Customer Reviews

Just an Old Fashioned Love Song

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There is only one word to describe Paul William's music: extraordinary. It's no wonder why many recording artists of the late 1960's and early 1970's - The Carpenters, Three Dog Night, Helen Reddy, Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge, just to name a few - had chosen to record some of his songs.

Aside from his mastery of his musical medium, the piano, what sets Paul Williams's work apart is its uniqueness. Somewhat akin to Burt Bacharach's songs before him, many of Paul William's songs do not follow the usual three-chord patterns that are so common in popular songs. Listen to his songs for the first time and chances are you won't find it easy to predict which direction his songs will take you next.

Just when the listener begins to relax to the first few mellow bars of `You And Me Against The World', the music suddenly picks up in cadence and intensity without warning, beginning with "Remember when the circus came to town..." which is later repeated with "Life can be a circus, they underpay and overwork us..." It is this impulsive, neurotic unpredictability that makes some of Paul's songs so unique.

One would be at a loss to cite a better example to accurately describe the hopes and optimism experienced by many people just starting out life-shaping relationships, say a marriage. Paul William's "Sharing horizons that are new to us, watching the signs along the way..." in `We've Only Just Begun' is a good start. It is a song for people and couples looking forward to lasting and meaningful relationships.

`That's Enough For Me' is a masterpiece with its haunting lyrical and melodic quality, not to mention the superb guitar work. It is Paul revealing his soul in his most tender and vulnerable moment, finding solace in what love has to offer. One can't help but wish being in his shoes, content and serene, finding simple domestic pleasure and comfort just being with the loved one.

`Rainy Days and Mondays' perfectly describes the rut that modern man finds himself in while coping with the pressure of everyday life. `Waking Up Alone' is a tale of a wandering man who finally decides to come back to his hometown, only to discover how much he had missed and will be missing when he finds his old flame now happily married with a child of her own. And that is when cold reality strikes him: he is all alone. Graham Nash' `Simple Man' is a pleasant surprise, the only non-Paul Williams tune in this compilation. This tells us that even a sophisticated artist like Paul Williams can once in a while interpret another writer's piece - a very simple piece at that! - and make it sound his own.

`I Won't Last A Day Without You' tells us of Paul Wiiliam's willingness to "take all the madness the world has to give" as long as he has love. A pseudo critic friend of mine once told me that this kind of attitude - that is, the desire to exist only when in the company of one's object of affection - is itself a form of madness. Well, perhaps. But who says that love isn't blind?

This CD's liner has Paul Williams dedicating this body of work to the serious listener. Well, he proves once again that he is worth listening to.

Paul Williams has caught my ears and hopefully, yours too!

I've been a fan of Paul Williams for 25 years now and I never tire of his music. I have the largest collection, and have all of his albums on CD, with the exception of Holy Mackerel, Classics,and A Little on the Windy side. Maybe the record company will have the wisdom to put those albums on CD too. I love the Just an Old Fashioned Love Song CD. It is truly a treasure. A friend (Sarah) and I started a Paul Williams Fan Club and on Sept. 20th Paul made it official. We have met so many wonderful people who feel the same way as we do about Paul. Paul is the nicest guy and really appreciates his fans. We even have a fan club message from Paul posted on the fan club web site. I can't say enough about him and his music. If anyone would like to email me to find out more please feel free. I'd really like to hear from a fellow Paul Williams Fan.

This was Paul Williams FIRST album, retitled and re-released. I fell in love with this album back in 1968 when it was first out and I wore the grooves off it. I have searched for this album for 32 years now and thank heaven someone brought it out again. This is a true gem! All these songs were written before anyone had really ever heard of him and they are the best ones I have ever heard. I only learned about it because I knew some musicians in Hollywood and among them, this was considered premium song writing. What a tremendous lyricist! The original dedication was "There are those who listen and those who wait to speak. This is dedicated to the listeners." I'm still very happily listening today, Paul.

Listening to Just an Just an Old Fashion Love Song brought back many memories (good and not so good) of the times I listened to that album and many more in the early 70(s). I was thrilled to have found this CD because I had been looking for several years. Having been a fan of Paul for 30+ years, I'm actually joining The Official Paul Williams Fan Club, hoping to meet him some day. He is one of the most talented musicians in the World . . Years ago, someone asked him how it was working with Barbra Streisand on Evergreen. He said it was like having a picnic in the middle of a freeway. Looking forward to purchasing more Paul Williams CD(s). A Fan Forever . . Di

My husband and I each had the album "Just an Old Fashioned Love Song" when we started dating almost 16 years ago. We played the album alot for the first few years we were married and then never hooked the turn table up when we moved. After a while we forgot about it. Not too long ago something made me remember what a great album it was and we started looking for it in various music stores. Never could find it until I thought to check Amazon.com. After all these years it is as great as we remembered. This is one of the few CD's I have ever owned of which I can truly say that I love each and every song. We give it a very strong "two thumbs up"!

For years I listened over and over to the albums by Paul Williams, Here Comes Inspiration and Old Fashioned Love Song-wore the suckers out, I did. I have searched for many years for the CD version as my albums are worn out. I am still pinching myself that I have found them...I went as far as to call every studio and name mentioned on the album trying to find out if these were available in CD and have always been told no. My daughter was a huge fan as well and I don't know if I will be able to contain myself and just let them arrive on her doorstep as a huge surprise or just burst the news. I just can't wait for the dang things to arrive..I have missed them..These two albums are the greatest..each song a keeper..Thanks amazon for doing for me something no one else has been able to do!!!!!!!!!

This album was Paul's first album for A & M and dates back to 1971. As well as a Japanese release, which can be hard to get hold of, it will now be released on 20th February 2006 in the UK on the East Central One record label.

After releasing an album, Someday Man, in 1969 on Reprise, this was the album which brought Paul to the notice of the listening public as well as fellow musicians, who began queuing up to record Paul's songs. This album of songs of love lost & found, highlighted both Paul's skills of his songsmith as well as a singer.

The album includes well known classics like An Old Fashioned Love Song, rejected by The Carpenters but brought to the attention of the listening world by 'Three Dog Night' and We've Only Just Begun recorded memorably by The Carpenters. This song, which started as a bank commercial, has forever been immortalised by Karen Carpenters voice and is now a favourite at weddings all over the world.

Although some may find Paul's voice an acquired taste, I feel that he is able to convey the feelings behind his songs with wonderful dramatic effect. This is a collection of 11 wonderful songs, produced superbly by Michael James Jackson.

The CD comes complete with a booklet with the lyrics of all the songs, so you can sing, and cry, along to your hearts desire

A great album and a timely release, as Paul continues to write for projects such as the stage mucial of Happy Days, which previews in February 2006 in the USA

Whether you are in love, or want to fall in love, this album says it all. Paul Williams' magic voice and amazing talent are the BEST!

UPON LISTENING TO THIS CD I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORDS TO HIS SONGS.THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL THAT IT TOUCHES NOT ONLY MY HEART BUT MY SOUL.PERHAPS DUE TO THE FACT THAT I CAN RELATE MY OWN LIFE TO HIS MUSIC. HE IS ONE OF THE BEST SONG WRITERS I KNOW OF.I AM SURE HE WOULD BE GREAT IN CONCERT.

I have been a fan of Paul Williams for over 27 years. Of all the albums that I own, this one is my favorite. I personally believe that Paul Williams has one of the most unique voices in the music industry and without a doubt he is one of the greatest talents to have ever graced the record labels. Forty or fifty years from now when people look up his name in the encyclopedia, it will simply read; Paul Williams, Artist Extraodinaire! Buy this album and you'll understand why it's my alltime favorite album.