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.
Moon River
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way
Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
(Moon river, wider than a mile)
(I'm crossin' you in style some day)
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way
Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after that same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me
(Moon river)
(Moon river, ooh)
The lyrics to Andy Williams's "Moon River" describe a sense of wanderlust and adventure coupled with the desire for companionship. The singer, who refers to themselves and a companion as "two drifters," is enamored of the titular river, which is described as being "wider than a mile" and seems to represent the vast and unknown possibilities of the world. The singer and their companion are "off to see the world," and are united by their shared goal of reaching the metaphorical end of the rainbow.
The song's title is a metaphor for the journey of life, with its ups and downs and the possibility of discovering new things along the way. The "dream maker" referred to in the lyrics is a force beyond the singer's control, perhaps representing fate or the universe, and their companion is a "heartbreaker," suggesting that the relationship between the two may be fleeting or destined to end in heartbreak. Despite this, the singer remains committed to following their companion on their adventures, wherever they may lead and whatever obstacles may arise.
Overall, the lyrics to "Moon River" capture a sense of hope and optimism in the face of uncertainty and the unknown. The idea of two people united in their pursuit of adventure and discovery is a timeless and universal one, and the song continues to resonate with audiences today as a testament to the power of human connection and the beauty of the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
Moon river, wider than a mile
Moon river, a vast and expansive body of water that seems to extend beyond measure
I'm crossing you in style some day
I will cross this mighty river with grace and elegance when the opportunity arises
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
You, the one who creates and orchestrates dreams, can also be the one who shatters them
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way
I will follow you, no matter where you may venture, as long as it leads us down the same path
Two drifters, off to see the world
Two individuals who wander in search of adventure and new experiences
There's such a lot of world to see
There are countless sights, sounds and experiences awaiting exploration
We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
We share a common goal of reaching a wonderful, yet elusive destination that lies ahead
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me
Together with my closest companion, we journey alongside the river and its riparian surroundings
(Moon river)
(Moon river, ooh)
Lyrics © Tratore
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MandalayMoore33
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And, to your utter dismay, I never ever even was sick this last 2½ years of CON-Vid.😈
Nothing that fresh lemon ginger honey tea was not to remedy. No poison shots for me TYVM!
The virus can come and [re-]visit you ANYTIME though!!💀 So you better be AFRAID!! VERY afraid! Make sure you wear 4 face diapers and a plastic bag over your stupid mug and make a wide berth around anyone who comes too close, eh?!?
Can't be too careful when you're gullible and paranoid!😂🤣
@devijaykhansunex5694
It's 2022, and i'm still amazed by his magical voice.
@newmanoutdoors1564
Same .
@dilnavasroshan9741
So true.
@kimberlybellefontaine1215
I was born in 1960, and I remember hearing this song very early on … like when my parents played it on the stereo. I have ALWAYS loved this song by Andy Williams. His voice is so incredibly smooth. Beautiful timeless song. It’s so nostalgic to me that it almost brings me to tears whenever I hear it (which isn’t often these days) ..
@user-ps1zx5ge8w
💓
@hbennett5640
He has a lovely clear voice...love him♡
@kf2510
His voice is a national treasure
@adrianmonk4440
Shhhhhhh, Nicolas Cage will try to steal it.
@jer2xjim
Beautifully said..
@MrHenkfromHolland
It was a time when singing was an art.
He has a miracle voice.