Just an Old Fashioned Love Song- (Paul Williams)

[Steven J. Gross]

by A&M's Paul Williams... Which version is better, his recording of it or the hit version by Three Dog Night?
I think they are both are great- but Paul Williams does it a little better.

 

[Dave]

by A&M's Paul Williams... Which version is better, his recording of it or the hit version by Three Dog Night?
I think they are both are great- but Paul Williams does it a little better.

There are TWO Versions Of This Song:

The "Ragtime" Version, done by Paul Williams, The Sandpipers and Andy Williams.

And The "Rock 'N' Roll" Version (featuring the Phased Guitar and Organ), done by Three Dog Night, The Lettermen and (Suprisingly!) The Ray Conniff Singers.

I like both versions, too! "Naturally", I heard Three Dog Night's version FIRST! When I saw Paul Williams in concert, he did his version after the Intermission (with his band in unison, introducing the song, singing the Refrain in A-Cappella at the beginning as Paul returned to the stage).

Back to Three Dog Night, I think I've only heard their version of "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)", which is a Randy Newman song. But I heard Newman's version in a movie (forgot Which One!) and at Kareoke!

Three Dog Night's version of "Out In The Country" and "Family Of Man" are what I mostly hear on the radio, but Williams does his own versions of those songs good, too!

Dave

 

[Steven J. Gross]

There are TWO Versions Of This Song:

The "Ragtime" Version, done by Paul Williams, The Sandpipers and Andy Williams.

And The "Rock 'N' Roll" Version (featuring the Phased Guitar and Organ), done by Three Dog Night, The Lettermen and (Suprisingly!) The Ray Conniff Singers.
Dave

Never realized that till you pointed it out- good observation Dave.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Three Dog Night's version of JAOFLS is better, but Paul Williams does a better take on "Out in the Country."

I think Williams album LIFE GOES ON is an underappreciated gem. Has a nice balance of uptempo and ballads. His first album was a bit too sappy -- had a lot of good songs but just too much balladry.

Also, he never should have cut the Carpenters hits. Even if he wrote the songs -- R&K nailed them to the wall and Paul's versions sound pathetic in comparison.

 

[Dave]

I'm looking forward to Paul Williams' Life Goes On, as our Album Of The Week. It is a lot more developed than his A&M debut and explains why after he didn't stay on Reprise, after his REAL 1st album, Someday Man.

The Carpenters really do Williams' compositions better; he may have thought so, as they (along with Three Dog Night) covered nearly EVERYTHING he did...

Another "(Just An) Old Fashioned Love Song", is an ORCHESTRATED one, by Percy Faith...MUZAK...!...that I really wasn't impressed with...!!

Dave

 

[bob knack]

What did you think of the BMB version?

 

[Steven J. Gross]

Now that you mention it Bob, I do like that version a lot.

 

[bob knack]

I always thought it was cool how they could break into a dixieland lick at any time, and they used it to good effect in that arrangement. A bright spot on an otherwise less than stellar album.

 

[Steven J. Gross]

I always thought it was cool how they could break into a dixieland lick at any time, and they used it to good effect in that arrangement. A bright spot on an otherwise less than stellar album.

true

 

[Dave]

Well, I didn't know about The Baja Marimba Band making a version of it... Is it on Bell? I guess their's is the "Ragtime" version, too, then, eh?

Counting "Rock" versions on One Hand, and...You get the idea...!

Dave

 

[Steven J. Gross]

Well, I didn't know about The Baja Marimba Band making a version of it... Is it on Bell?
Dave

Yes- It is from the Bell album: "The Baja Marimba Band's Back". Not stellar- but not a bad album.

 

[Dave]

There's a MUZAK version of what I thought WAS "(Just An) Old Fashioned Love Song", that I heard long ago at a store I used to work at...but thinking of it at work today, it was actually..."YOU'RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY"...!

Same Melody...I think! Paul Williams actually wrote it after being inspired by, the day after, of arriving at an old girlfriend's house for a first date...and listening to "An Old Love Song" playing on the radio, as he waited for her to get ready...

Dave

 

[Steven J. Gross]

There's a MUZAK version of what I thought WAS "(Just An) Old Fashioned Love Song", that I heard long ago at a store I used to work at...but thinking of it at work today, it was actually..."YOU'RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY"...!

Same Melody...I think! Paul Williams actually wrote it after being inspired by, the day after, of arriving at an old girlfriend's house for a first date...and listening to "An Old Love Song" playing on the radio, as he waited for her to get ready...

Dave

Dave- Thats wild- cause,
I'm a huge Blood Sweat and Tears fan, with and without Al Kooper. Al has a website where he will respond to all the fans. I dont recall exactly what I wrote, but I remember writing I liked his solo work and his Blood Sweat
and Tears stuff. I know he isn't wild about David Clayton Thomas (the BS&T lead singer after Al), but I brought up the song "Spinning Wheel" and how I thought "DC Thomas was pretty talented writing it".
He wrote back saying that Thomas took credit for the whole song, BUT Al said it was really a 20's or 30's 'standards type' melody called "Lucy's....(can't recall the full title)
I even told my Mom at the time and she knew the tune (Lucy's..) Maybe someone here is familiar with it.
It is exactly "Spinning Wheel" with different lyrics, perhaps was taken because of expired copyrights, etc., but your post really made me think of this!
If that computer had not crashed I would be able to quote him exactly- I may have a hard copy of his reponse somewhere, I'd like to find it!

 

[Steven J. Gross]

Same Melody...I think! Paul Williams actually wrote it after being inspired by, the day after, of arriving at an old girlfriend's house for a first date...and listening to "An Old Love Song" playing on the radio, as he waited for her to get ready...

Dave

You'll swear you've heard it before as it slowly rambles on and on....