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.
So Rare
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So rare, so rare
So rare, you're like the fragrance of blossoms fair
Sweet as a breath of air
Fresh with the morning dew
So rare, you're like the sparkle of old champagne
Orchids in cellophane
You are perfection (doo do wa) you're my idea (doo doo wa)
Of angels singing (doo doo wa) the Ave Maria (doo doo wa)
For you're an angel (doo doo wa) I breathe and live you (doo doo a)
With every beat of the heart that I give you
So rare, this is a heaven on earth we share
Caring the way we care
Ours is a love so rare (so rare, so rare)
(So rare, so rare)
You are perfection you're my idea
Of angels singing the Ave Maria
For you're an angel I breathe and live you
With every beat of the heart that I give you
So rare (so rare), this is a heaven on earth we share (so rare)
Caring the way we care (so rare)
Ours is a love so rare (so rare, so rare)
(So rare, so rare)
The lyrics of Andy Williams's song "So Rare" describe the rarity and uniqueness of the persona being sung to. The singer compares the subject to the sweetest fragrance and freshness of the morning's dew. The persona is also compared with the sparkle of vintage champagne and the rarity of orchids covered in cellophane. The singer concludes that this person is perfection and shares an intense love that is heaven on earth.
The song is a tribute to the beauty and the charm of the muse being sung to. It describes the persona in vivid details that make the subject stand out from everything else. The song is sang in a soft-toned and romantic atmosphere that complements the subject's "rareness." The song is an excellent example of the romantic pop era of music.
Andy Williams's "So Rare" was released in 1967, and it rose to number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. It was later ranked as number 89 on the list of the top 100 songs of 1967. It has since been covered by various other artists, including Jimmy Dorsey, Al Hirt, and Dr. John.
Line by Line Meaning
So rare, so rare
A repetition of the title, emphasizing how infrequent and unique the subject of the song is.
So rare, you're like the fragrance of blossoms fair
Comparing the subject of the song to a delightful, rare smell that brings joy and pleasure.
Sweet as a breath of air
Referring to the subject's sweetness and purity, as if she were as refreshing as the air we breathe.
Fresh with the morning dew
Stressing the subject's youthfulness, purity, and newness.
So rare, you're like the sparkle of old champagne
Comparing the subject of the song to an exquisite, rare and valuable sparkling wine, with high quality.
Orchids in cellophane
Highlighting the elegance and beauty of the subject, which surpasses the commonly considered beautiful things.
Couldn't compare to you
Emphasizing the uniqueness and incomparability of the subject. There's nothing even close to her beauty or uniqueness.
You are perfection (doo do wa) you're my idea (doo doo wa)
The repetition reaffirms the notion that the subject is the epitome of perfection, somebody who's unblemished and without any flaws
Of angels singing (doo doo wa) the Ave Maria (doo doo wa)
Comparing the subject of the song to an angel, somebody divine, otherworldly, and holy, who could only be heard singing the Ave Maria.
For you're an angel (doo doo wa) I breathe and live you (doo doo a)
Reiterating the notion that the subject is an angel, somebody whom the singer breathes and lives, highlighting how the subject is an essential component of the singer's life.
With every beat of the heart that I give you
With every heartbeat, the singer gives his love and devotion to the subject, highlighting how much she means to him.
So rare, this is a heaven on earth we share
Stating how rare and special their relationship is, as if they're in Heaven itself living an otherworldly experience.
Caring the way we care
Highlighting the love and care that they have for each other, making their relationship one of the rarest and purest things on earth.
Ours is a love so rare (so rare, so rare)
Repeating how unique and rare their love is, making it a precious thing that is once in a lifetime.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JACK SHARPE, JERRY HERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind