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.
Look Of Love
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is in your eyes
A look your smile can't
disguise
The look of love
Is saying so much more than
Just words could every say
Well it takes my breath away
[Chorus]
I can hardly wait to hold you
Feel my arms around you
How long I have waited
Waited just to love you
Now that I have found you
You've got the look of love
It's on your face
A look that time can't erase
Baby be mine, tonight
Let this be just the start of
So many nights like this
Let's take a lovers vow
And seal it with a kiss
[Chorus]
Don't ever go
Don't ever go
I love you so
The look of love
Let this be just the start of
So many nights like this
Let's take a lover's vow
And baby we'll seal it with a kiss
[Chorus]
Andy William's "The Look of Love" is one of the most romantic songs of all time. The song is about a lover who sees the look of love in his partner's eyes and how it takes his breath away. The first verse of the song establishes the look of love as the new form of expression that cannot be hidden even by a smile. The look of love expresses more than words could and it reveals the love and passion in someone's heart.
The chorus is about the ecstasy that the lover feels to be with his partner, the intense anticipation to hold her in his arms, and the joy of finally finding someone to love so deeply. The lyrics reveal the eagerness for the couple to take their relationship to the next level and take a vow to love each other faithfully. The second verse emphasizes the timelessness and permanence of the look of love that stays etched in the lover's face and leaves a lasting impression.
Overall, "The Look of Love" encapsulates the intense emotions of love, joy, and passion in a simple, yet profound manner that has made it a timeless classic among music lovers.
Line by Line Meaning
The look of love
The expression of love
Is in your eyes
Can be seen in the way you look at me
A look your smile can't disguise
A genuine expression that cannot be hidden behind a smile
The look of love
The expression of love
Is saying so much more than
Conveys more than
Just words could ever say
What words can express
And what my heart has heard
What I can sense and feel
Well it takes my breath away
Makes me feel overwhelmed and amazed
I can hardly wait to hold you
Eager to embrace you
Feel my arms around you
To hold you close
How long I have waited
It has been a long wait
Waited just to love you
Patiently waited to express love for you
Now that I have found you
Now that I have you in my life
You've got the look of love
You are expressing love
It's on your face
Can be seen in your facial expression
A look that time can't erase
A genuine expression that remains forever
Baby be mine, tonight
Let us be together tonight
Let this be just the start of
Let this be the beginning of
So many nights like this
Many nights of love and intimacy
Let's take a lovers vow
Let's make a commitment to each other
And seal it with a kiss
Symbolize our commitment with a kiss
Don't ever go
Stay with me
Don't ever go
Stay with me
I love you so
I love you deeply
The look of love
The expression of love
Let this be just the start of
Let this be the beginning of
So many nights like this
Many nights of love and intimacy
Let's take a lover's vow
Let's make a commitment to each other
And baby we'll seal it with a kiss
We will symbolize our commitment with a kiss
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, BURT F BACHARACH, HAL DAVID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@votefraudnet
Andy Williams was so talented and he had one of the greatest tv shows of all time. His Christmas specials will always be a great and cheerful memory. What a voice...
@pkappel006
I was in 8th grade when this came out back in 66' My Mom and Dad would put this song on at home on the Hi-Fi. Wow, I thought so neat and all! His voice, even today is so beautiful. God Bless Andy and God bless you...PK
@jackiemcmeekin6551
Great melody, inspiring words! Andy sings it so well, as usual. I miss him. His weekly show was on TV from 1962 to 1971. He had to have a following for a network to keep him on that long! RIP, Andy.
@Keedeeg
Whenever I'm asked what's my favorite song, I can never answer but "The Look of Love" is always one of the first songs that comes to mind. So Dreamy was this performance!!
@johnnewman1975
He takes it to a different level
Others have my curiosity he's got my attention when he sings
@David732008
One of the most beautiful love songs ever written and sung... Believe it or not, it brings to my mind the beautiful face of my 1 year nephew... The most beautiful baby I have ever seen... Bet Burt Bacharach never thought of it when he composed it... lol... very tender song... I just love it
@brianadams9486
Brilliantly sang by Mr. Williams...a timeless song by David and Bacharach...Dusty vocalized it well too..just a classic love song...!
@robsonlima1337
I love this song, beautiful version :-)
@onaciomcorp3332
pain why in practive at theory were other.
@penelopedewollaston7981
This was my husband and my special song. He died over 20 years ago, but this song always brings him back.