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."
Cry
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe I could cope maybe I'd get some sleep
If I had just one moment at your expense
Maybe all my misery would be well spent
Could you cry a little
Lie just a little
Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain
I gave now I'm wanting
So cry just a little for me
If your love could be caged, honey. I would hold the key
And conceal it underneath that pile of lies you handed me
And you'd hunt and those lies
They'd be all you'd ever find
And that'd be all you'd have to know
For me to be fine
And you'd cry a little
You'd die just a little
And baby I would feel just a little less pain
I gave now from wanting
Something in return
So cry just a little for me
Give it up baby
A whimper would be fine
Some kind of clue that
You're doing time
Some kind of heartache
Honey give it a try
I don't want pity
I just want what is mine
In the song "Cry" by Paul Anka, the lyrics speak of a relationship where the singer has given their all to their partner but feels that they are not receiving the same level of commitment in return. The singer is seeking some acknowledgement of the pain they are feeling from their partner, even if it's just a single tear or moment of vulnerability. They are asking their partner to "cry a little" as a way of showing that they're invested in the relationship and to give something in return for all that the singer has given.
The second verse speaks of how the singer would willingly hold their partner's love captive if they could, as a way of getting them to reveal their true feelings. The pile of lies mentioned refers to the walls that the partner has built up to protect themselves, but the singer is saying that they would prefer to get hurt by the truth than by the lies. The singer is asking their partner to try and feel something, even if it's just a little heartache, in order to show that they care.
The overall theme of the song is about the balance of love and how both partners need to put in equal effort to make the relationship work. The singer has given a lot and is seeking acknowledgement and reciprocation, even if it's just a little bit. The song portrays a sense of vulnerability and a plea for connection.
Line by Line Meaning
If I had just one tear running down your cheek
I wish you would show me a little bit of emotion or vulnerability by shedding a single tear from your eye.
Maybe I could cope maybe I'd get some sleep
Perhaps if I saw you cry, I might finally be able to process my feelings and get some rest.
If I had just one moment at your expense
If you ever had to suffer or experience any pain on account of me, I might feel some sense of justice or satisfaction.
Maybe all my misery would be well spent
If you ever had to experience pain or discomfort for my sake, my sadness and struggles would be worth it.
Could you cry a little
Can you please show some emotion or vulnerability by shedding a few tears?
Lie just a little
Pretend or exaggerate your feelings just a little bit, so that I know you care.
Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain
Act like you're more emotionally invested in this relationship or situation, even if you're not feeling very strongly one way or the other.
I gave now I'm wanting
I have given a lot in this relationship or situation, and I am now looking for some reciprocation or acknowledgment.
Something in return
I am hoping for some kind of compensation or effort from you in response to what I have given.
So cry just a little for me
Please show me that you care by shedding a few tears or displaying some emotion on my behalf.
If your love could be caged, honey. I would hold the key
If it were possible to capture or control your love, I would do everything in my power to make that happen.
And conceal it underneath that pile of lies you handed me
I know that you have been dishonest or disingenuous with me, and I am willing to overlook it if you'll just show some genuine emotion.
And you'd hunt and those lies
If you ever went looking for the truth, all you would find are the lies you've told me.
They'd be all you'd ever find
You have been so dishonest and opaque that there is nothing genuine or true beneath the surface.
And that'd be all you'd have to know
You wouldn't need to know anything else, because you've already constructed such a façade and are so good at hiding your true feelings.
For me to be fine
I just need you to be genuine, even if that means you have to confront some uncomfortable or painful emotions.
You'd die just a little
I don't want you to get hurt, but I wish you would show some genuine emotion or vulnerability by experiencing some pain or discomfort.
And baby I would feel just a little less pain
If I knew that you cared enough to show some genuine emotion or vulnerability, I would feel less sad or hurt myself.
Give it up baby
Stop hiding your true feelings or being dishonest with me – it's time to be more genuine and transparent.
A whimper would be fine
I don't need you to display a lot of emotion or pain – even a small, genuine display of feeling would be enough for me.
Some kind of clue that
I just need some indication or sign from you that you're being genuine or honest with me.
You're doing time
I know that you might not want to confront your emotions or be genuine with me, but I am asking you to do so for the sake of our relationship or situation.
Some kind of heartache
I know it might be difficult or painful, but I need you to show some genuine emotion or vulnerability to demonstrate that you care.
Honey give it a try
Please, even if it's uncomfortable or difficult, show some genuine emotion or vulnerability on my behalf.
I don't want pity
I'm not looking for sympathy or special treatment – I just want you to be a little more genuine and transparent with me.
I just want what is mine
I have given a lot in this relationship or situation, and I am just looking for some reciprocation or effort from you in return.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Robert S. Kelly
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mariagarciamartinez7101
When somebody leaves you
That's the time to cry
When you know you're lonely
You're not the one and only
Who will cry
When your heart is broken
That's the time to cry
When you know she's left you
You'll know that she has left you
So you can cry
Happiness is what I long for
Loneliness is why I cry
For you have made my heart a slave
And now it's up to you
When somebody leaves you
That's the time to cry
When you know she's left you
You'll know that she has left you
So you can cry
@taylively6518
every person back in the day was attractive as hell wtf
@abw3841
Your username is amazing
@Emerald_V_23
Probably because they used to eat healthier back then.
@user-rt3cq3vq9p
Ikr wtf happened 😂
@alexaescobar1736
American Pie omg ikr 😩🥵
@angrybeast0648
An Aesthetic boy 😫
@AdrianoPedrasPreciosas
Adorei a música mas as garotas são lindas 💖💖💖
@andreoliveiraretro80
Acho que naquela época quem sabia cantar bem fazia sucesso com as garotas
@lilamorbrumzachlindo1524
Nem todas.
@jules-dl2sm
The way he sings looks effortless