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Our Top 10 Paul Davis Songs list will look at the late singer and songwriter. He recorded soul, country and pop music. His biggest hit singles were “I Go Crazy,” “’65 Love Affair” and “Cool Night.” He had two number one country hits with Marie Osmond and Tanya Tucker. The hit he had with Marie Osmond was “You’re Still New to Me.” The hit he had with Tanya Tucker was “I Won’t Take Less Than Your Love.” “I Go Crazy” held the record for one of the longest chart runs on Billboard Hot 100. “65 Love Affair was his highest charting single. His other hits include “Sweet Life,” “Do Right,” “Keep Our Love Alive,” “Darlin’,” “Keep Our Love Alive,” as well as others.
Paul Lavon Davis was born on April 21, 1948 – April 22, 2008. He wasn’t always a solo artist. He was a member of the groups Six Soul Survivors and Endless Chain. He was a writer for Malaco Records. Ilene Berns signed him to Bang Records. He released the cover single “A Little Bit of Soap” which peaked at 52 on Hot 100. He released his debut album A Little Bit of Paul Davis in 1970. It features the singles “A Little Bit of Soap,” “I Just Wanna Keep It Together,” “Supernatural Power” and “Three Little Words.” He released his self-titled album in 1972. It features the singles “One Night Lovers,” “Let Me Be the One” and “Love Don’t Come Easy.”
Ride ‘Ewboy was released in 1974. The album peaked at number 148 on Billboard 200 and number 19 on the country charts. It features the singles “You’re Not Just a Rose,” “Midnight Woman,” “The Simple Country Life” and “Make Her My Baby.” Southern Tracks & Fantasies was released in 1976. It features the singles “Thinking of You,” “Editorial,” “Karma Baby” and “Can’t Get Her Off My Mind.” Singer of Songs: Teller of Tales was released in 1977.
The album peaked at number 82 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “I Go Crazy,” “Sweet Life,” “Darlin’” and “I Never Heard the Song at All.” He released another self-titled album in 1980. The album peaked at number 173 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Do Right,” “Cry Just a Little,” “He Sang Our Love Songs” and “All the Way.” Cool Night was released in November 1981. The album peaked at number 52 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Cool Night,” “’65 Love Affair,” “Love or Let Me Be Lonely,” “Nathan Jones” and “One More Time for the Lonely.”
Paul Davis was a talented singer and songwriter who left us too soon. His legacy will live on through his music. Our Top 10 Paul Davis Songs list will give us an opportunity to honor the artist and his incredible music.
# 10 – A Little Bit of Soap
The 10th song on our Top 10 Paul Davis Songs list is “A Little Bit of Soap” from the A Little Bit of Paul Davis album. “A Little Bit of Soap” was released in March 1970. This is a heartbreaking tale about the pain caused by a lost love. Everything can be washed away except emotional pain. Our narrator believes that hurt will always remain. He has reminders of the woman he loves around him.
The reminders he has can be washed away with soap. Unfortunately, he still has the memories and the emotions that are attached to the woman he lost. Soap will never be able to erase the pain that is in his heart. He spent years alone trying to get over the woman he lost. Soap can’t take away the hurt he feels whenever he thinks about her. He believes when love dies, it causes you to cry every day. Her memory will stay in his mind forever. He will never forget her name. He will call out to her when he is lonely.
This is a story about a man who has trouble moving on with his life. If you have lost someone, this song will touch your heart. This is a cover of The Jarmels’ hit song. The lyrics are universal because they could refer to a breakup or someone passing away. People are emotional with either situation. It is up to you to interpret the lyrics the way you see fit.
Paul Davis’s version is different from The Jarmels’ version. The Jarmels’ version is doo-wop while Paul Davis’ version sounds like soft rock. The original version sounds upbeat. Paul Davis’ instrumentation fits more for the theme of the song. His interpretation is mournful. Paul Davis did a seamless job with this song. He made it his own while honoring the original. Paul Davis’ version is just as good as the original version. You can listen to both songs and will be in for a treat.
# 9 – Cry Just a Little
The ninth song on our Top 10 Paul Davis Songs list is “Cry Just a Little” from the self-titled album. “Cry Just a Little” was released in June 1980. This song is about a man who thinks about a past relationship. He wants to get the love he lost back in his life. He wonders if she ever dreams about the time they were together. Does she dream about times when they were happy. He feels like the magic of yesterday is slipping away. He wants her to know that he cries a little each day because he still loves her.
He will always love her and he will remember the times they had together. In the next verse, he goes down memory lane. He lets the listeners know about the good times they had together. He is heartbroken because the song he sings to her turns her away. He couldn’t believe she became a stranger overnight. He couldn’t believe he was blinded by love. The chorus stresses the pain he feels over losing her love. He thought their love would last forever.
This song tells a story about losing the person you love. He thinks about the good times and it makes him sad to think that they won’t happen again. Anyone who has lost a love will understand where he is coming from with this song. The lyrics are an honest portrayal of a man with a broken heart. This is a song anyone can relate to. The melody is mournful. The melody stresses the sadness of the song. This is the right instrumentation for the touching song.
The listener will feel something listening to the moving lyrics. Paul Davis allows himself to be vulnerable in the song. He sounds like someone who is missing the love of his life. He sings with the emotion needed to convey the message of losing someone he loved. His sweet tenor voice may bring a tear to your eye while he is serenading you with his story. You might want to have a tissue nearby while you are listening to the track.
# 8 – Keep Our Love Alive
The eighth song on our Top 10 Paul Davis Songs list is “Keep Our Love Alive” is a non-album single. “Keep Our Love Alive” was released in May 1975. This song is about people who found each other after dealing with disappointment. The song opens with our narrator feeling like he was ready to give up on love. His luck changed when she walked into his life. She gave him the hope and strength he thought he had lost.
She is everything he ever wanted in a woman. He promises to love her until he dies. As the song progresses, it takes an intimate side. The narrator talks about the physical side of the relationship. He enjoys making love to her. She is a bright light in his life. He wants to make sure that there will never be a cloudy day again. He will do everything possible to keep their love alive. He never wants their love to die. For him to keep living, their love can never die.
This song talks about finding love when you least expect it. The song gives you hope that it is never too late to find love. Paul Davis talks about the power of love. Love will bring you joy and laughter. If you have given up on love, this song will let you know that you can still have love. The music has a soft rock sound. It sounds like something that would be played on lite radio.
The music starts softly and then picks up speed before the chorus. Paul Davis sounds different in this song. He sings the verses in a deeper pitch. His octave goes up in the chorus. The different vocal changes give us a chance to appreciate both pitches. The background singers do a great job supporting Paul Davis. Their voices were made to sing with each other.
# 7 – Darlin’ ft. Susan Collins
The seventh song on our list is “Darlin’” from the Singer of Songs: Teller of Tales album. “Darlin’” was released in March 1978. This is our only duet on the list. It is also another cover song on our list. This is a cover of the Beach Boys’ song. Paul Davis was a talented writer on his own. He was also talented at interpreting other people’s songs and making them his own.
This song expresses his love for the lady in his life. He is not sure how to put his feelings into words, but he wants to let her know how he feels about her. She is the most important person in his life. He thinks about her every day. He wants to let her know how much she means to him. He feels like they are meant to be together. He plans to hold her in his heart for the rest of his life. In the next verse, our narrator talks about being half a man before she came along. He didn’t think he could love anymore. Now that he has her in his life, he is free to love. She picks him up when he is feeling down. He plans to love her every night.
This romantic song tells a story about a man in love. It is a sweet declaration of love. He can’t put his feelings into words, but he can show her in action. She gave him a reason to love again. This is a song that anyone in love can relate to. Everyone wants to feel alive when they are with the person they love. Paul Davis turned The Beach Boys’ song into a duet. Paul Davis changed the melody of the song.
His version has more instrumentation than the original. His version sounds like a 70s soul and rock song while The Beach Boys sounds like a mix of doo-wop and rock. Paul Davis and Susan Collins do a wonderful job with this cover. They made it their own. Their vocals are heartfelt and emotional. Their voices blend well together. They give each other room to shine on this song. This is another cover song that is just as good as the original version.
# 6 – Thinking of You
“Thinking of You” is from the Southern Tracks & Fantasies album. “Thinking of You” was released in March 1976. The song is about a man who is lonely because he isn’t with the person he loves. Our narrator laments about the difficult times he is facing when he is away from the person he loves. He gets a letter from the woman he loves and it makes him feel better. He was surprised that she knew he was feeling blue. The letter has a positive effect on our narrator. The letter makes him feel happy. Her presence makes him feel alive even though she is not there with him. The letter she gives him helps him feel more optimistic about being alone.
The second verse goes into more detail about his life. He is in California and believes that everything will be great. He finds out the hard way all that glitters isn’t gold. You must fight for fame and fortune. He sees promises being broken. He wishes he could have stayed with her. He is dealing with hard times, so he appreciates her kind words. He is grateful to hear someone tell him the truth. He felt her spirit and it made him feel better. He wondered how she knew he was dreaming of her.
This song tells a story about love making you feel better. Love can get you through almost everything. In our narrator’s case, he was dealing with being too far away from the person he loves. He missed her and she wanted to give him something to put a smile on his face. Anyone who is in a long-distance relationship knows exactly what he means in this song.
It is hard to be away from someone you love and Paul Davis captures that feeling effortlessly. He sang an honest portrayal of a man missing the woman he loves. If you don’t have love in your life, you can still feel something when you listen to the lyrics. The upbeat music keeps the song from being depressing. The song will give you hope that someone will do the same for you. Paul Davis’ vocals are exquisite. He sounds heartfelt as he talks about the woman he loves. His harmonies are excellent. His vocals are stacked in the chorus which was a nice touch.
# 5 – Do Right
The next song on our Top 10 Paul Davis Songs list is “Do Right” from the self-titled album. “Do Right” was released in March 1980. The song is about believing in faith. This song is about a man who wants to live a righteous life. He knows Jesus gave his life for him, so he wants to do the right thing. He never dreamed he would be holding the woman of his dreams. He credits Jesus for making his dream a reality.
He wants to do the right thing because he was blessed. In the next verse, our narrator encourages listeners to do the right thing. If you do the right thing, He will be your guiding light. Our narrator didn’t think love was a serious thing. He thought love was just a game. He sees love differently now that he has found it. He wants to keep living the way he has been living. He doesn’t want to do anything to ruin what was done for him.
This is a spiritual song about living your life the right way. It encourages listeners to seek guidance from a higher power. Paul Davis believes it is better to live a righteous life because you will be blessed. This song has a positive message about doing the right thing. It is comforting to know that doing the right thing will bless you in the end. It is a good message without being preachy. This is a message for people of all ages. This is a gentile song that is an homage to Christianity.
This song is different from the other songs on our list. Paul Davis mentions love in the song, but he doesn’t talk about spirituality and religion. It gave him a chance to do something different. He proved that he could talk about different things and be just as convincing as he is in his other songs. You don’t have to be religious to get something from it. This is a timely song that will affect people in different ways.
# 4 – Sweet Life
“Sweet Life” is from the Singer of Songs: Teller of Tales album. “Sweet Life” was released in August 2008. The song is about a couple and the sweet life they have. He talks about their child having both of their features. He enjoys watching his daughter grow. His heart is filled with joy at the idea of just watching her. They had dreams of living in a bigger house, but they are happy with the one they have. When he and his wife argue, they find their way back to each other. They want to take things slow even though they live in a fast-paced world. He loves their sweet life because it is filled with love. They can make their dreams come true.
In the next verse, he talks about the importance of love and family. He feels like love is more important than money. They are okay with being poor if they have each other. Our narrator and his wife are not concerned with material things when they hold each other. Their friends are anxious to reach their goals, but the narrator is willing to take his time to enjoy his life. The couple wants to live one moment at a time. The chorus talks about the couple having a great life and making their dreams come true together.
This is a sweet song about a couple enjoying their lives together. He tells a story about them being okay without having luxuries. They feel like love is more important than money. This song will open your eyes to what really matters in life. It has a positive message about love. It may make you examine your own relationship and what you value about it. Paul Davis wrote an extraordinary love song. There aren’t too many love songs where people enjoy the simple things in life. Most singers boast about the luxuries they have. It is refreshing to hear a song about someone appreciating the simple things in life. The music is soft and romantic which will allow you to slow dance with the one you love. Paul Davis’ vocals are phenomenal. His vocals are bright and cheerful. You can tell he is full of love as he sings the lyrics.
# 3 – ’65 Love Affair
Coming in at number three on our list is “’65 Love Affair” from the Cool Night album. “’65 Love Affair” was released in February 1982. The song is about a past love affair. They were from two different worlds. They didn’t care because they enjoyed being around each other. They wish they could go back to the time when they were together.
The second verse talks about the time when they were in school together. He felt like he was a dummy and she was bad with her pom-poms. She was a bad cheerleader. He wishes he could go back in time so they could be together again. He wouldn’t act the way he did when they were together. He wants to go back to a simpler time. In the next verse, he talks about when he wanted to get intimate with her at the drive-in. She wasn’t ready for that commitment. He respected the changes she put him through.
This song is a nostalgic look at a high school romance. The relationship didn’t work but he wishes he could go back in time to be with her. It was a simpler time for him and he misses the life he had when he was in school. He didn’t have the responsibilities he had when he was an adult. He is talking about what most of us would want. Most of us would want to go back to a simpler time when we didn’t have a care in the world.
Paul Davis uses a retro style to tell the story. The song came out in the 80s, but it has an old school sound. Paul Davis uses doo-wop for the music. Here is some trivia about the song. Paul Davis didn’t like this song. He wanted to stop recording music after he did this song. We think he was too hard on himself because this song is amazing. It is light and fun and will give you a nostalgic feeling about a happier time in life.
# 2 – Cool Night
“Cool Night” is from the album of the same name. “Cool Night” was released in October 1981. This ponderable song is about life. Our narrator wonders why flowers must die. He dreams about the woman he loves and he realizes summer has come and gone. He feels as if the nights are too long. He wants her to come over to his place. He wants to seek solace in the moment even though he knows it won’t last forever.
He wants her to bring back good memories. He wants to think about when they were good together. In verse two, he doesn’t want to talk about the past. He doesn’t want to think about love lasting forever. He doesn’t want her to make any plans. He wants her to come over. The narrator gets hopeful that they can be together. He knows love won’t last forever, but he wants to feel joy in the moment.
This song is a ballad about a lonely man who yearns to be with his lover. The lyrics are simple but powerful. He misses his former lover and wants her to be in his life. Paul Davis uses metaphors to describe the emptiness and loneliness he feels inside. The lyrics capture the meaning behind a man who is lost without the love of his life. He wants to find his way back to her.
This song may ring true for you if you have been missing the one who got away. “Cool Night” is a powerful song that talks about how vital love is in our lives. Paul Davis captured the pain and sorrow of losing a lover effortlessly. He was a brilliant songwriter who knew how to talk about losing love without sounding depressing. The comforting music is soothing. Paul Davis’ vocals are peaceful and blend with the music. The music and lyrics flow naturally.
# 1 – I Go Crazy
The number one song on our Top 10 Paul Davis Songs list is “I Go Crazy” from the Singer of Songs: Teller of Tales album. “I Go Crazy” was released in June 1977. This song is about a man who meets with an old girlfriend. They have moved on with their lives. He thought he was done with her until he saw her again. As soon as he saw her, his feelings returned. His feelings are making him go crazy. He doesn’t act on his feelings, but he realizes he is not over her. He thought he was in a place where he could love and laugh again, but that changed the minute he saw her. She sparked something in him that he thought was gone for good.
He goes crazy when he looks in her eyes. He realizes he still has a deep connection with her. She is with someone else and he realizes that her new man satisfies her mind. He remembers how important that is to her. He can’t let go of his feelings for her. Her new guy talks to her about his dreams. Our narrator knows how much that means to her. The narrator realizes he was blind to her feelings. He thought he was over her, but he realizes that he wasn’t.
“I Go Crazy” talks about love and how it can take over your heart. He talks about feeling lost without her. He thought he was over her, but he still has feelings for her. If you are still in love with an ex, you will know what the narrator is talking about in the song. The lyrics are emotional and may have you in your feelings. The lyrics may remind you of the one who got away. Paul Davis wrote incredible lyrics about rekindling old feelings. He wrote this song based on a personal experience, so it made the lyrics sound more authentic.
The somber music is the perfect background for the lyrics. The piano and strings sound amazing in this song. Paul Davis’ vocals are soft and soothing. He doesn’t use vocal gymnastics in this song. He keeps the song simple and understated. He made an excellent move because the song is more powerful because he kept it subtle. He is feeling every word he is saying. Listening to this song makes you realize the world lost a brilliant singer and songwriter.
Top 10 Paul Davis Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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