Paul & Paula
Encyclopedia
Paul & Paula were a pop
singing duo
, best known for their 1963 million selling #1 hit record
, "Hey Paula."
, and Jackson in McCamey, Texas
. Both were attending Howard Payne College in Brownwood, Texas
in 1962 when a local disc jockey, Riney Jordan, asked listeners to come to the studio and sing their songs to help the American Cancer Society
. The duo sang a song called "Hey Paula," which Hildebrand wrote, and were encouraged to make a record of it.
Shelby Singleton of Mercury Records
eventually signed them, but not before changing their professional name (Singleton reasoned that a pair named Ray and Jill singing about "Hey, hey Paula" and "Hey, hey Paul" did not make sense). "Hey Paula" sold over two million copies globally, and was awarded a gold disc
by the Recording Industry Association of America
(R.I.A.A.) in 1963. The pairing of Paul & Paula was credited with inspiring other famous male/female pairings down the line, mostly from record companies that had originally turned the duo down in 1962. In November 1963 Nino Tempo & April Stevens
and Dale and Grace had back-to-back Hot 100 #1s. Jerry Butler
was quickly paired with Betty Everett
, and Marvin Gaye
was paired with a number of female partners before Motown finally settled on Tammi Terrell
.
The duo released two regular albums and a Christmas
-themed album after the success of "Hey Paula", which charted
at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
for the entire month of February 1963. Their follow-up, "Young Lovers
," reached #6 on the Billboard chart later in the same year.
In 1965, Hildebrand left the act to complete his college education, having decided that a future in show business was not for him. He made this decision in the middle of a Dick Clark
Caravan of Stars road trip, and Clark had to fill in at the last minute.
Jackson went on with a solo career and Hildebrand returned to singing in the 1980s in the Christian
duo Land & Hildebrand. Today, the twosome get together from time-to-time to sing as Paul & Paula for special events.
In 2002, Hildebrand and Jackson returned to Howard Payne College to be the homecoming guests of honor and Grand Marshalls.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singing duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
, best known for their 1963 million selling #1 hit record
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
, "Hey Paula."
Biography
Hildebrand was born in Joshua, TexasJoshua, Texas
Joshua is a city in Johnson County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,528 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Joshua is located at ....
, and Jackson in McCamey, Texas
McCamey, Texas
McCamey is a city in Upton County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,805 at the 2000 census. The Texas legislature has declared McCamey "the Wind Energy Capital of Texas" because of the many wind farms that have been built in the area. Its history, however, is primarily that of an oil...
. Both were attending Howard Payne College in Brownwood, Texas
Brownwood, Texas
Brownwood is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, Texas, United States. The population was 18,813 at the 2000 census.-History:The original site of the Brown County seat of Brownwood was on the east of Pecan Bayou. A dispute arose over land and water rights, and the settlers were forced...
in 1962 when a local disc jockey, Riney Jordan, asked listeners to come to the studio and sing their songs to help the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
. The duo sang a song called "Hey Paula," which Hildebrand wrote, and were encouraged to make a record of it.
Shelby Singleton of Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
eventually signed them, but not before changing their professional name (Singleton reasoned that a pair named Ray and Jill singing about "Hey, hey Paula" and "Hey, hey Paul" did not make sense). "Hey Paula" sold over two million copies globally, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(R.I.A.A.) in 1963. The pairing of Paul & Paula was credited with inspiring other famous male/female pairings down the line, mostly from record companies that had originally turned the duo down in 1962. In November 1963 Nino Tempo & April Stevens
Nino Tempo & April Stevens
Nino Tempo & April Stevens are a brother and sister act from Niagara Falls, New York. Formed in the early 1960s when Nino Tempo and April Stevens signed as a duo with Atco Records, the group had a string of Billboard hits and earned a Grammy Award as "best rock & roll record of the year" for the...
and Dale and Grace had back-to-back Hot 100 #1s. Jerry Butler
Jerry Butler (singer)
Jerry Butler is an American soul singer and songwriter. He is also noted as being the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group, The Impressions, as well as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.Butler is also an American politician...
was quickly paired with Betty Everett
Betty Everett
Betty Everett was an African-American soul singer and pianist, best known for her biggest hit single, the million-selling "The Shoop Shoop Song ".-Early career:...
, and Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
was paired with a number of female partners before Motown finally settled on Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell
Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed...
.
The duo released two regular albums and a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
-themed album after the success of "Hey Paula", which charted
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for the entire month of February 1963. Their follow-up, "Young Lovers
Young Lovers
"Young Lovers" is the name of a song performed by Paul & Paula. The follow-up to their number-one hit, "Hey Paula", the song reached number six on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1963....
," reached #6 on the Billboard chart later in the same year.
In 1965, Hildebrand left the act to complete his college education, having decided that a future in show business was not for him. He made this decision in the middle of a Dick Clark
Dick Clark (entertainer)
Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark is an American businessman; game-show host; and radio and television personality. He served as chairman and chief executive officer of Dick Clark Productions, which he has sold part of in recent years...
Caravan of Stars road trip, and Clark had to fill in at the last minute.
Jackson went on with a solo career and Hildebrand returned to singing in the 1980s in the Christian
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
duo Land & Hildebrand. Today, the twosome get together from time-to-time to sing as Paul & Paula for special events.
In 2002, Hildebrand and Jackson returned to Howard Payne College to be the homecoming guests of honor and Grand Marshalls.
Albums
- (1963) We Go Together
- (1963) Holiday for Teens
- (1964) Paul & Paula Sing for Young Lovers
- (1995) The Best of Paul & Paula
- (2000) Greatest Hits
Singles
- "Hey Paula" (1963)
- "Young LoversYoung Lovers"Young Lovers" is the name of a song performed by Paul & Paula. The follow-up to their number-one hit, "Hey Paula", the song reached number six on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1963....
" (1963) - "First Quarrel" (1964)