He first performed in a children's choir at his local Presbyterian church. Williams and his three older brothers Bob, Dick, and Don, formed a quartet, the Williams Brothers, in the late 1930s. The brothers performed on radio in the Midwest, first at WHO in Des Moines, Iowa, and later at WLS in Chicago and WLW in Cincinnati. Williams graduated from Western Hills High School in Cincinnati. They appeared with Bing Crosby on the hit record "Swinging on a Star" (1944). This led to a nightclub act with entertainer Kay Thompson from 1947 to 1951.
Williams's solo career began in 1952 after his brothers left the act. He recorded six sides for RCA's label "X," but none of them were popular hits. After landing a spot as a regular on Steve Allen's Tonight Show in 1955, he was signed to a recording contract with Cadence Records, a small label in New York run by conductor Archie Bleyer. His third single, "Canadian Sunset" (1956) hit the Top Ten, and was soon followed his only Billboard #1 hit, "Butterfly" (a cover of a Charlie Gracie record on which Williams imitated Elvis Presley). More hits followed, including "The Hawaiian Wedding Song," "Are You Sincere," "The Village of St. Bernadette," and "Lonely Street," before Williams moved to Columbia Records in 1961, having moved from New York to Los Angeles. In terms of chart popularity, the Cadence era was Williams's peak although songs he introduced on Columbia became much bigger standards. Two top ten hits from the Cadence era, "Butterfly" and "I Like Your Kind of Love" were apparently believed to not suit Williams's later style; they were not included on a Columbia reissue of his Cadence greatest hits in the 1960s.
During the 1960s, Williams became one of the most popular vocalists in the country and signed what was to that time the biggest recording contract in history. He was primarily an album artist, and at one time he had earned more gold albums than any solo performer except Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. By 1973 he had earned as many as 17 gold album awards. Among his hit albums from this period were Moon River, Days of Wine and Roses (number one for 16 weeks in mid-1963), The Andy Williams Christmas Album, Dear Heart, The Shadow of Your Smile, Love, Andy, Get Together with Andy Williams, and Love Story. In these recordings Williams displays an incredible vocal technique along with an uncanny ability to make each song his very own, often rivaling or surpassing the version by the original artist. These attributes, along with his natural affinity for the music of the 1960s and early 1970s, combined to make him one of the premier easy listening singers of that era.
Williams forged an indirect collaborative relationship with Henry Mancini, although they never recorded together. Williams was asked to sing Mancini and Johnny Mercer's song "Moon River" at the 1962 Oscar Awards (where it won), and it quickly became Williams's theme song. This was repeated the next year with the pair's "Days of Wine and Roses" (which also won), Mancini's "Dear Heart" at the 1965 awards and "The Sweetheart Tree" (also written with Mercer) at the 1966 awards.
Williams also competed in the teenage-oriented singles market as well and had several charting hits including "Can't Get Used to Losing You," "Happy Heart," and "Where Do I Begin", the theme song from the 1970 blockbuster film, Love Story. Building on his experience with Allen and some short-term variety shows in the 1950s, he became the star of his own weekly television variety show in 1962. This series, The Andy Williams Show, won three Emmy Awards for outstanding variety program. Among his series regulars were the Osmond Brothers. He gave up the variety show in 1971 while it was still popular and retrenched to three specials per year. His Christmas specials, which appeared regularly until 1974 and intermittently from 1982 into the 1990s, were among the most popular of the genre. Williams has recorded eight Christmas albums over the years. He hosted the Grammy Awards for three consecutive years in the 1970s. He returned to television to do a syndicated half-hour series in 1976-77.
In the early 1990s, Williams gave up most of his touring schedule in order to open his own theatre in Branson, Missouri, the Andy Williams Moon River Theater. He continues to do 8 to 12 shows a week from September to December and occasionally makes tours of Europe earlier in the year.
His 1967 recording of "Music to Watch Girls By" was a surprise UK hit in 1999, when it reached number 9 after featuring in an advert (beating the original peak of number 33 in 1967). In 2002 he took part in a new duet of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" with British actress and singer Denise van Outen. Nearly everything Williams ever recorded has now been made available on CD through a series of compilations from 1997 to 2004.
Williams met Claudine Longet when he pulled over to aid her on a Las Vegas road. She was a dancer at the time at the Folies Bergere. They married on Christmas Day, 1961, and had three children, Noelle, Christian, and Robert. They separated in 1969 and finally divorced 6 years later. In 1976 Longet was charged with fatally shooting her boyfriend, skier Vladimir "Spider" Sabich and Williams supported her. He married a second time in May 1991 to the former Debbie Haas. They make their homes at Branson, Missouri and La Quinta, California. Williams' homes have been featured in Architectural Digest, and he is a noted collector of modern art. Williams is an avid golfer. He hosted a major golf tournament in San Diego for many years, which was known as the Andy Williams San Diego Open during that time.
Williams' birthplace is a tourist attraction open most of the year.
A Woman's Way
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is in a woman's eyes
She can make him something special
If she tries
From the moment she that she gives herself
Her life is not the same
It's a woman way to live
For a woman's life is empty
Until she finds her man
It's a woman way to give all that she can
And she'll watch him chase his dreams
And never look back to complain
'Cause it's a woman's way to give
When giving is all she's got to gain
When a woman loves a man
There's no greater thing on earth
And each time with him is always like the first
And when a woman's gives a child to you
You made yourself a name
That's a woman way to love
And for love she bears the pain
Sometimes I stop and wonder why she did it all for me
And then I realize she's who she wants to be
And without her here I'd never be the man I am today
So I try to make her smile
A little more each day
And I silently give thanks for her
For her woman's way
And I silently give thanks for her
For her woman's way
The lyrics of Andy Williams's song "A Woman's Way" reflect on the beauty of a woman's love, sacrifice, and her inevitable role in a man's life. The song highlights that the measure of a man's success lies within a woman's eyes, and that a woman can make him something special if she tries. The meaning behind these lyrics is that a woman's love, support, and encouragement can help a man achieve his goals in life. Once a woman gives herself to him, her life is changed forever, and she takes pride in having his name.
The lyrics also reveal that a woman's life is incomplete until she finds her man, and she gives all that she can to please him. She watches him chase his dreams and never complains because giving is all she's got to gain. Her greatest accomplishment is having a child with the man she loves, and all that comes with loving and raising a child is worth the pain.
The song's melody is soothing and reflective, and the lyrics convey a deep sense of gratitude for a woman's undying love and selflessness. The song is a tribute to all women who give their all to their men and their children. It highlights the importance of appreciating and valuing women for the role they play in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the measure of her man
The worth of a man is determined by how a woman views him.
Is in a woman's eyes
A woman's perception of a man has a colossal impact on how he is perceived by society.
She can make him something special
A woman has the power to transform a man into someone extraordinary.
If she tries
As long as she puts in the effort.
From the moment that she gives herself
Once a woman decides to dedicate herself to someone or something.
Her life is not the same
Her existence has now taken a new turn.
It's a woman's way to live
To choose a path that suits her best as a woman.
So she proudly takes his name
She takes pride in the identity she shares with her partner.
For a woman's life is empty
Without a significant other, a woman's life can feel unfulfilled.
Until she finds her man
Until she finds the person she wants to share her life with.
It's a woman way to give all that she can
It is typical of a woman to give her all in everything she does.
And she'll watch him chase his dreams
She will support and stand by her partner while he pursues his aspirations.
And never look back to complain
She will not regret the sacrifices she made for her partner.
'Cause it's a woman's way to give
It is ingrained in a woman's nature to give selflessly.
When giving is all she's got to gain
Even if she has nothing to gain from it, a woman will still give selflessly.
When a woman loves a man
Love is a significant emotion in a woman's life.
There's no greater thing on earth
Nothing on this earth can compare to a woman's love for her man.
And each time with him is always like the first
Being with the person she loves never loses its charm and excitement.
And when a woman gives a child to you
When a woman becomes a mother.
You made yourself a name
Her partner is responsible for the legacy they build as a family.
That's a woman way to love
Motherhood is a fundamental way a woman expresses her love.
And for love, she bears the pain
She willingly endures suffering to protect and nurture her children.
Sometimes I stop and wonder why she did it all for me
I sometimes contemplate why my partner sacrificed so much for me.
And then I realize she's who she wants to be
I recognize that being a wife and mother is a fulfilling purpose for her.
And without her here, I'd never be the man I am today
Her impact on my life is immeasurable, and I am grateful for her presence.
So I try to make her smile
I make an effort to bring joy to her life.
A little more each day
Every day, I strive to improve our relationship and make her happy.
And I silently give thanks for her
I express gratitude to her for everything she does, even if I don't vocalize it.
For her woman's way
For the unique attributes that make her a woman.
And I silently give thanks for her
I express gratitude to her for everything she does, even if I don't vocalize it.
For her woman's way
For the unique attributes that make her a woman.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SMOKEY ROBERDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind