Here Williams came into his own, writing the bulk of his material single-handedly. Just an Old Fashioned Love Song boasts "We've Only Just Begun" -- one of his signature compositions -- and finds him in wistful, melancholic form. The uncluttered arrangements, and the fact that Williams has learned to use his voice for emotional effect, make his second album a comparative success.
While it's not really right to assess him in singer/songwriterly terms (he never played piano, guitar, or indeed any instrument, and is more accurately termed an easy listening tunesmith), Just an Old Fashioned Love Song is a worthy addition to the genre. "Waking Up Alone," "A Perfect Love," and "Gone Forever" form a touching triptych of moving, and surprisingly subtle, love-gone-wrong songs. Each adequately displays Williams' growth as both a performer and composer.
by Charles Donovan
Tracks
1. Waking Up Alone - 3:41
2. I Never Had It So Good (Paul Williams, Roger Nichols) - 4:36
3. We've Only Just Begun (Paul Williams, Roger Nichols) - 3:25
4. That's Enough For Me - 5:20
5. A Perfect Love - 2:27
6. An Old Fashioned Love Song - 3:12
7. Let Me Be The One (Paul Williams, Roger Nichols) - 3:00
8. Simple Man (Graham Nash) - 2:14
9. When I Was All Alone - 3:53
10.My Love And I - 3:34
11.Gone Forever - 4:11
Lyrics and Music by Paul Williams except where noted
Musicians
*Paul Williams - Vocals
*Craig Doerge - Acoustic Piano, Electric Piano
*Leland Sklar - Bass Guitar
*Russ Kunkel - Drums, Congas, Tambourine
*David Spinozza - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
*Michael Utley - Organ
*Bobbye Hall Porter - Congas , Percussion
*Tom Scott - Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet
*Gene Cipriano - Oboe , Tenor Saxophone , Woodwinds
*Paul Shure - First Violin
*Marv Limonick - Second Violin
*Milt Thomas - Viola
*Edgar Lustgarten - Cello
*Joe Mondragon - Bass Guitar , Double Bass
*Dick Hyde - Tuba
*Jack Conrad - Bass
*Rick Marotta - Drums
*Teddy Boy Friesen, Daffy Jackson, The Hobbit - Kazoo
*Bob Brookmeyer - Trombone
*Al Aarons - Trumpet
Related Act