Let Em In (Let Em In, 1976)  This is sort of a mash-up before the age mash-ups – and arguably one of the most profound that’s existed. Take one of Paul McCartney’s most poignant post-Beatles songs and add horn stabs, strings and hard drums: what emerges is Billy Paul’s unapologetic spin on the sweet original. He takes a melodic number and transforms it into a battle-cry anchored by gutsy production. Malcolm X dialogue is sampled and references to slain civil rights hero Medgar Evers are heard, while jazz icon Louis Armstrong also gets referenced. At the song’s end, Billy’s voice raises to an apex sided with passages from Dr Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream speech. The outcome is both dramatic and effective, proving Billy can not only sing with gusto, but also completely alter a song’s narrative with heartfelt lyrical substitutions.  Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (Feelin’ Good at the Cadillac Club, 1968)  Perhaps no other song in Paul’s catalogue captures how emotive his voice can be. This one begins with a sparse arrangement, Paul sings a capella – whispering and crooning over a jagged bass line – until a piano emerges where we find him belting out lyrics, fluttering heavy over drums and a lively piano. It’s of course a cover of Bob Dylan’s 1962 masterpiece, yet Paul’s version – with its perky arrangement and vocal strength – almost renders Dylan’s original tepid. Despite its title, the album isn’t a live recording but rather represented Paul’s live show at the time (the Cadillac Club was a legendary venue in Philadelphia where a young Aretha Franklin worked). This was Paul’s stunning debut album, which became such a commodity that Philadelphia International Records reissued it in 1973. At the time, Paul was primarily a jazz vocalist, but this release certainly showed a burgeoning artist with more gifts than anyone had previously thought.  Thanks For Saving My Life (War of the Gods, 1973)  Related: Billy Paul, soul singer best known for Me and Mrs Jones, dies  Following War of the God’s 2012’s reissue, Paul referred to it as “the best album I’ve ever done in my life”. An exuberant standout, Thanks For Saving My Life – at just under three minutes – is short compared to some of his longer, more well known ballads. But this is his redemption song, a snappy tune where the vocals are both powerfully belted out (“I can’t live without you, baby!”) or subtly subdued (“Making me feel like I’m living again …”). Despite not being as lavish or orchestral as previous Gamble and Huff releases, it managed to reach No 37 on the top 40 pop hits chart and No 9 on the top 10 soul charts. It’s a more straightforward song off a heady, almost psychedelic soul album arranged by Booby Martin and Lenny Paluka. This is quintessential Paul, the ability to be pronounced without overstepping while pulling back when needed.  Am I Black Enough for You (360 Degrees of Billy Paul, 1972)  The Sound of Philadelphia was in full swing in the spring of 1973. Gamble and Huff had successfully built a studio and succinct work environment that mirrored Motown’s hit-making machine and Me and Mrs Jones had just been a juggernaut success for the imprint. Against the advice of the label’s top brass, Paul’s follow-up single would be Am I Black Enough for You, an in-your-face track that tested white radio’s patience with an onslaught of politically black anthems. It wasn’t sultry or catchy as Mrs Jones, but had snappy bongos and loud horns. Paul repeatedly sings “Am I black enough for you?” with lyrics including “Get in line, stop marching in time, you better make up your mind, we’re gonna leave you behind.” Though certainly a departure from his previous work – and one that many say sparked the end of Paul’s popularity – 30-plus years later the song and its release stands as an enormously brave artistic decision and one of Paul’s most enduring.  Me and Mrs Jones (360 Degrees of Billy Paul, 1972)  Not including Me and Mrs Jones is like excluding Sitting on the Dock of the Bay when writing about Otis Redding – perhaps it’s overplayed but nevertheless underscores his entire canon. It was Paul’s biggest commercial breakthrough and remains a beautifully sultry classic from the 70s. The single was an international hit (reached No 12 on the British charts in 1973) and sold over 2m copies in the US. It is the prefect example of when production aesthetics, storyline and vocal performances simply marry. In a year of hits, tours and many successes, Paul earned a Grammy for best male R&B vocal performance, beating out contemporaries Curtis Mayfield and Ray Charles in the process. Generations to come will always have “a thing going on with Mrs Jones”. It not only stands as his most recognizable song and biggest hit, but also perhaps his most striking, most cherished, and certainly most timeless.
From sampling Malcolm X and Martin Luther King to covering Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney, Billy Paul’s greatest moments were often his most unlikely