Sounds of Philly Soul

This song about a forbidden love affair was written by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert, who helped to create that Philadelphia soul sound. Billy Paul recorded it, and released itin 1972 as a single backed with “Your Song” as well as on his 1972 album 360 Degrees of Billy Paul. “Me and Mrs. Jones” went to #1 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 and R&B chart. It rose to #12 in the U.K.

Billy Paul was born Paul Williams in Philadelphia in 1934. He was a jazz, R&B, and soul singer with a wide range in his vocal style: mellow, low, and expressive.  Billy Paul died of cancer on April 24, 2016, at the age of 81.

Here are the lyrics to “Me and Mrs. Jones” by Billy Paul:

Me and Mrs. Jones, we got a thing going on
We both know that it’s wrong
But it’s much too strong to let it go now

We meet every day at the same cafe
Six-thirty, I know I know she’ll be there
Holding hands, making all kinds of plans
While the jukebox plays our favorite song

Me and Mrs., Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones
We got a thing going on
We both know that it’s wrong
But it’s much too strong to let it go now

We gotta be extra careful
That we don’t build our hopes up too high
‘Cause she’s got her own obligations, and so and so do I

Me and Mrs., Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones
We got a thing going on
We both know that it’s wrong
But it’s much too strong to let it go now

Well, it’s time for us to be leaving
It hurts so much, it hurts so much inside
Now she’ll go her way and I’ll go mine
Tomorrow we’ll meet
The same place, the same time

Me and Mrs., Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones
We got a thing going on
We gotta be extra careful
We can’t afford to build our hopes up too high
I wanna meet and talk with you
At the same place, the same cafe, the same time
And we gonna hold hands like we used to
We gonna talk it over, talk it over
We know, they know, and you know what I know that it was wrong
But our thing is strong, we gotta let ’em know now
That we gotta thing going on, a thing going on

For More 70s Tunes

The System has daily featured music from all sorts of genres of 1970s music. You’re welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections in The System. Thank you for stopping by. Hope you enjoyed “Me and Mrs. Jones” by Billy Paul.