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.
Happy Heart
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're close to me you will hear it
It's the sound that lovers hear when they discover
There could be no other for their love
It's my happy heart you hear
Singing loud and singing clear
And it's all because you're near me, my love
Take my happy heart away
Let me love you night and day
In your arms I wanna stay, oh my love
Feeling more and more like I've never felt before
You have changed my life so completely
Music fills my soul now, I've lost all control now
I'm not half, I'm whole now with your love
It's my happy heart you hear
Singing loud and singing clear
And it's all because you're near me, my love
Take my happy heart away
Let me love you night and day
In your arms I wanna stay, oh my love
The lyrics of "Happy Heart" by Andy Williams are filled with joy and happiness. The song talks about a certain sound that seems to follow the singer whenever they are close to their lover. It's described as the sound that lovers hear when they discover that there could be no other for their love. This sound is actually the singer's heart singing loudly and clearly - a manifestation of their overwhelming happiness and love.
The singer goes on to express how the love of their life has changed their life completely. They have never felt so complete and whole as they do with their lover. The music fills their soul, and they have lost all control. The singer's happy heart continues to sing loudly, and it's all because their love is near them. They want to be with their lover day and night, staying in their arms forever.
The lyrics of this song are extremely romantic and uplifting. It's a beautiful expression of how love can transform a person's life completely. The song suggests that when you find the right person, it's their presence that fills you with joy, happiness and a sense of completeness. This song is a celebration of love, and it's no surprise that it has remained a popular love song for decades.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a certain sound always follows me around
I feel there's a special vibe that surrounds me wherever I go.
When you're close to me you will hear it
It's something only noticeable when I have you by my side.
It's the sound that lovers hear when they discover
It's the sound of lovers when finding they belong together.
There could be no other for their love
No one else could possibly match the love they have for each other.
It's my happy heart you hear
What you hear is the joy and happiness that I feel inside because of you.
Singing loud and singing clear
It's so evident that I can't help but express it all out loud and clear.
And it's all because you're near me, my love
I'm this way because you're always close by, my dear.
Take my happy heart away
If you ever leave me, this joyful feeling will vanish.
Let me love you night and day
Please stay with me endlessly so that I may love you completely and wholeheartedly.
In your arms I wanna stay, oh my love
I want to be in your embrace forever, my love.
Feeling more and more like I've never felt before
I'm experiencing feelings I've never felt before and they are intensifying.
You have changed my life so completely
You've transformed my whole existence through your love.
Music fills my soul now, I've lost all control now
With music and you, I feel out of control in the best way possible.
I'm not half, I'm whole now with your love
I'm no longer incomplete; your love has made me feel complete.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JACKIE RAE, JAMES LAST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anthonydickinson5913
There's a certain sound
Always follows me around
When you're close to me
You will hear It
It's the sound of lovers
Hear when they discover
There could be no other for their love
It's my happy heart you hear
Singing loud and singing clear
And it's all because you're near
Me, my love
Take my happy heart away
Let me love you night and day
In your arms I want to stay
Oh my love
Feeling more and more
Like I've never felt before
You have changed my life
So completely
Music fills my soul now
I've lost all control now
I'm not half, I'm whole now
With your love
It's my happy heart you hear
Singing loud and singing clear
And it's all because you're near me, my love
Take my happy heart away
Let me love you night and day
In your arms I want to stay
Oh my love
@debrajouglard8344
This was a song my husband and I loved to listen to and sway to. My husband passed away in December of 2019 from stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I was looking for a favorite song and this time it made me cry and remember my husband and how we loved each other.
@y2j360
I'm so sorry for the loss of your husband Debra...however, I am glad you have a sweet memory thru this song, amongst many I'm sure :) God bless you my dear!
@aaniyam3773
Debra i’m so sorry for your loss, such an amazing bond to remember ❤️
@y2j360
@HelloItzNiya 9 :)
@lumiere5772
Debra Jouglard - I'm sorry! Love lives on ❤️
@annakulikowski8786
♥️
@chrstinefinch5222
We had this played at my mums funeral, she was 97 years young. She loved Andys voice, I felt quite content hearing this song knowing she was with my dad who had passed away 20 years ago, her first and only love ❤️
@mrsmiawallace3554
🙏❤️ x
@lmeadows8276
Beautiful story. Im sorry for your loss. I wish you every comfort. ❤️ 💙
@amyclarke41
❤beautiful post ax