Me and Mrs. Jones

"Me and Mrs. Jones"
Single by Billy Paul
from the album 360 Degrees of Billy Paul
B-side	Your Song
Released	October 1972
Format	7"
Genre	Soul
Length	4:42
Label	Philadelphia International
Writer(s)	Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Cary Gilbert
Producer(s)	Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
Billy Paul singles chronology
"This is Your Life" "Me and Mrs. Jones" "Am I Black Enough for You?"

"Me and Mrs. Jones" is a 1972 soul song written by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert, and originally recorded by Billy Paul. It describes an extramarital affair between a man and his lover, Mrs. Jones. In the song, following the opening mention of the title, the next line says: "We've got a thing going on". The singer meets Mrs Jones at the same place, at the same cafe at the same time, where they are holding hands and chatting. Both the singer and Mrs Jones acknowledge that what they are doing is wrong, and that they must be extra careful by keeping their secrets from each other.

Billy Paul version

"Me and Mrs. Jones" was a #1 single originally performed by Billy Paul, recorded and released in 1972 on CBS Records' Philadelphia International imprint. The single, included on the album 360 Degrees of Billy Paul, was written by Cary 'Hippy' Gilbert, Kenny Gamble, and Leon Huff.

The single became Paul's only #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at that position for three weeks in December 1972. "Me and Mrs. Jones" also achieved this feat on Billboard's R&B Singles chart, remaining at the top position for four weeks.^[1] On the Hot 100, it replaced "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" by The Temptations and was replaced by Carly Simon's "You're So Vain".

The radio edit versions were shorter, omitting the second verse, as well as shortening the Coda. The video clip of this song feature Billy Paul playing piano in a recording session, while accompanied by dancers.^[2]

Michael Bublé version

"Me and Mrs. Jones"
Single by Michael Bublé featuring Emily Blunt
from the album Call Me Irresponsible
Released	September 3, 2007
Format	CD single, Digital download
Recorded	2007
Genre	Big Band
Length	4:33 (Album Version)
Label	143, Reprise
Writer(s)	Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Cary Gilbert
Michael Bublé featuring Emily Blunt singles chronology
"Everything" (2007) "Me and Mrs. Jones" (2007) "Lost" (2007)

"Me and Mrs. Jones" was later covered by Canadian crooner Michael Bublé and released as the second single from his third major-label studio album, Call Me Irresponsible. The song is a collaboration with Bublé's then-girlfriend, Emily Blunt, who appears at the end of the track to perform the final verse.

Background

Bublé's version of "Me and Mrs. Jones" was well received by critics, with Okayplayer stating, "He skillfully portrays the pain of this song’s affair and his take on the final verse could stand with anyone else’s." Additionally, the single was promoted by its performance during Bublé's AOL Sessions performances.^[3] The track has also been performed at many of his concerts. Due to his break-up with girlfriend Emily Blunt shortly before the release of the single, the release was cancelled, the physical single pulled, and little or no promotion for the song was undertaken. Thus, "Me and Mrs. Jones" was not eligible to chart in any major music charts; however, it did chart in Switzerland due to strong downloads from the album.^[4]

A short promotional music video was first broadcast on French television channels during April 2007. The clip alternates between scenes of Bublé performing by the window, in the dark, as it rains, used in the official music video, and scenes of a blonde woman during a day at the beach, horseback riding and watching the sunset as the clip ends.^[5] The official music video was first broadcast during July 2007. It consists mainly of the scenes Bublé standing performing by the window, as seen in the French promotional clip. Some scenes show a brunette woman, representing "Mrs. Jones". Some shots from the promotional video of "Lost" were also used, particularly the ones where Bublé is sitting on a white bed. The video was directed by Sean Turrell.^[6]

Track listing

• UK CD single #1 (Withdrawn)

1. "Me and Mrs. Jones" (Album Version) - 4:33
2. "It's All in the Game" - 2:36

• UK CD single #2 (Withdrawn)

1. "Me and Mrs. Jones" (Album Version) - 4:33
2. "Dream a Little Dream" - 3:08
3. "Me and Mrs. Jones" (Live Version) - 4:48

Chart performance

Chart	Peak position
Swiss Music Charts	68

Other notable covers

• A cover of the song was a hit for the 1970s group The Dramatics. Their version peaked at No. 47 on the pop chart and No. 4 on the R&B chart in 1974.^[7]
• Sun City Girls covered the song on their 1986 album Midnight Cowboys From Ipanema.
• The song was also covered by Tejano artist Jay Perez.
• Sandra Bernhard recorded the song and performed it in her show Without You I'm Nothing
• Tower of Power covered the tune on their collection of soul music "Great American Soulbook" with their standard front man Lenny Williams.

In film and television

• Robson Green sings the song over the opening credits of the Granada TV movie Me and Mrs Jones (2002), starring himself and Caroline Goodall. Reviewing Green's version in The Independent, Charlotte O'Sullivan wrote:

  Robson Green is currently promoting "Me and Mrs Jones", a cover of Billy Paul's shivery-making 1972 hit. Green's "fabulous" rendition (thank you, Dale Winton), makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up for a different reason.... Green's "homage" is simply a crime. Even he looked shifty while bleating into the microphone on Dale's classy afternoon show. He had a touch of the Alan Rickman-in-Robin-Hood about him. Billy Paul is still alive, by the way (he was 68 last Sunday). His song has already been used in a Nike ad, but it's due another airing (Starbucks, condoms, whatever). Up against the real thing, Green would surely be shamed into withdrawing from the field.^[8]

• The song was used in the film Bridget Jones's Diary, in the scene where Bridget's mother begins an extramarital affair, but was not included on the soundtrack release.^[9]

• In the sitcom A Different World, the song was first heard during Walter's (Sinbad) and Jaleesa's (Dawnn Lewis) first date at an Italian restaurant, therefore becoming "their" song. While on a date at the same restaurant to celebrate their 1st year anniversary, Walter hired a waiter to serenade Jaleesa with "Me and Mrs. Jones", but she walks out during the song, due to a disagreement they were having at the time.

See also

• List of number-one R&B hits (United States)
• R&B number-one hits of 1972 (USA)

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 452.
2. "Billy Paul. Me And Mrs Jones. Original Video". YouTube. 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
3. "'Me and Mrs. Jones' (AOL Sessions) Video by Michael Buble - AOL Music". Music.aol.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
4. Steffen Hung. "Michael Bublé - Me And Mrs Jones". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
5. "Michael Buble Mrs Jones - Vidéo Dailymotion". Dailymotion.com. 2011-03-23. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
6. v16513256hyk5dFQ3 Archived July 17, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 172.
8. O'Sullivan, Charlotte (6 December 2002). "Will the Real Mrs Jones Stand Up". The Independent (London).
9. "Bridget Jones's Diary soundtracks". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2013-11-05.