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.
The Way You Look Tonight
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the world is cold
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight
Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm
And your cheeks so soft
There is nothing for me but to love you
With each word your tenderness grows
Tearin' my fear apart
And that laugh, wrinkles your nose
Touches my foolish heart
Lovely, never, never change
Keep that breathless charm
Won't you please arrange it? 'Cause I love you
Just the way you look tonight
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose
It touches my foolish heart
Lovely, don't you ever change
Keep that breathless charm
Won't you please arrange it ? 'Cause I love you
A just the way you look tonight
Mm, mm mm, mm,
Just the way you look tonight
The Way You Look Tonight by Andy Williams is a romantic ballad that speaks about the beauty of love and the way it makes one feel. The lyrics paint a picture of a time when the singer is feeling down and the world seems cold, but the thought of the person they love brings warmth to their heart. The first verse suggests that even in the darkness, the way their love looks can still bring light to the singer's life.
The second verse highlights the physical beauty of the person being sung about - their warm smile and soft cheeks. The lyrics express that there is nothing left for the singer to do but love the person being sung about, which shows the depth of their feelings. The third verse speaks about the tenderness the person brings, tearing apart the singer's fear and making their heart foolish.
However, the most significant line in the entire song comes at the end of every verse and chorus. "And the way you look tonight" signifies that no matter what, the beauty and allure of the person the singer is singing about will never change. Even if they lose their breathless charm or the wrinkles on their face grow deeper, the singer wants them to know that they are loved for who they are - and the way they look tonight.
Line by Line Meaning
Some day, when I'm awfully low
At some point in time, when I'm feeling extremely down and unhappy
When the world is cold
During times when everything around me seems unfriendly and uninviting
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
I'll experience a sense of warmth and happiness just by thinking about you
And the way you look tonight
Especially if I recall how beautiful you looked tonight
Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm
Your lovely nature, characterized by your warm smile
And your cheeks so soft
The softness of your cheeks, which adds to your beauty
There is nothing for me but to love you
I can't but love you with all my heart
With each word your tenderness grows
Each time I hear you speak, I sense your tender-heartedness increasing
Tearin' my fear apart
Dismantling and destroying any fear that may exist in my heart
And that laugh, wrinkles your nose
Your laugh always makes your nose wrinkle, which is endearing to me
Touches my foolish heart
This has a strong emotional effect on me and touches my heart, despite it being foolish to others
Lovely, never, never change
Please don't ever change your loveliness
Keep that breathless charm
Continue with that truly breathtaking charm you possess
Won't you please arrange it? 'Cause I love you
Ask that you maintain it, because of how much I love you
A just the way you look tonight
Exactly the way you look right now
Mm, mm mm, mm,
Musical interlude
Just the way you look tonight
Again, insisting that you stay the same just as you appear tonight
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paul Dinning
Absolutey Fantastic What an amazing voice and fantastic version of this song.
Isabelle Luker
Oh my goodness - this is absolute perfection. So sad he's no longer with us. Thank you for posting this perfect piece of music.
martinisrael7
The whole performance is fantastic, but the end is just incredible, almost unreal! That's for me the best interpretation of this song, and I think I heard them all. My second choice is with Tony Benett.
Steve Wildasin
Andy was the best. Awesome voice and person.
Barry Seymour
Such feeling. He was a favorite of mine in 1970, when I was 14. Not "cool" man. Didn't care. I always loved the standards he sang to finish off the show every week. Great, great singer!
Tony Day
beautiful song beautifully sung - you were the best Andy
gratefulhermit
That is an angel's voice.
sunnybeatzproduction
God needs your lovely voice, Mr Williams, Rest In Peace.
Ben McCloughan
When I was a little guy, we went to see a Christmas concert. All the children got to go up on stage and sit as he sang a song. It was awesome.
Colerain Fan
God, but he was a gifted singer. I love this song, and so few can sing it with such ease. My mother loved Andy, and I grew up, in the 60's, watching the Andy Williams show, with her. Thanks, Andy.