He began singing as a child, first starting in the St Elijah Syrian Orthodox Church choir in Ottawa. As a student at Ottawa's Fisher Park High School he was part of a trio called the Bobby Soxers.
Encouraged by his parents, at age 14 he recorded his first single, I Confess. In 1957 he went to New York City where he auditioned for ABC, singing a lovestruck verse he had written to a former babysitter, Diana Ayoub. The song, Diana, brought Anka instant stardom as it rocketed to number one on the charts. Diana is one of the best selling 45s in music history. He followed up with four songs that made it into the Top 20 in 1958, making him one of the biggest teen idols of the time. He toured Britain and then, with Buddy Holly, toured Australia.
His talent went beyond singing, writing Buddy Holly's giant hit, It Doesn't Matter Anymore, the theme for Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, Tom Jones' biggest hit record, She's A Lady, and the English lyrics for My Way, Frank Sinatra's signature song and sung by many well known artists, including Greta Keller, for whom the words were very fitting.
In the 1960s, Anka would begin acting in motion pictures as well as writing songs for them, most notably the theme for the hit movie The Longest Day. From his movie work, he wrote and recorded his monster hit, Lonely Boy. He then went on to become one of the first pop singers to perform at the Las Vegas casinos.
After more than ten years without a hit record, in 1974 he teamed up with Odia Coates to record the number 1 hit, Having My Baby. They would record two more duets that both made it into the Top 10. In 1975, he wrote a jingle for Kodak called The Times of Your Life. The jingle became so popular, he recorded it as a full song, The Times of Your Life, and it became a hit a year later.
By the 1970s, Anka's career centered around adult contemporary and big-band standards, played regularly in Las Vegas. On September 6, 1990, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. He returned to his home town to buy a part of the Ottawa Senators hockey team.
In 1999 he visited Lebanon for sell-out performances at the Forum de Beyrouth (The Beirut Forum).
Paul Anka was elected to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1980. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6840 Hollywood Blvd. In 1991, the Government of France honored him with the title "Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters". He was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada in 2005.
On the WB show Gilmore Girls, Lorelai named her new dog Paul Anka. He also made a guest appearance as himself in the episode "The Real Paul Anka", which aired April 11, 2006.
Paul Anka recently did a live session on Live @ The Orange Lounge playing songs from his new cover-CD Rock Swings.
Notable rap artist Jay-Z featured his vocals on the track I Did it my Way on The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse in 2002.
He became infamous amongst musicians (and more recently to internet users) for a mid-70's after-show tirade which was secretly recorded by a "snake we later fired" (Anka: Fresh Air interview). The diatribe, in which Anka berates his crew and band members, has spawned a number of in-joke references and quotations, the main ones being: "The guys get shirts", "Where's Joe?", and "Slice like a hammer."
All of a Sudden My Heart Sings
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
to let me know you understand
the wind and rain upon your face
the breathless world of your embrace
your little laugh and handsome cries
the star light gleaming in your eyes
remembering all those little things
all of a sudden my heart sings
All of a sudden my heart sings
when I remember little things
the way you dance and hold me tight
the way you kiss and say good night
the crazy things we say and do
the fun it is to be with you
the magic thrill that's in your touch
oh darling I love you so much
The secret way you hold my hand
to let me know you understand
the wind and rain upon your face
the breathless world of your embrace
your little laugh and handsome cries
the star light gleaming in your eyes
remembering all those things
all of a sudden my heart sings
The lyrics of Paul Anka's All of a Sudden My Heart Sings describe how the smallest gestures and moments spent with a loved one can fill one's heart with joy and make it sing. The song starts with the singer expressing his appreciation for the secret way his lover holds his hand, which lets him know that she understands and cares for him. He then goes on to describe how the wind and rain on her face and the breathless world of her embrace make him feel alive and loved.
The singer reminisces about the little things that make his heart sing, such as the way his lover dances and holds him tight, the way she kisses him good night, and the silly and fun things they do together. He is deeply touched by the magic of her touch and declares his love for her, emphasizing how much she means to him.
The lyrics of All of a Sudden My Heart Sings convey a simple yet profound message: that the small things in life can have a significant impact on one's emotional well-being, especially when shared with someone you love. Through his music and words, Anka captures the essence of romance and the beauty of the everyday moments that make life worth living.
Line by Line Meaning
The secret way you hold my hand
The way you hold my hand is a secret message that shows me you understand and care for me.
to let me know you understand
Your secret way of holding my hand is a gesture that communicates your understanding and empathy towards me.
the wind and rain upon your face
Even in the face of harsh weather conditions, your resiliency and perseverance is inspiring and beautiful to me.
the breathless world of your embrace
Your embrace is so breathtaking and powerful that it transports me to a world without anxiety or worry.
your little laugh and handsome cries
Your unique laugh and cries have a charm and appeal that endears you to my heart.
the star light gleaming in your eyes
Whenever I look into your eyes, I see a shining starlight that illuminates the depths of your soul.
remembering all those little things
The tiny but significant details of our relationship are what makes it special and desirable to me.
All of a sudden my heart sings
When I recollect and reflect on all these positive aspects of you and our relationship, my heart experiences a surge of joy and contentment.
Contributed by Hunter Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mihail217
The secret way you hold my hand
To let me know you understand
The wind and rain upon your face
The breathless world of your embrace
Your little laugh and half-surprise
The starlight gleaming in your eyes
Remembering all those little things
All of a sudden my heart sings
All of a sudden my heart sings
When I remember little things
The way you dance and hold me tight
The way you kiss and say "Good night"
The crazy things we'd say and do
The fun it is to be with you
The magic thrill that's in your touch
Oh, darling, I love you so much!
The secret way you hold my hand
To let me know you understand
The wind and rain upon your face
The breathless world of your embrace
Your little laugh and half-surprise
The starlight gleaming in your eyes
Remembering all those things
All of a sudden my heart sings
@irenemccann7032
This is my favourite Paul Anka song, the melody and lyrics are magnificent.
@onlybosslion9267
His talent and songs are timeless. A sweetheart then and still! Priceless ♥️
As plain as day!
@cleostewart7740
=
@Celluloidwatcher
What a lovely song this is. From late '58. Still the teen idol without the rebel streak of Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and some other early rockers. Thanks for the upload.
@angelaricard6103
Wonderful song! Paul Anka so young and already sang beautifully.
@jmrodas9
I used to hear this song in 1960 when I was fourteen. I liked the depth and feeling with which it is sung. Paul Anka is one of those singers one can identify with. The song is simple but meaningful. Very nice to hear so many years later.
@rosechris48
When I hear this song and others like it I want to cry and go back to those fabulous days,
@ismailwan8413
Fantastic song, music composition, back up singers. Simply beautiful.
@user-dr3ih7ov4l
I can listen to this song a million times.
Brings back the youth we once had♥️
@mihail217
The secret way you hold my hand
To let me know you understand
The wind and rain upon your face
The breathless world of your embrace
Your little laugh and half-surprise
The starlight gleaming in your eyes
Remembering all those little things
All of a sudden my heart sings
All of a sudden my heart sings
When I remember little things
The way you dance and hold me tight
The way you kiss and say "Good night"
The crazy things we'd say and do
The fun it is to be with you
The magic thrill that's in your touch
Oh, darling, I love you so much!
The secret way you hold my hand
To let me know you understand
The wind and rain upon your face
The breathless world of your embrace
Your little laugh and half-surprise
The starlight gleaming in your eyes
Remembering all those things
All of a sudden my heart sings