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."
Both Sides Now
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way
But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away
I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all
Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way
But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
Well something's lost, but something's gained
In living every day
I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
I've looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
The lyrics to Paul Anka's song Both Sides Now evoke a sense of contemplation, reflection, and melancholy. In the first verse, the singer describes their past experience of seeing clouds as magical and enchanting with "angel hair" and "feather canyons everywhere." However, in the present, the clouds are a hindrance that "block the sun" and "rain and snow on everyone" thwarting the singer's plans. In the chorus of the song, the singer reflects on the illusionary nature of clouds, realizing that they were not as they seemed. The second verse moves to a reflection on love, describing its dizzying highs when "every fairy tale comes real" but also its potential for hurt and disappointment with the image of love as "just another show." The chorus repeats with the singer acknowledging that they do not truly understand love. The final verse shifts to a reflection on life, describing its moments of both pride and fear and its potential for both happiness and sadness. The singer notes that something has been lost and gained in the passage of time but that they still do not fully comprehend the illusions of life.
The song Both Sides Now was originally written and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell and released in 1967. Paul Anka's version of the song was released in 1969 as a single and later included on his album Paul Anka '70s. Interestingly, Anka changed some of the lyrics of the song from the original version, including the title which was originally "From Both Sides, Now." Despite the changes, Mitchell has expressed admiration for Anka's rendition of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Rows and floes of angel hair
Imaginary and fanciful things like angel hair and ice cream castles
And ice cream castles in the air
More of the unreal, intangible, and fanciful things being imagined
And feather canyons everywhere
More of the imaginative and fanciful things being seen
I've looked at clouds that way
The artist used to see the world through the lens of imagination and idealism
But now they only block the sun
Now the clouds only get in the way of the sun and hinder one's vision
They rain and snow on everyone
Clouds become an obstacle and source of discomfort for people
So many things I would have done
The singer regrets not being able to accomplish many things due to obstacles like clouds
But clouds got in my way
Clouds served as a barrier preventing the artist from achieving their goals
I've looked at clouds from both sides now
The artist has seen clouds from positive and negative perspectives
From up and down, and still somehow
From different angles, but still doesn't truly understand their nature
It's cloud illusions I recall
The singer remembers their illusions and misconceptions about clouds
I really don't know clouds at all
Despite the artist's experience with clouds, they still don't really understand them
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
Moon, June, and days at the carnival conjure romantic feelings
The dizzy dancing way you feel
The excitement and happiness one feels when in love
As every fairy tale comes real
As one's romantic fantasies become a reality
But now it's just another show
Love has become a routine or performance, lacking in authenticity
You leave 'em laughing when you go
When the love ends, it doesn't have a profound impact and seems like a joke or trivial matter
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't reveal your true feelings to avoid being hurt and taken advantage of
Don't give yourself away
Don't reveal too much of yourself to others
I've looked at love from both sides now
The artist has experienced love from positive and negative perspectives
From give and take, and still somehow
From experiences of compromise and sacrifice, but still doesn't truly understand love
It's love's illusions I recall
Memories of false beliefs and misconceptions about love
I really don't know love at all
Despite the singer's experience with love, they still don't really understand it
Tears and fears and feeling proud
Experiencing a range of emotions in life, including sadness, anxiety, and pride
To say "I love you" right out loud
Expressing one's feelings openly and honestly
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
Hopes, plans, and wild and fanciful crowds
I've looked at life that way
The singer used to see the world as full of promise and wonder
But now old friends are acting strange
The artist's change in perspective has caused those familiar to them to behave differently
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
The artist's shift in perspective is notable to others
Well something's lost, but something's gained
While the singer has lost some of their idealism, they have gained a more realistic perspective
In living every day
In facing the realities and experiences of daily life
From win and lose and still somehow
From experiences of success and failure, but still doesn't truly understand life
It's life's illusions I recall
Remembrance of false beliefs and misconceptions about life
I really don't know life at all
Despite the artist's experience with life, they still don't really understand it
I've looked at life from both sides now
The singer has experienced life from positive and negative perspectives
From up and down, and still somehow
From various vantage points, but still doesn't truly understand it
It's life's illusions I recall
Remembrance of false beliefs and misconceptions about life
I really don't know life at all
Despite the singer's experience with life, they still don't really understand it
Lyrics © Crazy Crow Music / Siquomb Music Publishing
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind