This week in 1985, “Everytime You Go Away” (video up top) by by the English singer Paul Young reached Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100”. The song was the third single from Young’s second studio album, The Secret of Association. It was Young’s only Number One on the “Hot 100”.
“Everytime You Go Away” was written byDaryl Hall, and was an album track on the 1980 Hall and Oates album, Voices, and wasn’t released as a single. Hall & Oates also recorded it for their 1985 concert album, Live at the Apollo.
I well remember this version of the song, and I thought it was a good pop song. However, at the time, I didn’t know it as originally a Hall and Oates song, thought that wasn’t unusual for me any more than it might be for anyone at any given time. I was aware of three of the singles from their Voices album, but I didn’t own it, and wasn’t exactly a fan of them, though I didn’t dislike them, either.
I was also aware of other Paul Young songs, if for no other reason than he was the first singer on Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, a song I talked about late last last year. I also know his 1982 cover of “Love of the Common People”, and also his 1983 cover of Marvin Gaye’s, “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)”, however, neither song was a hit in the USA, where I was living in 1982 and 83, so it’s possible I didn’t hear one or both until I moved to New Zealand. At this point in my life, my personal pop culture history—and so, my memory of pop culture and me—is a bit muddled and all mooshed together. At any rate, I like those songs well enough, too.
Similarly, I liked this week’s song well enough, too. It’s slow, easy pace, and the fact its pitch and key were all in my range meant I could/did/still do sing along with it. So, that’s something, I guess.
Paul Young’s cover of “Everytime You Go Away” reached Number 20 in Australia, Number One in Canada (Gold), Number 1 in the UK (Silver), and Number One on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 100” and “Adult Contemporary” charts, and Number 14 on their “Mainstream Rock” chart. It was also Number One on the Cash Box “Top 100” Chart. The song The song was certified Gold in the USA. The song didn’t chart in New Zealand.
The album The Secret of Association reached Number 6 in Australia (Platinum), Number 4 in Canada (2x Platinum), Number 3 in New Zealand (Platinum), Number One in the UK (2x Platinum), and Number 19 on the USA’s Billboard “Hot 200” chart. The album was certified Gold in the USA.
This series will return next week, August 3, with the song that hit Number One that week in 1985.
Previously in the “Weekend Diversion – 1985” series:
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 1 – February 2, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 2 – February 16, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 3 – March 12, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 4 – March 30, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 5 – April 13, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 6 – May 11, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 7 – May 18, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 8 – June 1, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 9 – June 8, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 10 – June 22, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 11 – July 6, 2025
Weekend Diversion: 1985, Part 12 – July 13, 2025
2 comments:
I LOVE THIS SONG. I had heard the H&O version but this is better. My local (ALB) radio station actually played Wherever I Lay My Hat (#70) and Common People (#45), as well as come Back and Stay (#22), and I liked them all.
Honestly, of all the people I know, the fact that you knew and liked all those songs doesn't surprise me at all. We have a lot of overlap in pop music.
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