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.
Summer Place
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where it may rain or storm
Yet I'm safe and warm
For within that summer place
Your arms reach out to me
And my heart is free from all care
For it knows
When seen through the eyes
Of those who are blessed with love
And the sweet secret of
A summer place
Is that it's anywhere
When two people share
All their hopes
All their dreams
All their love
And the sweet secret of a summer place
Is that it's anywhere
When two people share
All their hopes
All their dreams, all their love
The lyrics to Andy Williams's song A Summer Place are a joyful representation of being in love, despite any external circumstances. The song begins by describing a summer place where it may rain or storm, but the singer feels safe and warm due to their partner's embrace. The singer's heart is free from all care because they know that there are no gloomy skies when seen through the eyes of those who are blessed with love. The sweet secret of a summer place is that it can be anywhere when two people share all their hopes, all their dreams, and all their love.
The song's uplifting lyrics were written by Mack Discant, and the music composed by Max Steiner for the 1959 film A Summer Place. The theme song became extremely popular and was performed by various artists. Andy Williams's rendition became one of the most beloved versions, with his recording reaching number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a summer place
There is a place that only exists during summer
Where it may rain or storm
Even though it may rain or storm there, I am still comforted, knowing I am safe and warm inside that place
Yet I'm safe and warm
I feel safe and warm even when there is bad weather outside
For within that summer place
Because inside that place, I experience something special
Your arms reach out to me
I feel embraced by you
And my heart is free from all care
In this moment, nothing else matters
For it knows
Because my heart knows
There are no gloomy skies
Even when things are bad, love can make everything seem better
When seen through the eyes
When we view the world
Of those who are blessed with love
From the perspective of those who have love in their lives
And the sweet secret of
The wonderful thing about
A summer place
This special place during summer
Is that it's anywhere
It can exist anywhere
When two people share
As long as two people are sharing
All their hopes
All their aspirations
All their dreams
All their ambitions
All their love
All their affection and caring
And the sweet secret of a summer place
The beauty of this place during summer
Is that it's anywhere
It can exist anywhere
When two people share
As long as two people are sharing
All their hopes
All their aspirations
All their dreams, all their love
All their ambitions, all their affection and caring
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mack Discant, Max Steiner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
spk6819
There's a summer place
Where it may rain or storm
Yet I'm safe and warm
For within that summer place
Your arms reach out to me
And my heart is free from all care
For it knows
There are no gloomy skies
When seen through the eyes
Of those who are blessed with love
And the sweet secret of
A summer place
Is that it's anywhere
When two people share
All their hopes
All their dreams
All their love
And the sweet secret of a summer place
Is that it's anywhere
When two people share
All their hopes
All their dreams, all their love
Herber H. Aragón Suclla
🥰A Summer Place ("Un lugar de verano"), hermosa melodía muy popular en los años 60 y 70. Es una de mis favoritas. Se escuchaba mucho por la radio y la televisión, sobre todo cuando se presentaban shows de solo música instrumental. En esta oportunidad, les entrego la letra de esta canción en inglés y español. Espero que la disfrutes.🙋
1:
There's a summer place
Hay un lugar de verano
where it may rain or storm
donde puede llover o haber tormenta
Yet I'm safe and warm
Sin embargo, estoy a salvo y cálido
for within that summer place
porque dentro de ese lugar de verano
your arms reach out to me
tus brazos se extienden hacia mí
and my heart is free from all care
y mi corazón está libre de todo cuidado;
For it knows
Porque sabe (que)
there are no gloomy skies
no hay cielos sombríos/oscuros
when seen through the eyes
cuando se ve a través de los ojos
of those who are blessed with love
de aquellos que son bendecidos con amor.
2:
And the sweet secret of
Y el dulce secreto de
a summer place
un lugar de verano.
Is that it's anywhere
Es que está en cualquier lugar
when two people share
cuando dos personas comparten
all their hopes
todas sus esperanzas,
all their dreams
todos sus sueños,
all their love
todo su amor.
Repetir 2:
Hummm...
(C)2022-05-26
Christopher Fernandes
My father and mother loved the voice of Andy Williams . This is one song they used to hold hands and dance to on many occasions. They are long gone but upon hearing this song by Andy Williams, I am taken back to being with them. I do miss both my parents even though it is almost 25 years since my mother passed.
Christopher Fernandes
@Louis Salvatore I hope you are at peace. May the souls of your parents Rest In Peace.
Larry Pacman
I understand, happy moments . Never forget
Louis Salvatore
I cry uncontrollably when i hear this song, i too so miss my parents and relatives that have passed on, they loved this type of music, and so do i😪
Christopher Fernandes
@Herma T : They will always be with you as long as you think of them. May their souls Rest In Peace.
Herma T
I miss my father and mother so much.
Jamie Lynn Smithe
Was there anything that this man could not sing?? One of the most beautiful male voices ever....his songs live on and on and on..
Ian Franks
Danny Williams was just as good if not better
Chipchase
@James Dunn
Many including myself believe Danny Williams version is the best. He owned it, so to speak. But each to their own.
MXB2001
Him and Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby.