Inside MusiCast 'Pick Of The Day': "Me And Mrs. Jones", by Billy Paul

Inside MusiCast 'Pick Of The Day': "Me And Mrs. Jones", by Billy Paul. Selected by Kim Reilly

"Me and Mrs. Jones" is a 1972 soul song written by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Carey Gilbert, and originally recorded by Billy Paul (December 1, 1934 – April 24, 2016) It describes an extramarital affair between a man and his lover, Mrs. Jones. In the song, the two meet in secret "every day at the same cafe", where they hold hands and talk. The two are caught in a quandary: "we both know that it's wrong/but it's much too strong/to let it go now".

Billy Paul performed the song as if it was written for him, which it probably was. A native of Philadelphia, he had been a presence on the local music scene since he was 11, but he never had a national hit during the '50s and '60s. As a matter of fact, "Me and Mrs. Jones" was his first hit single, reaching number one on the pop and R&B charts late in 1972 -- just a month shy of Paul's 38th birthday. His long journey to the top of the charts had a wonderful side effect -- his added age and experience surged through his passionate performance, giving the love-struck ballad the anguish it needed. In his hands, it was truly a tale of marital infidelity -- Paul is overcome with guilt, since he and Mrs. Jones "both know it's wrong" for them to be in love, but they just can't help themselves. As a producer, Gamble gave Paul the perfect musical backdrop -- a soft, almost sinfully lush blend of strings, guitars, and vocal harmonies. It was a perfect realization of the song and it remained a popular favorite for years, enticing other artists to record it as well. Since the song itself is quite strong, versions from the Dramatics, Freddie Jackson, Buddy Greco, and Three Degrees weather pretty well, but Billy Paul's recording remains definitive, thanks to Gamble's production and Paul's incredible, emotional vocal performance.

– Kim Reilly, IMC Correspondent