disbanded in 1979, Young and several bandmates quickly regrouped as the Q-Tips, a retro-minded outfit with a jones for American Soul/R&B. With a self-titled album on Chrysalis and a relentless touring schedule, the Q-Tips generated significant interest in Young's solo potential, and in 1982 he signed with CBS, hastening the Q-Tips' breakup. 
 His debut solo single, "Iron Out the Rough Spots," was released in late 1982, and was followed in 1983 by a cover of Nicky Thomas' reggae-pop hit "Love of the Common People." Neither single did particularly well on the charts, but his version of the lesser-known Marvin Gaye number "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" was a roaring success, topping the UK charts and pushing his debut album, No Parlez, to the same position later that year. “Love Of The Common People” was re-released and became a Christmas top 5 hit in the UK. No Parlez also gave Young his first Top 40 hit in the U.S. with the Jack Lee-penned "Come Back and Stay" (a UK Top Ten). Young mounted an international tour in support of the album, which sold several million copies worldwide.