Billy Paul "Me And Mrs Jones: The Anthology" 2CD set (SoulMusic UK) 04/12/2019

Description
SoulMusic Records is very proud to present “Me & Mrs Jones,” a 31-track 2-CD retrospective saluting the artistry of distinctive soul’n’ jazz song stylist Billy Paul, spanning ten studio albums he recorded between 1969-1985.

Philadephia-born Billy developed his unique style as a jazz vocalist in the late ‘50s, performing at local venues on a regular basis, cutting his first full album in 1967 which was released the following year by emergent-producer Kenny Gamble on his newly-formed Gamble Records label. In 1971, with the creation of Philadelphia International Records, Billy became one of the label’s flagship artists with eight studio and one live album released between 1971-1979.

Named after his 1972 Grammy-winning global hit, “Me & Mrs. Jones,” this anthology features all of Billy’s thirteen US charted singles for PIR including ‘Thanks For Saving My Life’ and ‘Am I Black Enough For You’ as well as ‘You’re My Sweetness’ [[from a 1979 “Best Of Billy Paul” collection) and “New Day, New World Comin’” [[from 1977’s PIR album, “Let’s Clean Up The Ghetto”); plus three tracks from Billy’s 1985 “Total Experience” LP.

While known as a primo balladeer with his rich baritone style – evident on key cuts on Disc Two such as ‘When Love Is New’, ‘This Is Your Life’, ‘I Was Married’ and ‘I Think I’ll Stay Home Today’. Billy’s powerful stance as key 70s message music purveyor is in full evidence on Disc One, focusing on uptempo cuts such as ‘The Whole Town’s Talking’, Billy’s funky take on Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ and a standout version of the Paul McCartney/Wings hit, ‘Let ‘Em In’.

In a personal reflections commentary, SoulMusic Records founder David Nathan notes that in sequencing Disc One, he became aware of the timeless and timely lyrical messages in many of Billy’s ‘70s recordings featured here, including ‘False Faces’, ‘Let The Dollar Circulate’, and ‘We All Got A Mission’.

Liner notes by renowned US writer Kevin Goins include quotes from Dexter Wansel; plus first class artwork from Roger Williams and remastering from Nick Robbins.

Tracklist
[CD1: People Power]
1. Your Song
2. Am I Black Enough For You
3. Brown Baby
4. The Whole Town’s Talking
5. Thanks For Saving My Life
6. Only The Strong Survive
7. How Good Is Your Game
8. Be Truthful To Me
9. False Faces
10. People Power
11. Let The Dollar Circulate
12. Bring The Family Back
13. Let ‘Em In
14. America [[We Need The Light)
15. We All Got A Mission
16. New Day, New World Comin’

[CD2: You’re My Sweetness]
1. This Is Your Life
2. Ebony Woman
3. Let’s Fall In Love All Over Again
4. Me And Mrs. Jones
5. It’s Too Late
6. I Was Married
7. When Love Is New
8. You’re My Sweetness
9. Let’s Make A Baby
10. Billy’s Back Home
11. I Think I’ll Stay Home Today
12. I Trust You
13. Lately
14. Let Me In
15. Sexual Therapy
Amazon USA
Available for pre-order soon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NRKM31W/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NRKM31W/?tag=imwan-21

I look forward. The great unwashed may consider Billy Paul a one-hit wonder, but in reality is a great album artist and is in constant deserve as such. And - a great singer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Motown Eddie

Description
SoulMusic Records is very proud to present “Me & Mrs Jones,” a 31-track 2-CD retrospective saluting the artistry of distinctive soul’n’ jazz song stylist Billy Paul, spanning ten studio albums he recorded between 1969-1985.

Philadephia-born Billy developed his unique style as a jazz vocalist in the late ‘50s, performing at local venues on a regular basis, cutting his first full album in 1967 which was released the following year by emergent-producer Kenny Gamble on his newly-formed Gamble Records label. In 1971, with the creation of Philadelphia International Records, Billy became one of the label’s flagship artists with eight studio and one live album released between 1971-1979.

Named after his 1972 Grammy-winning global hit, “Me & Mrs. Jones,” this anthology features all of Billy’s thirteen US charted singles for PIR including ‘Thanks For Saving My Life’ and ‘Am I Black Enough For You’ as well as ‘You’re My Sweetness’ [[from a 1979 “Best Of Billy Paul” collection) and “New Day, New World Comin’” [[from 1977’s PIR album, “Let’s Clean Up The Ghetto”); plus three tracks from Billy’s 1985 “Total Experience” LP.

While known as a primo balladeer with his rich baritone style – evident on key cuts on Disc Two such as ‘When Love Is New’, ‘This Is Your Life’, ‘I Was Married’ and ‘I Think I’ll Stay Home Today’. Billy’s powerful stance as key 70s message music purveyor is in full evidence on Disc One, focusing on uptempo cuts such as ‘The Whole Town’s Talking’, Billy’s funky take on Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ and a standout version of the Paul McCartney/Wings hit, ‘Let ‘Em In’.

In a personal reflections commentary, SoulMusic Records founder David Nathan notes that in sequencing Disc One, he became aware of the timeless and timely lyrical messages in many of Billy’s ‘70s recordings featured here, including ‘False Faces’, ‘Let The Dollar Circulate’, and ‘We All Got A Mission’.

Liner notes by renowned US writer Kevin Goins include quotes from Dexter Wansel; plus first class artwork from Roger Williams and remastering from Nick Robbins.

Tracklist
[CD1: People Power]
1. Your Song
2. Am I Black Enough For You
3. Brown Baby
4. The Whole Town’s Talking
5. Thanks For Saving My Life
6. Only The Strong Survive
7. How Good Is Your Game
8. Be Truthful To Me
9. False Faces
10. People Power
11. Let The Dollar Circulate
12. Bring The Family Back
13. Let ‘Em In
14. America [[We Need The Light)
15. We All Got A Mission
16. New Day, New World Comin’

[CD2: You’re My Sweetness]
1. This Is Your Life
2. Ebony Woman
3. Let’s Fall In Love All Over Again
4. Me And Mrs. Jones
5. It’s Too Late
6. I Was Married
7. When Love Is New
8. You’re My Sweetness
9. Let’s Make A Baby
10. Billy’s Back Home
11. I Think I’ll Stay Home Today
12. I Trust You
13. Lately
14. Let Me In
15. Sexual Therapy
Amazon USA
Available for pre-order soon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NRKM31W/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NRKM31W/?tag=imwan-21

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This is long overdue. It was me who suggested the idea to David Nathan last year. It has been a long time coming, and i hope it will introduce Billy to an audience who previously knew him for Me and Mrs Jones and very little else. I am very happy with this compilation.

11. I Think I’ll Stay Home Today
One of my alltime Billy favorites with the long outro! :)

"Let 'Em In" is one of my Billy favourites!!!! Closely followed by "Only The Strong Survive" :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

"Let 'Em In" is one of my Billy favourites!!!! Closely followed by "Only The Strong Survive" :D

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Billy was great at putting his own stamp on classic songs. I also love his version of Elton's "your song".

I remeber how I was fallin' in love instantly when heard for the first time the spanish guitar intro on "How Good Is Your Game" [[from "Let 'Em In" LP) and with the gem "Where I Belong" from his next album "Only The Strong Survive" that sounds a little like a "bolero"... how Billy Paul's music influeced my musical taste on my teens in the 70's [[Billy, O'Jays, Dramatics, Chi-lites,...! "those were the days" as sang Mary Hopkin...)

A few of my favorite Billy Paul songs are "War of the Gods," "This is my Song," "Am I Black Enough," "Let 'Em In" and "Thanks for saving my life."