Clay's first CD, Measure of a Man (Number One, Top 200), went triple platinum selling more than 613,000 copies in its first week. Including singles like "Invisible", "The Way," "I Will Carry You" and the Neil Sedaka cover "Solitaire," it was the subject of conflicting reviews. Billboard Magazine called it the best pop album of 2003. Many fans and some critics recognized and admired the pure pop sound ("so pure it floats") and top-notch production values while others heard only a manufactured sound, noting that the singer hadn't earned his musical chops but "merely" sang his way to the hearts of millions on television, a perceived unjust leap-frogging of "the true path of the true artist."
Aiken fronted a country band, Just By Chance, pre-Idol and recorded 3 demo CDs. As a young man he was a member of the Raleigh Boy's Choir and was in numerous musical productions in North Carolina Theater.
The National Inclusion Project (formerly the Bubel/Aiken Foundation) was launched in 2003, supporting the integration of children with disabilities into the life environment of their non-disabled peers. In November 2004, Clay was appointed as a National Ambassador for UNICEF, with a mission to help ensure that children everywhere are afforded a primary education.
In November 2004, Clay released Merry Christmas With Love (Number One, Top 200). His first Christmas album, it went platinum, won 2 Billboard Music Awards and spurred a yearly holiday tour and a follow-up EP, All Is Well - Songs for Christmas. 2004 was also the year Clay made #2 on the New York Times Best Seller List with his "inspirational memoir" titled Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life.
His next studio album, 2006's A Thousand Different Ways (Number Two, Top 200), was, through the direction of mega-producer Clive Davis, largely a covers CD. Ten of the fourteen cuts being well known melodic pop songs ranging from Richard Marx, Bryan Adams, Dolly Parton, Mister Mister, and Elton John. Two other songs, available only on digital versions of the album, are "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (through K-Mart.com) and "Lover All Alone" (through iTunes and co-written by Aiken himself). Many fans have wondered about the relative exclusion of the latter song, left languishing from the song list present on the physical CD, as its intimate emotional material and Aiken's own writing handiwork produce a spellbinding effect.
In May of 2008 Aiken released On My Way Here (Number Four, Top 200), his first album of original material since his 2003 chart-topping debut Measure of A Man. While searching for songs for this album, he fell in love with a song written by OneRepublic front man Ryan "Alias" Tedder called "On My Way Here." The message of the lyrics -- how the lessons we learn while growing up shape us into who we become as adults -- struck such a deep chord with Clay that it wound up inspiring the theme (and title) of his new collection. In addition to enlisting Grammy-Award winning British songwriter and producer Kipper, On My Way Here also included the talented musicians of none other then the Steely Dan band.
A fifth album, The Very Best of Clay Aiken, was released at the end of March 2009 on Sony's Legacy Recordings Playlist Series.
To date, Aiken has headlined 8 tours., one of them co-headlining with Kelly Clarkson.
Aiken made his Broadway debut playing the role of Sir Robin in Monty Python's Spamalot in January 2008. His first run ended in May. He rejoined the cast as Sir Robin in September and remained through January 4, 2009.
In August of 2008 Clay became a father to Parker Foster Aiken with producer Jaymes Foster, the sister of record producer David Foster.
Clay will release a brand new album, titled "Tried and True", on June 1, 2010 on the Decca Records label.
Clay also has made numerous TV appearances, guest-starring on everything from Scrubs to Days of Our Lives to the season finale of the popular show 30 Rock. He has earned a place on such talk-shows as Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show, Late Night With David Letterman, Tyra Banks, Rachel Ray, Ellen and has cooked with both Martha Stewart and Paula Deen.
Though clearly, based on his television and concert appeal, a performing artist whose live presentations show consummate showmanship, bringing surprising dynamism to studio songs, Aiken has had to endure a persistent hammering from entertainment critics and a tenacious (not to say malevolent) interest on the part of some in the media relating to questions about his personal life.
Always full of surprises, fans look forward to the continued ways in which this multi-talented artist expresses himself and uses his voice in ways that will expand his appeal in and beyond the US.
Right Here Waiting
Clay Aiken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain
If I see you next to never
How can we say forever
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you
I took for granted all of the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now
Oh, can't you see it, baby
You got me goin' crazy
Wherever you go, whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you
I wonder how we can survive
This romance
But in the end if I'm with you
I'll take the chance
Oh, can't you see it, baby
You got me goin' crazy
Wherever you go, whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you
I will be right here waiting for you
I will be right here waiting
Right Here Waiting, by Clay Aiken, deals with the pain of being far away from the person you love. The lyrics paint a picture of two people living oceans apart and trying to keep their love for each other intact despite the distance. The first verse describes the heartache and loneliness the singer feels while being away from his lover. He hears her voice on the line, but it doesn't ease the pain of being apart from her. The pre-chorus raises a question: if he doesn't see her frequently, how can they guarantee their love will last? However, in the chorus, he pledges to wait for her no matter where she goes or what she does. He's willing to endure any hardship and pain to keep their love alive.
The second verse is reflective; he recognizes that he took his time with her for granted, and now he can't be near her. He hears her laughter and tastes her tears, but he can't comfort her from afar. The pain of being separated from her drives him to the edge of insanity. Nevertheless, he vows to stay strong for her and wait for her, no matter the distance or situation. The bridge expresses the hope that they can overcome this distance, and he's willing to take a chance on their love, even if he's unsure about the future. He repeats the chorus, expressing his unwavering commitment to wait for her.
Overall, Right Here Waiting is a moving song that captures the pain of being separated from a loved one. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has been in a long-distance relationship, or knows the feeling of heartache from the absence of someone important. The song's popularity demonstrates its ability to connect with listeners in a meaningful way. The song has sold over a million copies, and it was Clay Aiken's debut single after he appeared on American Idol in 2003. Additionally, the song was originally written and recorded by Richard Marx in 1989, and Clay Aiken's version was released in 2003, almost 15 years later. Right Here Waiting has been featured in numerous TV shows and movies, including Friends, ER, and A Cinderella Story.
Line by Line Meaning
Oceans apart day after day
Even though we are physically separated by a great distance, time is passing by without end
And I slowly go insane
The mental anguish of being away from you is driving me crazy
I hear your voice on the line
Hearing the sound of your voice on the phone brings me comfort
But it doesn't stop the pain
However, it does not alleviate the intense emotional pain of being far from you
If I see you next to never
If it is unlikely that we will ever be in the same place again
How can we say forever
How can we claim that our love is eternal under such circumstances
Wherever you go, whatever you do
No matter where you go or what you do
I will be right here waiting for you
I will always be here for you waiting patiently
Whatever it takes or how my heart breaks
I am willing to go through any hardship and endure pain if it means I can be with you
I took for granted all of the times
I foolishly assumed that every moment we spent together would last forever
That I thought would last somehow
Even though I believed our happiness would never end
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
Memories of our happy times and sad moments are still vivid in my mind
But I can't get near you now
Unfortunately, I cannot be close to you in this moment
Oh, can't you see it, baby
I hope you understand how deeply I feel for you
You got me goin' crazy
My love for you is driving me crazy with desire and longing
I wonder how we can survive
I am worried if our love can endure this distance
This romance
Our romantic relationship
But in the end if I'm with you
If I have the chance to be with you finally
I'll take the chance
I will take the risk and pursue our love to the fullest
I will be right here waiting for you
I will always be waiting patiently, ready to love you whenever you're ready to love me back
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Richard Marx
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alan Corrêa Diniz
Essa música é mil vezes melhor que a versão original!
Erlian
Old but gold
Meti Mehera
❤️🤩
Hyung Cos
First hear this version on the one of the night of 2015
Laura 1984
Did not like this arrangement at all. I listened to clay voice
BossRaja Rukawa
I love this cover version..
Ellis Mackmun
2011 zafira mohammad spore london