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 Think I Love You
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like all at once I wake up from something that keeps knocking at my brain
Before I go insane I hold my pillow to my head
And spring up in my bed screaming out the words I dread
I think I love you (I think I love you)
This morning I woke up with this feeling
I didn't know how to deal with and so I just decided to myself
And did not go and shout it when you walked into the room
I think I love you (I think I love you)
I think I love you so what am I so afraid of
I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for
I think I love you isn't that what life is made of
Though it worries me to say that I never felt this way
I don't know what I'm up against
I don't know what it's all about
I got so much to think about
Hey, I think I love you so what am I so afraid of
I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for
I think I love you isn't that what life is made of
Though it worries me to say I never felt this way
Believe me you really don't have to worry
I only wanna make you happy and if you say "hey go away" I will
But I think better still I'd better stay around and love you
Do you think I have a case let me ask you to your face
Do you think you love me?
I think I love you
I think I love you
I think I love you
I think I love you
I think I love you
I think I love you
I think I love you
I think I love you
In the first verse of I Think I Love You by Andy Williams, the singer is describing an experience where he was in the middle of having a good dream, but was abruptly woken up. He feels like something is knocking at his brain, so he holds his pillow to his head in an attempt to calm himself down. He then springs up in bed and screams out the words "I think I love you." The second verse describes the morning after this experience, where the singer wakes up with a feeling he doesn't know how to deal with. He decides to hide this feeling to himself and never talk about it. When the person he thinks he loves walks into the room, he doesn't shout it out but thinks to himself that he loves them.
Throughout the song, the singer is expressing his uncertainty about his feelings for this person, but also acknowledges that he thinks he loves them. He is afraid of not being sure of a love that has no cure, and is worried to say that he has never felt this way before. Despite his uncertainty, he wants to make the person happy and decides it's better to stay around and love them. He concludes the song by asking the person if they think they love him, repeating the line "I think I love you" multiple times.
Overall, the song portrays the confusion and uncertainty that can come with falling in love for the first time. The lyrics illustrate the internal dialogue that a person might have when they are unsure of their feelings for someone else, and the fear that comes with opening up and expressing those feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
I was sleeping and right in the middle of a good dream
I was having a nice dream when something interrupted it.
Like all at once I wake up from something that keeps knocking at my brain
Suddenly, I woke up because something was bothering me.
Before I go insane I hold my pillow to my head
In order to not lose my mind, I press my pillow to my head.
And spring up in my bed screaming out the words I dread
I jump out of bed and shout the words that scare me.
I think I love you (I think I love you)
I believe I'm in love with you.
This morning I woke up with this feeling
I woke up feeling a certain way.
I didn't know how to deal with and so I just decided to myself
I wasn't sure how to handle it, so I kept it to myself.
I'd hide it to myself and never talk about it
I wouldn't tell anyone how I felt.
And did not go and shout it when you walked into the room
I didn't announce my feelings when I saw you.
I think I love you (I think I love you)
I think I might be in love with you.
I think I love you so what am I so afraid of
I'm scared because I'm not entirely certain that I love you.
I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for
I'm worried that my uncertain feelings won't go away.
I think I love you isn't that what life is made of
Isn't love one of the most important things in life?
Though it worries me to say that I never felt this way
Even though it's scary, I've never experienced anything like this before.
I don't know what I'm up against
I'm not sure what I'm dealing with here.
I don't know what it's all about
I'm not sure what's happening or why.
I got so much to think about
I have a lot to consider.
Hey, I think I love you so what am I so afraid of
I believe I love you, but I'm still scared.
I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no cure for
I'm worried that my feelings won't go away.
I think I love you isn't that what life is made of
Isn't love supposed to be a big part of life?
Though it worries me to say I never felt this way
Even though it scares me, I've never felt like this before.
Believe me you really don't have to worry
Don't be concerned, I only want to make you happy.
I only wanna make you happy and if you say "hey go away" I will
I want you to be happy, even if it means leaving you alone.
But I think better still I'd better stay around and love you
Actually, I think I want to stay and love you.
Do you think I have a case let me ask you to your face
Do you think I have a chance with you? Let me ask you directly.
Do you think you love me?
Do you have feelings for me, too?
I think I love you
I'm pretty sure that I'm in love with you.
I think I love you
Yes, I think I really am in love with you.
I think I love you
I can't deny it anymore, I'm in love with you.
I think I love you
It's true, I love you.
I think I love you
It's absolutely certain, I am in love with you.
I think I love you
Yes, I'm definitely in love with you.
I think I love you
I'm not afraid to say it anymore, I love you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TONY ROMEO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind