I’ve always loved Robert Palmer’s music but mostly for his early work and not really for all of his biggest hits that came later in his career with songs like Addicted to Love and Simply irresistible. I mean, I still enjoyed his smash hits but I found his more obscure songs more enjoyable.
Of all the songs and styles he did, my favorite is “Every Kinda People” which was written by Andy Fraser who was the bass player from FREE (Taylor co-wrote the classic “All Right Now”).
Every Kinda People is a beautiful song with a simple message that the world needs every type of person in order to make it go round. This part sums it all up perfectly
Whether yellow, black or white
Each and every man’s the same inside
Here’s Robert performing “Every Kinda Person” live in 1978 at around age 29. He truly was a blue-eyed soul singer more than anything else.
Every Kinda People
Said the fight to make ends meet
Keeps a man upon his feet
Holding down his job
Trying to show he cant be bought
Ooh it takes every kinda people
To make what lifes about, yeah
Every kinda people
To make the world go round
Someones looking for a lead
In his duty to a king or to a creed
Protecting what he feels is right
Fights against wrong with his life
Theres no profit in deceit
Honest men know that
Revenge does not taste sweet
Whether yellow, black or white
Each and every man’s the same inside
It takes every kinda people
To make what life’s about, yeah
It takes every kinda people
To make the world go round
Doo doo doo……
You know that love’s the only goal
That could bring a peace to any soul
Hey and every man’s the same
He wants the sunshine in his name
It takes every kinda people
To make what life’s about, yeah
It takes every kinda people
To make the world go round
Mmmm, every kinda people
To make what lifes about
Note: Robert died very young at age 54 of a sudden heart attack in 2003. He had just released a critically acclaimed album called DRIVE. While it was tragic to lose him so young, at least he left us on a good note.