Earlier this year, I wrote about a favorite artist of mine, Steve Winwood. He stands out vocally and as a musician over many years. The key point of the article was that four of his classic rock songs came with four different acts. That's not unique, but it is still quite an achievement.
Then, listening to another artist I respect and admire, Paul Carrack. He too, like Winwood, has a remarkable voice. I realised he had a very similar success on his musical CV too. He had four hit songs that he took the vocal lead on with four separate acts. Carrick also featured musically in a comprehensive range of other artists' work.
Apart from his super singing voice, it’s amazing how often Carrack appears on other artists’ work. I’ll come on to that aspect of his career. But first, let’s headline those four great hit songs.
Four classic rock songs featuring Paul Carrack on vocals
Ace - “How Long”
This hit song from 1974 was my first introduction to Carrack’s voice. I suspect that will be the case for many people. “How Long” was the debut single for Ace and was taken from their first album, Five a Side. I recall liking it so much I bought the album, probably my first ever on cassette tapes rather than vinyl. Though I have no recollection of why I chose the tape format after all this time.
Many will know that the story behind the song isn’t an illicit love affair, despite the lyrics leading that way. Carrack wrote it about the Ace bassist Terry “Tex” Comer, who had been working with another band, unknown to Carrack and the rest of Ace. Whatever the story, the song works perfectly.
Carrack’s voice hits all the right notes, and it remains a popular and respected hit. The album was pretty good too!
Squeeze - “Tempted”
This is one of those facts that, again, many will know, though it may take some others by surprise. Squeeze’s big 1981 hit “Tempted” was sung by Carrack. He often worked on other artists' albums, offering backing vocals and keyboards. He’d taken over keyboards from Jools Holland for Squeeze, who were recording their fourth album, East Side Story.
In some downtime, a slower, soulful version of the song emerged. Producer Elvis Costello loved the sound and immediately set Carrack on the vocals. It was that version that made it to the album and became a huge hit for the band. It’s a great example of Carrack’s powerful, smooth voice.
Mike + The Mechanics - “The Living Years”
Maybe this is another eye-opener for a few. The classic 1988 hit for the offshoot band Mike + The Mechanics, led by Genesis star Mike Rutherford. Carrack took lead vocals as usual for the band on this poignant hit, and it made it big time.
Also of note is that keyboards were provided by BA Robertson, who had a few bits of his own. And Paul Young, another superb singer, provided backing vocals.
Robertson and Rutherford wrote the song reflecting on having lost their fathers around the same time in their lives. Carrack revealed he was quite young when his father died. It all adds to a heartfelt song about those past relationships and missed opportunities. A soulful, somewhat melancholy, but excellent performance from Carrack.
Paul Carrack - "Don't Shed a Tear"
Carrack released “Don’t Shed a Tear” in 1987 as a solo single from his third album, One Good Reason. The album didn't go down too well at all. The single did much better. A pacier and more upbeat song than the three hits above. That proved to be no bad thing, giving the singer his biggest solo chart success.
Paul Carrack - An under the radar star
There is a lesson in there somewhere. Carrack has released 20 solo studio albums and several live records too. Few have been a huge chart success. A number 25 slot in the UK charts in 2016 was a peak.
His top work and biggest successes have come from his work as part of a band or collaborating with others. The song examples above illustrate aspects of that. He has been very much in demand. Before he joined Squeeze, Carrack had been working with Roxy Music, where he played on three albums. He has toured with Eric Clapton and as part of Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band.
Roger Waters picked him out to sing the lead on “Hey You” during the historic The Wall - Live in Berlin 1990 concert. Waters also had Carrack on keyboards for his Radio K.A.O.S album. There was also a role on The Smiths' debut album, work for Elton John, and The Pretenders. Plus a whole lot more, often unseen or under the radar of many listeners.
He’s still working hard. Carrack has been playing live over the summer. He heads out next month on a European tour for a new country album released recently. There may not be any big hit singles anymore, but you can't keep a good man with a great voice down.
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