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.
Begin the Beguine
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It brings back the sound of music so tender
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
It brings back a memory ever green
I'm with you once more under the stars
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
And even the palms seem to be swaying
To live it again is past all endeavor
Except when that tune clutches my heart
And there we are, swearing to love forever
And promising never, never to part
What moments divine, what rapture serene
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
I know but too well what they mean
So don't let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, please make them play
Till the stars that were there before return above you
Till you whisper to me once more, "Darling, I love you"
Then we suddenly know what heaven we're in
When they begin the, begin the, begin the beguine
When they begin the, begin the, begin the beguine
When they begin the beguine
The lyrics to Andy Williams’s song Begin the Beguine are about the power of music to evoke memories of lost love. The Beguine is a dance and musical style that originated in the French Caribbean in the 17th century and was introduced to Europe in the 1930s. The slow, romantic rhythm of the Beguine is meant to evoke a feeling of nostalgia and longing.
The lyrics describe how hearing the Beguine brings back memories of a night of tropical splendor and a love affair that has long ended. The singer is transported back to that magic moment when he was with his lover under the stars, listening to the orchestra and feeling the palms sway. The memory is so vivid that he can almost relive it. However, he is also aware that the memory is gone, and the love it represents has faded. He knows that he can never recapture that love, but he hopes that the music will give him a glimpse of heaven once more.
The lyrics are set to a beautiful, romantic melody, which perfectly captures the bittersweet nature of the memories evoked by the Beguine. The song has become a classic, performed by many artists in a variety of styles. It is an essential part of the Great American Songbook and remains popular today, over 70 years after it was written.
Line by Line Meaning
When they begin the beguine
When the band starts playing the beguine, a type of dance music, it has a powerful emotional impact on the singer.
It brings back the sound of music so tender
The beguine evokes memories of gentle, beautiful music.
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
The singer remembers a night of stunning beauty, surrounded by palm trees and lovely music.
It brings back a memory ever green
The memories that the beguine evokes are never-fading.
I'm with you once more under the stars
The singer feels like he is back with someone special he loves while under the beautiful night sky.
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
The singer and his loved one are near the beach where an orchestra is playing beautiful music.
And even the palms seem to be swaying
The atmosphere is so enchanting that even the palm trees seem to be dancing to the music.
To live it again is past all endeavor
It is impossible to recreate the same moment and experience the same feelings again.
Except when that tune clutches my heart
The singer's heart is deeply moved when he hears that particular melody.
And there we are, swearing to love forever
The singer and his love are committing to love each other passionately forever.
And promising never, never to part
The singer and his love promise to stay together for eternity, never to separate.
What moments divine, what rapture serene
Those heavenly moments create such an enjoyable experience that it is beyond comprehension.
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
Their euphoria was short-lived, as the pain of reality shattered their joy.
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
The singer understands how painful it is to have missed the opportunity to love someone forever.
I know but too well what they mean
The singer empathizes and shares the same emotions with those who missed their chance to love.
So don't let them begin the beguine
The singer is begging others to stop playing the beguine, as it brings back painful memories of love lost.
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
The singer suggests that love may have died down but still has a spark that can be reignited.
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
The singer hopes that even though the passion has died, the memory of it can be kept alive.
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, please make them play
The singer is overwhelmed with emotions and desires to hear the beguine again, despite the pain it brings.
Till the stars that were there before return above you
The singer is wishing for the return of the stars and the beautiful memories of the past.
Till you whisper to me once more, "Darling, I love you"
The singer wants to hear his loved one's loving and passionate voice once again.
Then we suddenly know what heaven we're in
The singer believes that hearing these sweet words will bring them back to paradise-like moments.
When they begin the, begin the, begin the beguine
The song ends with repeating the first line, emphasizing again how much impact the beguine has on the singer's heart.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hironari Aqz
When they begin the beguine
It brings back the sound of music so tender
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
It brings back a memory evergreen
I'm with you once more under the stars
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
And even the palms seem to be swaying
When they begin the beguine
To live it again is past all endeavor
Except when that tune clutches my heart
And there we are swearing to love forever
And promising never, never to part
What moments divine, what rapture serene
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
I know but too well what they mean
So don't let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
Let it sleep like a dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, make them play
Till the stars that were there before return above you
Till you whisper to me once more, "Darling, I love you"
And we suddenly know what heaven we're in
When they begin the beguine
Recrucifixion Fail
Awesome. Andy Williams stands the test of time as a first-rate and sublime voice for his era
Peter Farrar
Andy William's performance of Cole Porter's wonderful romantic ballad "When They Begin The Beguine", was outstanding. The orchestra's rythmic arrangement was superb & lifted this musical episode to supreme heights.
Juan Carlos Herrera Tello
Del Album "Andy Williams: Songs From My Fair Lady And Other Broadway Hits" es un clásico por los arreglos de Robert Mercey, y con la incomparable voz de Andy, se logró esta magnífica interpretación, que fue realizada hace 58 años en 1964.
charles cosper
I want to thank you and YouTube for posting this gem. I watch it almost every day. As you know, there are numerous versions of "Begin the Beguine" posted but this is my favorite. Its not just the outstanding vocal by the late Andy Williams but the great arrangement of chorus and orchestra.
50Emerald
This is a wonderful, lilting vocal of one of the most beautiful songs ever written -- possibly Cole Porter's best
Lu Chagasteles
A música mais tocada no dia que nasci, não interessa o ano, é sempre linda
Jeke316
Love this version.
Hironari Aqz
When they begin the beguine
It brings back the sound of music so tender
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
It brings back a memory evergreen
I'm with you once more under the stars
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
And even the palms seem to be swaying
When they begin the beguine
To live it again is past all endeavor
Except when that tune clutches my heart
And there we are swearing to love forever
And promising never, never to part
What moments divine, what rapture serene
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
I know but too well what they mean
So don't let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
Let it sleep like a dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, make them play
Till the stars that were there before return above you
Till you whisper to me once more, "Darling, I love you"
And we suddenly know what heaven we're in
When they begin the beguine
Heidy Frances
Preciosura de cancion. Me llega al alma.
Stephen Early
Cole Porters really put it together with this song. I think it is frozen in time. Andy Williams sings this silky and perfect. Loved the fun rhythm. Must say, the greatest version I ever heard that is 2nd to none is from the movie called, "The Racketeer" back in the early 90's. I played the song on CD to my farther-in-law back then who was from that great band era. He said that movie version of Porters was the best. Sounded much like when he heard it live. He had me loop it over about 10x. The female vocalist may bring tears to your eyes. Please, no knock on this version by Andy, I love it.