Remember that Odd Couple episode where Felix is driving his daughter batty and she is rebeling because she wants to go see her fave rock star. That rock star would be one Paul Williams. How cool is that? I think that would be a good enough reason to love Paul WIlliams and be so excited to be checking him out during his Cafe Carlyle Residency (I'm going on Wednesday, April 24th).
But that is hardly even the beginning. WIlliams played Swan and wrote the brilliant soundtrack to Brian De Palma's rock and roll "Phantom Of Paradise". You know it? Listen to the classic "Upholstery" ("Carburetors man, that's what life is all about"!), actually listen to any and all of this fabulous album in which he takes a musical theme and places it in different genres. Swan is one of the most truly truly evil characters of all time.
Had enough? Williams wrote "The Rainbow Connection for Kermit The Frog, "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days And Sundays" for the Carpenters. "An Old Fashioned Love Song" ("Coming down in three part harmony" of course) for Three Dog Night. There's more: "Evergreen", "You And Me Against The world"… remember, "Love, exciting and new…" "The Love Boat Theme" -he wrote that! I could go on but you get the idea, he is a must see indeed.
At 72 years old, he has a song on new Daft Punk album as well as a documentary, "Paul Williams Still Alive" which I just downloaded off ITunes for $5.99. The tix to Cafe Carlyle cost $65. He will be there April 23rd to May 4th and if you are serious about pop music you really have no choice so make sure you go.