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.
Three Coins in the Fountain
Andy Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Each one seeking happiness.
Thrown by three hopeful lovers,
Which one will the fountain bless?
Three hearts in the fountain,
Each heart longing for its home.
There they lie in the fountain
Which one will the fountain bless?
Which one will the fountain bless?
Three coins in the fountain,
Through the ripples how they shine.
Just one wish will be granted,
One heart will wear a valentine.
Make it mine!
Make it mine!
Make it mine!
Three coins in the fountain,
Through the ripples how they shine.
And just one wish will be granted,
One heart will wear a valentine.
Make it mine!
Make it mine!
Make it mine!
The lyrics of "Three Coins in the Fountain" speak of the hopes and dreams of three individuals who have each thrown a coin into the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome. These three individuals are seeking happiness and longing for their true home. The lyrics paint a picture of the coins shining through the ripples and the hearts lying in the fountain.
The song speaks to the idea that love and happiness are not easy to come by, and it is difficult to know which specific path will lead to success in these areas. The three hopeful lovers each have their own dreams and desires, and the fountain has the power to grant just one wish. Therefore, there is a sense of competition and uncertainty surrounding which heart will be blessed by the fountain.
The lyrics emphasize the individual longing of each heart, and the chorus repeats the phrase "make it mine" as each person hopes for their wish to come true. This emphasizes the personal nature of these desires, and the importance of having that one special wish granted. The song ultimately reflects on the idea that love and happiness are uncertain, but it is worth the risk to throw a coin in the fountain and hope that your wish will be granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Three coins in the fountain,
There are three coins that have been thrown into a fountain.
Each one seeking happiness.
The people who threw the coins into the fountain are all looking for happiness.
Thrown by three hopeful lovers,
Each of the three coins was thrown by a lover who is hopeful for their future.
Which one will the fountain bless?
The question is which of the three people will find happiness and have their wishes granted.
Three hearts in the fountain,
The three lovers who threw the coins each have a heart filled with longing and desire.
Each heart longing for its home.
Each person longs for a place to call their own where they feel comfortable and happy.
There they lie in the fountain
The coins and the hopes of the lovers are now resting in the fountain, waiting for their fate.
Somewhere in the heart of Rome.
The fountain is located in Rome, a city known for its romantic settings and timeless beauty.
Through the ripples how they shine.
The coins sparkle and shine through the water as they are thrown into the fountain.
Just one wish will be granted,
Out of the three wishes, only one will be granted by the fountain.
One heart will wear a valentine.
One of the three lovers will have their wish granted and will find happiness with a partner.
Make it mine!
The singer is expressing their own hope for finding love and happiness with a partner.
Make it mine!
They repeat their desire for love and happiness.
Make it mine!
They repeat their desire for love and happiness once again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind