Yes, I realize this is out of order. I’ve been going back and doing some re-rating.

In the case of Paul Davis’s “Cool Night”, here was a song I fell in love with after the fact. Way after the fact. 36 or 37 years after the fact.

Look, I listened to the radio in 1981 and 1982. “Solid Gold” and “America’s Top Ten” were on the air. I’m sure I’d heard “Cool Night” a time or two during its heyday. But it slipped from my memory.  I’m not exactly sure how it came back into my consciousness, but I’m willing to bet that it was on account of my obsession with the podcast Beyond Yacht Rock. I purchased “Cool Night” from iTunes, added it to my regular rotation, and it has not gone away since.

Paul Davis was moderately successful in the late ’70s and early ’80s. He had at least two other songs that I’m familiar with; the upbeat “’65 Love Affair” and the ballad “I Go Crazy”, which I remember hearing all the time on Lite-FM. “Cool Night” splits the difference between the two; a guy is preparing for an evening of lovin’ with his partner, cajoling them to come on over and enjoy the night. He is a total gentleman, singing “if it don’t feel right, you can go.” The song is breezy and mellow and in the pocket like all the best soft rock. I’ve made no secret about my love for this subgenre. Trust me, “Cool Night” is one of the best. AND THERE’S A LAST CHORUS KEY CHANGE.

I will say, now that I know what Paul Davis looks like, he does not fit aesthetically with his music at all. His music screams suave and debonair, his look screams “Allman Brothers Band”. It’s a weird juxtaposition. Glad videos weren’t really a thing back then.