Wow, this “part two” took almost as long as “Mary Poppins Returns.” Back here, I started writing about the music of Paul Carrack, one of those singers who’s famous for not being more famous. He’s got a beautiful voice and still tours the UK, but doesn’t get the US name recognition of folks like Hall & Oates or Bill Withers.
After scoring radio hits as a member of Ace, Squeeze, and Mike + the Mechanics, Paul barely got into the Top 40 (#37) with a song recorded under his own name, 1982’s “I Need You.” Then, on the next album in 1987, the song “Don’t Shed a Tear” just exploded. It went to #9, stayed in the Top 40 for thirteen weeks, and got big play on MTV. It was co-written by Eddie Schwartz, who also wrote Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.” The 1987 production sound dates “Don’t Shed a Tear,” and Paul doesn’t look much like an MTV star in the video, but his voice makes the song into something special.