THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

896-Billy Paul-Me and Mrs Jones.

1972-Number 12 single.

Best Bit-At 3.37. There is a very clever hint as to what this song is about at 0.17 seconds, when the saxophonist is playing the 1953 song,’Secret Love,’ by Doris Day.

Billy Paul was born Paul Williams, on December 1st, 1934, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, he died on April 24th, 2016, from pancreatic cancer, at the age of 81. It was his manager at the time, Jules Malvin, who suggested his stage name, to avoid confusion with the songwriter Paul Williams, and saxophonist Paul ‘Hucklebuck’ Williams (1915-2002.) Prior to signing with the newly set up ‘Philadelphia International Records’ in 1971, Billy Paul had recorded two studio Albums, and six singles between 1952-1970, and although none had been commercially successful, they had been critically well received. His earliest recordings were ballads, but he was heavily influenced by Jazz, and also recorded in that genre. On signing with ‘Philadelphia International Records,’ his music was redefined by Leon Huff, and Kenny Gamble (see also best songs 1001-896-725-648-604-571-338 and 322) who sought to find the balance between Paul’s ‘Jazz roots,’ and the ‘Funky Soul’ that they hoped would bring mainstream success.

The discography of Billy Paul includes 13 Albums released between 1968-1988, and 37 singles, (including re-issues) released between 1952-2011. His only charting Album in America on Billboard was ‘360 Degrees of Billy Paul,’ which made Number 17 in 1972, but seven of his other Albums did chart within the top 40 on the Billboard R&B chart. Two of his singles also made the top 40 on Billboard, with Me and Mrs. Jones’ going all the way to Number 1. In the UK, Billy Paul has had six top 40 hit singles, with ‘Me and Mrs. Jones,’ charting the highest.

‘Me and Mrs. Jones’ was the first of two singles released from Billy Paul’s fourth Album, ‘360 Degrees of Billy Paul,’ from 1972, it was his second album release on ‘Philadelphia International Records.’ ‘Me and Mrs. Jones,’ was written by the legendary songwriting, and production duo of Leon Huff, and Kenny Gamble, who wrote the music, with the lyrics written by Cary ‘Hippy’ Gilbert, (1942-1993) (see also best songs 725) Huff and Gamble also produced the single, as well as the parent Album.

‘Me and Mrs. Jones’ is a romantic song that tugs at the heartstrings, so it is easy to forget that it’s subject is actually adultery, and although the narrator is cheating on someone, Billy Paul’s heartfelt delivery makes you feel sorry for the adulterers. Kenny Gamble has explained how he and Leon Huff got the idea for ‘Me and Mrs Jones,’ after several visits to a little bar downstairs in the Schubert Building, which was where their record company ‘Philadelphia International Records’ was located. Kenny Gamble has said, ‘This guy used to come into the bar every day, a little guy that looked like a judge. We’re songwriters, so we’re always thinking about a song. The next day he came in again, and every day after he’d come in, this girl would come in 10-15 minutes after he’d get there, and they’d sit in the same booth, then go to the jukebox, and play the same songs. We said, ‘That’s me and Mrs. Jones.’ Then, when they’d get ready to leave, he would go his way and she would go hers. It could have been his daughter, his niece, anybody, but we created a story that there was some kind of romantic connection between these people, so we went upstairs to our office and wrote the song.’

Billy Paul would probably have been an even bigger star had he just stuck to singing love songs, but although he has been critically acclaimed for his pro ‘Black Power’ political songs, such as ‘Am I Black Enough for You? and ‘Let Em In,’ these tracks didn’t find favour at the time with mainstream radio, and goes someway to explaining why he failed to come anywhere near matching the success of ‘Me and Mrs. Jones’ again. Perhaps the greatest tribute to Billy Paul came from Stevie Wonder who called him,’One of the criminally unmentioned proprietors of socially conscious post-revolution ’60’s Civil Rights’ music.’ After Billy Paul’s death in 2016, Leon Huff and Kenny Gamble released a statement saying,’Our proudest moment with Billy was the recording of the salacious smash ‘Me and Mrs. Jones.’ In our view, it is one of the greatest love songs ever recorded. Billy was one of the first artists to help launch the ‘PIR/TSOP’ brand, and he will forever have a special place in music history.’

‘We meet every day at the same cafe, six-thirty, and no one knows she’ll be there. Holding hands, making all kinds of plans, while the jukebox plays our favourite songs.’