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."
Crying In The Wind
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crying in the wind
As a teardrop flies
Into the still of the night
Out of my tear shed eyes
Crying in the wind
Alone I walk in the still of the night
Wond'ring what I've done wrong
Crying in the wind
Weary as I go
Heavy is my heart
As the night winds blow
Crying in the wind
As a teardrop flies
Into the still of the night
Why did you say "Goodbye"?
The song "Crying In The Wind" by Paul Anka details the sorrowful state of the singer who is crying alone in the night after his lover leaves him. The first stanza encapsulates the depth of his pain as it states that his tears fly into the night sky as he cries in the wind. This sets the tone and mood of the song which is one of sadness and despair. In the second stanza, Anka doesn't shy away from the reality of a break-up, the singer is left alone and cannot fathom what he has done wrong to deserve heartbreak. The imagery of the night and the stillness around him represents the emptiness the singer is feeling. His heart is heavy from the pain of losing his lover and he cries alone- searching for answers.
The chorus is a repeating stanza, clearly emphasizing the main message of the song- that the singer is crying alone in the night with no one to hear his sorrows. It also highlights how the loss of his love has affected him deeply. The last line 'Why did you say "Goodbye"?' suggests that he is looking for closure and answers to why his love has left him.
Overall, the lyrics to "Crying In The Wind" by Paul Anka addresses the pain of heartbreak and how individuals can feel lost and alone after the loss of someone they love. It is a deeply emotional song that highlights the complexities of love and the aftermath of losing a romantic partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Crying in the wind
Feeling deep sadness and sorrow in the midst of a windy environment
As a teardrop flies
In the way that the teardrop leaves my eyesight, it is taken by the wind
Into the still of the night
In the calmness and peacefulness of the current time
Out of my tear shed eyes
The tears are a result of the inner emotional conflict being exposed to the outside world
Crying because you're gone
The tears are due to your absence
Alone I walk in the still of the night
Being solitary during this calm night time
Wond'ring what I've done wrong
The mind is preoccupied with the mistakes I might have made leading to your absence
Weary as I go
Being tired and drained while living through this period
Heavy is my heart
The grief and weight of my sadness are overwhelming for my emotions
As the night winds blow
The wind is a reminder of your absence
Why did you say "Goodbye"?
Inquiring why you departed from my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PAUL ANKA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jorge Mario Rodas
This one is a sad love song but very good to hear in Paul Anka's excellent voice. One of those unforgettables for me.
juan gonzales
Llorando en el viento, famosa canción interpretada por Paul Anka
de sus inicios uno de los destacados que sobradamente a pasado
hacia la gran popularidad del cual ha gozado con nuestra admiración.
Gricelda Riquelme
Preciosa canción
juan gonzales
A NUESTRA EDAD, SIN DUDA ALGUNA SON REMEMBRANZAS
QUE FUERON DE LO MEJORCITO, HOY LO VUELVO A ESCUCHAR
GRACIAS A ESTA VENTANITA QUE NOS PODEMOS REENCONTRAR
CON LO QUE HEMOS AMADO EN AQUELLOS AÑOS MARAVILLOSOS
SÉ QUE COMO YO HAY AMIGOS(AS) QUE TAMBIÉN LO ESTÁN LLORANDO.
John Benn
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a mad keen 76yo Aussie fan.
What a great voice & backing.
Tarja Anneli
❤️