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.
I Need You
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i just can't face the world
i'm kind of feeling kind of small
i let you go one day
but now i'm ashamed to say
i said oh baby i need you
i need your loving
well i need, said i need
i lost my day
i kow i must have said
a lot of things to make you cry
i made myself a lonely man
but now i have come to understand
i said oh baby i need you
i never need no one
like i need you girl
The lyrics of "I Need You" by Andy Williams speaks about a man who had lost his woman and since then he has been feeling small and helpless. The man admits that he made the mistake of letting her go and now he is ashamed to say that he needs her back in his life. He openly confesses that he needs her love, affection, and companionship back to make him feel complete. The man acknowledges that he might have said several things in the past that caused her to cry, and now he regrets it all.
The song primarily revolves around the theme of heartbreak and remorse. The artist tries to convey the feeling of helplessness and loneliness that one feels once they have lost their loved one. The lyrics highlight the importance of love and how it plays a vital role in shaping the lives of individuals. It is a beautiful love ballad that speaks of the importance of relationships and the pain of losing someone who was once an integral part of one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
since the day i lost you girl
Ever since the day you left me, I have been feeling lost
i just can't face the world
I am unable to confront the world, as I feel incomplete without you
i'm kind of feeling kind of small
I feel helpless and insignificant without you by my side
i let you go one day
I foolishly let you leave me at some point in time
but now i'm ashamed to say
I regret my past actions and feel guilty for hurting you
i said oh baby i need you
I am acknowledging my current state of dependence on you
i need your loving
I am yearning for your love and affection
well i need, said i need
I am emphasizing the intensity of my need for you
i need you right by my side
I require your constant presence and support in my life
i lost my day
My life has been devoid of purpose and meaning since you left
i kow i must have said
I realize that my hurtful words may have caused you pain
a lot of things to make you cry
I have said and done things that have made you shed tears
i made myself a lonely man
My actions have led to my own isolation and loneliness
but now i have come to understand
I have gained insight and comprehension regarding my mistakes
i said oh baby i need you
Once again, I am admitting my dependence on you for happiness
i never need no one
I have never felt such a strong need for anyone else
like i need you girl
My need for you is unparalleled and undeniable
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GERRY BECKLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
josefina rebacca
" I NEED YOU - ANDY WILLIAMS "
We used to laugh, we used to cry
We used to bow our heads then, wonder why
And now you're gone, I guess I'll carry on
And make the best of what you've left to me
Left to me, left to me
I need you like the flower needs the rain
You know I need you, guess I'll start it all again
You know I need you like the winter needs the spring
You know I need you, I need you
And every day, I'd laugh the hours away
Just knowing you were thinking of me
And then it came that I was put to blame
For every story told about me
About me, about me
I need you like the flower needs the rain
You know I need you, guess I'll start it all again
You know I need you, I need you
Yasaman Hoorfar
He was, is and will be always the best.
ariana amaya
un tema celestial , con su voz perfecta y suave ,andy williams es maravilloso su interpretacion .
Kurt Burgess
His arrangements for popular songs of the time were chosen pretty wisely. This works. Classic example is, "You're the best thing (that ever happened to me)". Made famous by Gladys Knight, you would not believe it was the same song (no offensive intended). Knight's version is choppy, disjointed (groovy) while Williams floats through and turns it into a tender love melody.
Alan Lee Robles
what a really BEAUTIFUL lovely song , in fact the most beautiful lovely song I´ve ever heard , AMAZING !!!! . Great Voice , great band . great music . Now days the world´s music needs singers and groups like ANDY WILLIAMS and AMERICA .
josefina rebacca
" I NEED YOU - ANDY WILLIAMS "
We used to laugh, we used to cry
We used to bow our heads then, wonder why
And now you're gone, I guess I'll carry on
And make the best of what you've left to me
Left to me, left to me
I need you like the flower needs the rain
You know I need you, guess I'll start it all again
You know I need you like the winter needs the spring
You know I need you, I need you
And every day, I'd laugh the hours away
Just knowing you were thinking of me
And then it came that I was put to blame
For every story told about me
About me, about me
I need you like the flower needs the rain
You know I need you, guess I'll start it all again
You know I need you, I need you
Christine Frazerskinner
I do know the words thank you
Gerald Vimont
Andy's version mucho better than the original version -- as usual
ben2715
What's amazing is that he is also singing all the background harmonies, some of which are even higher than his lead vocal. His experience as a group singer definitely shows in this, one of my all-time favorite Andy covers.
Ruben Aceja Uy
great song. great arrangement. great band. and of course great singer. thanks
ventg99
A great, great musician!