BILLY PAUL IS BLACK ENOUGH FOR US!
Few voices in Soul music’s rich history are as distinctive as that possessed by Billy Paul. His warm and slightly husky voice found its home at Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s Philadelphia International label throughout the seventies. He released eight studio albums on the label plus two reissues, a greatest hits compilation and a live set, recorded in London.
Sadly, Billy, aged 81, passed away on 24th April 2016, yet another legend passing in a year that has already witnessed the death of too many great musicians and singers. The singer died after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.
Born on 1st December 1934 in North Philadelphia, Billy began his musical career singing Jazz as a teenager in the early fifties. He recorded a couple of singles for the Jubilee label in 1952, but without any commercial success. He spent his national service stationed in Germany from 1957 where he served alongside Elvis Presley. Whilst in Germany he formed the Jazz Blues Symphony Band with Gary Crosby (son of singer Bing); other notable members were pianist Cedar Walton and saxophonist Eddie Harris.
Following his national service and return stateside, Paul sang at numerous clubs around Philly. His big break came when Kenny Gamble saw him perform at the Sahara club. Subsequently, Paul was signed to the Gamble label and recorded his debut studio album ‘Live At The Cadillac Club’ in 1968 that reflected his club performances, hence the title. ‘Ebony Woman’ followed a year later for Gamble’s Neptune imprint. Both were re-released on Philadelphia International after the success of ‘Me And Mrs Jones’.
His first release on Philadelphia International, ‘Going East’ dates from 1971. Despite critical acclaim, it sold only modestly, though the funky ‘East’ written by the session’s bass player Tyrone Brown is now rightly considered a classic. It was Paul’s second album for the label, ‘360 Degrees Of Billy Paul’ that hit gold dust. The set included the international hit (his only one) and ode to marital infidelity ‘Me And Mrs Jones’. It earned him a Grammy. The album is one of THE Philly albums and features several gems including the ultimate cover version of Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ and the controversial ‘Am I Black Enough For You’. The latter, against Paul’s wishes, was chosen as the follow-up single to ‘Me And Mrs Jones’ and completely undermined the crossover appeal garnered by it. ‘Am I Black Enough For You?’ has if anything stood the test of time more than his hit. It is a barnstorming performance, whose message reflected the politics of the time.
Paul never quite replicated the success of ‘Me And Mrs Jones’, but continued to record quality Soul music that helped push boundaries. The follow-up to ‘360 Degrees….’ was the innovative and provocative ‘War Of The Gods’ album. Its psychedelic and symphonic title song, a lengthy piece relates the eternal battle between good and evil. In 1975, Billy Paul recorded another controversial song – ‘Let’s Make A Baby’ from his brilliant ‘When Love Is New’ album. The song was a minor hit in the UK, but encountered calls (not least from Jesse Jackson) for its banning from the airwaves due to the song’s overtly sexual connotations. Some radio stations played it and refused to announce its title, some altered the lyric!
Paul made great records for Philadelphia International throughout the seventies. Songs like the typically Philly flavoured ‘Let The Dollar Circulate’ (from ‘When Love Is New’), the 2 Step ‘You’re My Sweetness’, ‘Black Wonders Of The World (from ‘Got My Head On Straight’), ‘Bring The Family Back (from ‘First Class’) and his version of Jerry Butler’s ‘Only The Strong Survive’ were among many highlights from the mid/ late seventies. Without massive chart success, Billy Paul remained one of the mainstays of the Philadelphia International label throughout that period.
After leaving the Gamble and Huff empire, Paul recorded two more studio albums: ‘Lately’ for the Total Experience label in 1985 and ‘Wide Open’ for John Abbey’s Ichiban imprint three years later. Neither is the singer at his best. His raspish voice seems less comfortable against an eighties synth backdrop than when set in the lush, timeless Philly arrangements.
Although retired from the recording industry, Billy Paul continued to tour and perform. Many will recall his performance at The Blackpool Soul Weekender in 2004, when he starred alongside Jean Carn, Bunny Sigler and Dexter Wansel.
Billy’s life and contribution to Soul music was well documented in the 2009 biographical feature film ‘Am I Black Enough For You?’ directed by Swedish director Goran Hugo Olsson. Billy Paul leaves a body of recorded work that has not received the recognition it deserves. He blessed us with some of Philadelphia International’s finest music and delivered it with a voice that is instantly recognisable and totally unique. Billy RIP and thank you.
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