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 Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold
Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven's all gracious king
The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing
Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurl
And still their heavenly music floats, O'er all the weary world.
Above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hovering wing
And ever o'er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing
O ye, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low
Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow
Look now for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing
O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing
For lo the days are hastening on, by prophets seen of old
When with the ever circling years shall come the time foretold
When the new heaven and earth shall own the prince of peace their King
And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing
The song It Came Upon a Midnight Clear narrates the story of a glorious song that was heard during midnight. This song is said to be an old song, sung by angels who came down to touch their harps made of gold, and spread goodwill towards men on the earth. As the earth lay still, the angels sang this song to bring peace on earth by spreading their heavenly music across the world. The song vividly describes the majestic sight of angels coming down from the heavens with peaceful wings unfurled, and their heavenly music floating over the entire world.
The second verse of the song describes how the angels still come through the cloven skies bringing peace and their heavenly music to the weary world. They bend over the lowly plains, hovering, and giving their blessings to the world. The song's third verse is meant to encourage people who are struggling in life, asking them to look up for the glad and golden moments that come swiftly and bring positivity to one's life. The angels' song in the midnight air is comforting and should inspire people to find peace on their journey.
The song's final verse speaks about the coming of the prince of peace, whose reign over heaven and earth will bring joyful tidings to the world. The prophet's vision of the new world where the prince of peace reigns is a time of an unending circle, bringing hope to the people of the world. This final verse explains the song's purpose and emphasizes that the joyous message that the angels sang in the first verse will be the same message the whole world will sing when the prince of peace comes.
Line by Line Meaning
It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old
At midnight, a beautiful old song sounded out
From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold
Angels approached the earth, reaching for their harps made of gold
Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven's all gracious king
Heavenly blessed peace and goodwill to all mankind from the Almighty King
The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing
The world was quiet, listening to the angels' song
Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurl
The angels continue to arrive through the parted skies with peaceful wings
And still their heavenly music floats, O'er all the weary world.
Their beautiful music still lingers over the tired world
Above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hovering wing
Over the world's unhappy and humble places, they hover with bent wings
And ever o'er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing
Amidst the world's noise, the holy angels sing
O ye, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low
Oh, you who feel life's heavy burden, bowed under its weight
Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow
Who struggle along the steep, hard path with slow, painful steps
Look now for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing
Watch for the coming of joyful, wonderful times that approach rapidly
O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing
Rest beside the tired road and listen to the angels' song
For lo the days are hastening on, by prophets seen of old
The days of old, seen by prophets, are quickly approaching
When with the ever circling years shall come the time foretold
The predicted time will come with the passing of the years
When the new heaven and earth shall own the prince of peace their King
When a new heaven and earth acknowledge the peace-bringing ruler as their king
And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing
The whole world will sing the same song as the angels are singing now
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edmund Hamilton Sears, Richard Storrs Willis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Allen Dunlea
ONE OF THE GREATEST VOCALISTS OF ALL TIME WHAT A SONG AND SANG IN A SPECAIL WAY BEUTIFUL
DA0470
This makes me bawling my eyes out. I would love to have this played at my funeral 😢😢
BloozeDaddy
The most soothing peaceful version ever of this fine Christmas carol.
Tellina Dona
Merry Christmas to all the pure and innocent creatures in the universe, with the unique and extaordinray Voice of Andy Wlliams!
navycottoncandi
Haven’t heard this carol in a long time. Thanks for posting
Harry S. Anchan
The best version of the song, ever, as good as Frank Sinatra's.
Lagu Tempo Doeloe
Merry Christmas from Papua ❤💚❤💚
Samuel Lyall
And a happy new year Too