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.
Scarborough Fair/Canticle
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
(On the side of a hill in the deep forest green)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Without no seams nor needlework
(Blankets and bedclothes, the child of the mountains)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
(Sleeps unaware of a clarion call)
Tell her to find me an acre of land
(On the side of a hill, a sprinkling of leaves)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Washes the grave with silvery tears)
Between the salt water and the sea strand
(A soldier cleans and polishes a gun)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
Tell her to reap it in a sickle of leather
(War bellows blazing in scarlet battalions)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Generals order their soldiers to kill)
And gather it all in a bunch of heather
(And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten)
Then she'll be a true love of mine.
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
The lyrics to Andy Williams’s song Scarborough Fair/Canticle are an adaptation of the traditional English folk ballad Scarborough Fair. The song is a conversation between two former lovers who meet unexpectedly at Scarborough Fair. The lover asks the other if they are going to the fair and if they would convey some messages to someone who lives there, who was once their true love.
The lover then goes on to ask for a cambric shirt to be made without any seams or needlework to prove their love. The lyrics also mention finding an acre of land, reaping in a sickle of leather, and gathering bunches of heather. Each request is followed by the refrain of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
The song is believed to have been used as a code by the supporters of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, which aimed to assassinate King James I of England. The use of “parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme” is thought to have been a reference to herbs that were believed to have healing powers and were used to mask the smell of the explosives. The reference to “acre of land” was also a code for a hiding place in the countryside.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Will you attend the local fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
These herbs are used in various ways, possibly for medicinal or culinary purposes.
Remember me to one who lives there
Please send my regards to someone who resides in Scarborough.
She once was a true love of mine
I used to love her and have fond memories of her.
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Ask her to create a specific type of fine linen shirt for me.
(On the side of a hill in the deep forest green)
The location where this shirt is requested to be made is described as being deep in the forest on a hillside.
Without no seams nor needlework
The shirt should be created without any stitching.
(Blankets and bedclothes, the child of the mountains)
Other items are mentioned, possibly to indicate that the shirt is to be made from the resources located in this area.
Then she'll be a true love of mine
If she fulfills this request, my love for her will be rekindled.
(Sleeps unaware of a clarion call)
This line is not clear, but possibly refers to someone who is not paying attention to the world around them.
Tell her to find me an acre of land
Request that she locate a specific amount of land for me.
(On the side of a hill, a sprinkling of leaves)
Again, the location where the land is to be found is described as being on a hillside.
(Washes the grave with silvery tears)
It's unclear who or what is crying but it's happening over a grave.
(A soldier cleans and polishes a gun)
A soldier is mentioned, possibly as a metaphor for the violence or struggle happening in the world.
Then she'll be a true love of mine
If she is able to complete this task, I will love her again.
Tell her to reap it in a sickle of leather
She should harvest something using a sharp blade made of leather.
(War bellows blazing in scarlet battalions)
A vivid image of war and fighting is described.
(Generals order their soldiers to kill)
The military and its leaders are mentioned, possibly to emphasize the violence of war.
And gather it all in a bunch of heather
When harvesting is complete, it should all be bundled together with heather.
Then she'll be a true love of mine.
If she does what is requested, my love for her will be restored.
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
The song ends with a repetition of the opening line, possibly to emphasize the question being asked.
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
The herbs are mentioned one more time, possibly to reinforce their symbolic meaning throughout the song.
Remember me to one who lives there
The song ends with a repetition of this line, reminding the listener of the reason for the request made earlier in the song.
She once was a true love of mine
The song's final line reinforces the artist's feelings for the person in question.
Writer(s): SIMON PAUL, GARFUNKEL ARTHUR
Contributed by Caden M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mal Bourne
I'm 49 years old and I'm crying like a baby. I grew up listening to this beauty, but with Andy Williams' voice added, it's...I have no words
Blake Nix
Seriously. Andy makes this go from greatness to ascendant. Gets me too.
5050RS
Amazing video with perfect harmony. Andy Williams actually makes this song better. Art Garfunkel and Andy Williams complement each other perfectly. I remember watching the Andy Williams show as a young kid but somehow missed this amazing performance. Thanks for posting.
Carolyn King
I remember watching this at the time, in awe of its beauty. So glad that I found this on YouTube. I watch it several times a year.
Солис Эклектикос
The voice of Andy Williams brings an inexpressible charm to this song. Miraculous.
Michael Gadsby
1:25... Andy's voice sounds like a cello. Utterly beautiful
Susan Crawford
Andy's voice blends in well no matter who he's singing with. What a beautiful harmony from S&G & Andy I'm sure Andy's harmonizing with the Angels right now. This song is on Andy's "Honey" album just beautiful to listen to.Miss you Andy
Scott Lewis
This song has always been the greatest popular song ever recorded. So naturally it could not be improved upon.
But it has been! Simon and Williams and Garfunkel. What a beautiful rendition. Damn.
snakehands
Just something special about Art Garfunkel's voice - makes me smile.
PoliteTia
It is very nice, I concur