The music of Paul Williams goes on and on

·51 min·5 clips

At 84, Oscar-winning songwriter Paul Williams reveals he's still working on a stage version of 'Pan's Labyrinth' with Guillermo del Toro.

Alec Baldwin hosts Paul Williams on 'Here's The Thing,' exploring his six-decade career as a songwriter, musician, and actor. Williams discusses his current project: adapting 'Pan's Labyrinth' for the stage with Guillermo del Toro and producer J.J. Abrams. He reflects on his early life, including his father's death when he was 13 and being sent to live with an aunt in Long Beach. Williams describes how Robert Duvall discovered his songwriting on the set of 'The Chase,' leading him to pursue music. He talks about writing with Biff Rose, having songs recorded by Tiny Tim and later David Bowie. Williams details his collaboration with Roger Nichols and how they wrote for the Carpenters, turning a bank commercial jingle into 'We've Only Just Begun.' He shares anecdotes about working on films like 'Ishtar' with Elaine May, Warren Beatty, and Dustin Hoffman, where he wrote 35 songs. Williams explains the creation of 'Rainbow Connection' for 'The Muppet Movie' with Kenny Asher, aiming for a song like 'When You Wish Upon a Star.' He discusses writing 'Evergreen' for Barbra Streisand's 'A Star is Born' after a phone call during a tuxedo fitting. Williams opens up about his alcoholism, sobriety, and how it affected his career and family life. He describes writing songs for 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' during early sobriety, inspired by Charles Dickens. As president of ASCAP, Williams advocates for fair streaming payments and bipartisan collaboration in Congress. He reflects on working with icons like Karen Carpenter, Bing Crosby, and Elvis Presley, and the gratitude he feels in his current life.

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