"Everytime You Go Away" by Paul Young

#1 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  2316
Date:  05/11/1985
Debut:  70
Peak:  1 (1 week)
Weeks:  23
Genre:  Pop, Blue-Eyed Soul, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Young's debut LP, No Parlez, was a big #1 hit in the UK thanks to three Top 10 hits including the #1 "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's Home)." The album wasn't as successful in the US with only "Come Back and Stay" (#4 UK) getting anywhere on the Pop chart (#22). Young had new material ready near the end of '84 and issued two new singles in the UK, both of which hit the Top 10. They would eventually be included on his second LP The Secrets of Association. However, neither of those songs were picked to be the lead-off single for the US market. Instead, this ballad was selected. It took a little bit of time for the tune to catch on, but it eventually took over the airwaves and reached #1 on both the Pop and AC charts. It also got to #14 at Rock. The single would go gold as would the album, which got to #19.

ReduxReview:  I think the arrangement of this song is what really sold it. The fretless bass and sitar nearly stole the show from Young. It was a vast improvement from the original's (see below) more gospel-leaning take. It was a beautifully written tune that sounded great on the radio. I certainly loved it enough to buy the album, but I ended up totally burnt out on the song after radio stations played it to death. It's still a lovely song that is nice to hear once in a while.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  This is a remake of a song originally written by Daryl Hall and recorded by Daryl Hall & John Oates. The song appeared on their 1980 album Voices, which included the #1 hit "Kiss on My List." The album spawned a total of four singles, but "Everything" was not one of them. Although the song was one of Hall's favorites that the duo recorded, he regarded it as an album track that had no single potential. Once he heard Young's more commercial pop version of the song, Hall realized that it had a lot more to offer than he initially thought. Perhaps in part due toYoung's revival of the song, Hall & Oates included a live version of it on their '85 LP Live at the Apollo.

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