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.
Anniversary Song
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We vowed our true love though a word wasn't said
The world was in bloom, there were stars in the skies
Except for the few that were there in your eyes
Dear, as I held you close in my arms
Angels were singing a hymn to your charms
Two hearts gently beating, murmuring low
The night seemed to fade into blossoming dawn
The sun shone anew but the dance lingered on
Could we but recall that sweet moment sublime
We'd find that our love is unaltered by time
Dear, as I held you close in my arms
Angels were singing a hymn to your charms
Two hearts gently beating, murmuring low
"Darling, I love you so"
The lyrics of "Anniversary Song" by Andy Williams paint a picture of the night the singer and their beloved were wedded. The singer describes how they danced with their partner, vowing love to one another without even saying a word. The world around them was alive and vibrant, with blooming flowers and stars in the sky, but all the singer could focus on were the stars in their beloved's eyes. The imagery creates a sense of magic and wonder surrounding their love.
The second verse of the song talks about the moment of the dance seeming to last forever, despite the fading night and dawn breaking. The singer reflects that if they could just remember that moment, they would see that their love remains the same, despite the passage of time. The two hearts beat gently “murmuring low” as the song's tempo slows, making the moment even more intimate.
Overall, the song speaks to the power of love and the seemingly magical moments that can come with it. The imagery and the message combined with Andy Williams's smooth and expressive voice make for a timeless classic that continues to resonate with listeners today.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, how we danced on the night we were wed
We reminisce on our wedding night, where we danced with great joy
We vowed our true love though a word wasn't said
Our love for each other was evident and didn't need to be spoken
The world was in bloom, there were stars in the skies
The night was beautiful and full of life
Except for the few that were there in your eyes
The stars in your eyes were the most beautiful of all
Dear, as I held you close in my arms
I held you tight and close with love and tenderness
Angels were singing a hymn to your charms
You were so enchanting that it was as if angels themselves sang your praises
Two hearts gently beating, murmuring low
Our hearts beat softly and we whispered sweet nothings to each other
"Darling, I love you so"
We expressed our love for each other with simple yet heartfelt words
The night seemed to fade into blossoming dawn
Our night of love slowly gave way to the morning light
The sun shone anew but the dance lingered on
Our love continued even as a new day began
Could we but recall that sweet moment sublime
If only we could relive that magical moment of our love
We'd find that our love is unaltered by time
We would realize that our love is just as strong and true as it was on our wedding night
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SAUL CHAPLIN, AL JOLSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Oh Ok
Contemporary Poem
" The "corona," Political & Dalit disparity, Gold Smuggling less Land"...
1. " The "corona," Political & Dalit disparity, Gold Smuggling less Land"...etc...
That's my Lord's promised Land.
He continuously knocks at your
Door of your heart, By the GOSPEL..
2. Listen oh man... the wild cry
at the cross at Calvary..
Your sins and my sins
hanged Him on that Cross!
3. Not in " cross," but only in Savior Jesus
get the Salvation, Preached by
St.Peter, St.Paul and all Apostles..
4. Oh! in this shortness of life, we undergo many
tribulations, pains, sicknesses and death
by "corona," enemies, curses and calamities..
5. The 'Day', Lord shall wipe away
the tears, is not far away,
make us remember with gladness...
6. And we get comfort in "His Chest"
and the waves of joy and gladness
will arise on that "Day"...
7. The "Word of Christ," gives us comfort,
make us to walk uprightly,
till the "Last Trumpet Victorious Sound'...
8. The Holy Saints on earth together request:
"Amen, Lord Jesus Christ come soon..
"As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So does our souls thirst for our "Living God,"
for His "Glorious Appearance".....
* * * *
lo18@rediffmail.com
Mira A
This beautiful composition is called "Waves of the Danube", composed in 1880 by Iosif Ivanovici (Jovan Ivanovic), famous Romanian composer of Serbian origin
Cj Argonza
Yep and then it was adapted into hymn of death/praise of death by the first Korean soprano yoon Sim deck. Ironic how this adaptation and the Korean adaptation are completely opposite. I have yet to listen to the original song. I've only learned of this now because of a kdrama I'm watching that's based on the story of the Korean soprano singer and her lover.
Irani Goswami
Mira Apci... Thank you so much for this valuable piece of information.... In our country the famous actor Raj Kapoor was inspired by this melody and he used it in the theme music of one of his films called 'Barsaat'..and also as an interlude in one of the songs 'Jeena Yahan, Marna Yanha' in the film Mera Naam Joker.
I had been searching for this piece for long... Thanks a ton. Best wishes and regards 😊
Irani
Myrna delos santos
hymn of death for a korean soprano who committed suicide with her lover
jozpowell
Yes words by Al Jolson.
Victor Mendoza
Oh yes.... I remember "The Danube Waltz"....
Marcielle Brandler
This reminds me of my youth in the sixties and my parents' love for one another. Andy Williams' voice is so smooth and wonderful! I miss that voice.
Ken Taylor
Hello Marcielle. How are you doing?
Elvie C. Durango
I always love to listen this Song "Anniversary Song." Sometimes to sing it as I listen with Andy Williams singing this song. I love his voice too!😊 ❤️
Lily Arbee
Beautiful anniversary song, I always dedicate this song to all my dear friends during their wedding anniversary.