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.
It's the Most Wonderful of the Year
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you be of good cheer
It's the most wonderful time of the year
It's the hap-happiest season of all
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings
When friends come to call
There'll be parties for hosting
Marshmallows for toasting
And caroling out in the snow
There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of the
Christmases long, long ago
It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be much mistltoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When love ones are near
It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be parties for hosting
Marshmallows for toasting
And caroling out in the snow
There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of the
Christmases long, long ago
It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be much mistltoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When love ones are near
It's the most wonderful time
Yes the most wonderful time
Oh the most wonderful time
Of the year
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is a Christmas song filled with joy and celebration. The song captures the excitement of the holiday season by appealing to our senses and emotions. The lyrics evoke images of snow, parties, mistletoe, and love, all of which combine to create a magical time of the year.
The first stanza paints a picture of children enjoying the holiday season by singing carols and spreading cheer. The second stanza emphasizes the social aspect of the holidays, which brings friends and families closer. The stanza also highlights the joyous custom of exchanging greetings and making merry.
The third stanza lists the various activities that people engage in during the holiday season, including hosting parties, toasting marshmallows, and singing carols in the snow. The use of 'scary ghost stories' in this stanza references an old English tradition of telling 'Ghost stories' on Christmas Eve which has been largely forgotten now. The fourth and final stanza underscores the magic of the holidays by referencing love as a central theme.
Overall, the song encourages us to embrace the joys of the Christmas season, and to cherish the moments we share with our loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the most wonderful time of the year
This is the best time of the year.
With the kids jingle belling
Children are ringing bells in celebration.
And everyone telling you be of good cheer
Everyone is saying to be in a good mood and cheerful.
It's the hap-happiest season of all
This is the happiest season of the year.
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings
The season is filled with joyous greetings and happy get-togethers.
When friends come to call
This is a time when friends visit.
There'll be parties for hosting
People will throw parties and host gatherings.
Marshmallows for toasting
Marshmallows will be roasted over an open flame.
And caroling out in the snow
People will sing carols in the snow.
There'll be scary ghost stories
People will tell spooky tales of ghosts.
And tales of the glories of the Christmases long, long ago
People will share stories of the great Christmases from the past.
There'll be much mistltoeing
Mistletoe will be plentiful.
And hearts will be glowing
People will feel warm and happy inside.
When love ones are near
Being with loved ones is what makes this time special.
Yes the most wonderful time
This is definitely the best time of the year.
Oh the most wonderful time
Wow, this is really the best time of the year.
Of the year
Out of all the year, this is the best time.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: EDDIE POLA, GEORGE WYLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@willramz7808
Listening in March 2024
@pabloa98
It is the most wonderful time 🎶
@jamjr5132
April 2024
@pereiraekociassociados7128
April 2024
@ajitpauldodray1677
😂 listening in April 2024
@heythatsjames14
April
@unbeatenlake790
Midnight. November 1st. It’s Christmas time again.
@bmendez3782
Well thanksgiving first then Christmas but still the holidays though.
@jcfreak4ever1
I don't care what date it is; Nov 1st and after is Christmas season for me! 🤩
@goji3190
I KRIMAAAAAAA