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."
Diana
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Belle e sexy meglio di lei
Ma a me sembra che lei è un po'
Troppo giovane per te
Ti capisco e come no?
Se però soffrire non vuoi
Oh fuggi via da lei
Diana
Già io ti vedo passeggiar
Fra la gente insieme con lei
Mentre c'è chi pensa già
Che di Diana il padre sei
Ed ogni volta dover dire
Che tua figlia lei non è
Oh fuggi via da lei
Diana
Capricciosa bionda e rosa, morbidosa
Poi golosa
Divertente, cotta al dente e tu? E tu?
E tu che non ti accorgi che lei sta cuocendoti a fuoco lento
Anche se poi chi ama di più
Fra voi due è ancora lei (I don't care)
Finché un giorno ti risveglierai
Come un pugile un po' suonato
Dal gran vuoto che ti ha lasciato
Fuggi via da lei
Diana
Capricciosa
Bionda e rosa
Morbidosa e poi
Poi golosa
Divertente, cotta al dente e tu? E tu?
Tu quale non ti accorgi che non sta cuocendo soltanto me
È a un certo punto ormai anche con te
Forse ammetterlo tu non puoi
E sono certo che nei panni miei
Pur di stare vicino a lei
Te ne freghi degli anni tuoi
Perché lei è lo sai
Diana
Già io mi vedo in un caffè
Fra la gente insieme con lei
Mentre i barman già pensan che
Che un bel giorno poi finirà
Come pugili un po' suonati
Quasi morti e innamorati
Resta qui con noi
Diana
Qui con noi
Diana
Qui con noi
Diana
Qui con noi
Diana
Paul, ehi Paul
Adriano, Adriano sono qui
Lei dove è?
Sta arrivando
Ciao ragazzi
The lyrics of Paul Anka's "Diana" revolve around a man's infatuation with a much younger girl named Diana whom he fears is too young for him. The song opens with the singer acknowledging that he has never seen anyone more beautiful or sexy than Diana, but he is worried that she might be too young for him. The verses describe the fatherly concerns of the singer and his conflicted emotions, while the refrain urges him to "run away" from Diana.
The second verse describes how the singer sees himself walking with Diana, while others speculate that she might be his daughter. The singer emphasizes that he must always make it clear that Diana is not his daughter. The bridge then takes a more critical tone, suggesting that Diana is capricious, selfish, and dangerous. The singer is likened to a boxer who wakes up beaten and battered, deserted by the powerful hold she had once had over him.
The song ends with the singer lamenting the fact that he sees himself in a café with Diana, while bartenders speculate they might end up like two boxers ready to be counted out, beaten and in love. The song's narrative voice reminds the singer to run away from her before he is completely ensnared by her.
Line by Line Meaning
Certo non ne ho viste mai
I haven't seen anyone as beautiful and sexy as her before
Belle e sexy meglio di lei
No one is as beautiful and sexy as her
Ma a me sembra che lei è un po' Troppo giovane per te
She seems a bit too young for you
Ti capisco e come no?
I understand you perfectly, do you doubt that?
Se però soffrire non vuoi
But if you don't want to suffer
Oh fuggi via da lei Diana
Oh, run away from her Diana
Già io ti vedo passeggiar Fra la gente insieme con lei
I already see you walking with her among people
Mentre c'è chi pensa già Che di Diana il padre sei
While others already think that you're Diana's father
Ed ogni volta dover dire Che tua figlia lei non è
And every time you have to say that she's not your daughter
Capricciosa bionda e rosa, morbidosa Poi golosa Divertente, cotta al dente e tu? E tu?
Capricious, blond and pink, affectionate, then greedy. Fun, cooked to perfection, and you? What about you?
E tu che non ti accorgi che lei sta cuocendoti a fuoco lento Anche se poi chi ama di più Fra voi due è ancora lei (I don't care) Finché un giorno ti risveglierai Come un pugile un po' suonato Dal gran vuoto che ti ha lasciato Fuggi via da lei Diana
And you don't realize that she's slowly burning you, even though she loves you more. Until one day you wake up like a beaten-up boxer, from the emptyness she left you. Run away from her Diana
Capricciosa Bionda e rosa Morbidosa e poi Poi golosa Divertente, cotta al dente e tu? E tu?
Capricious, blond and pink, affectionate, then greedy. Fun, cooked to perfection, and you? What about you?
Tu quale non ti accorgi che non sta cuocendo soltanto me È a un certo punto ormai anche con te Forse ammetterlo tu non puoi E sono certo che nei panni miei Pur di stare vicino a lei Te ne freghi degli anni tuoi Perché lei è lo sai Diana
Don't you see that she's not only cooking me? She's already doing it to you too. Maybe you can't admit it. And I'm sure that in my shoes, you'd do anything to be close to her, disregarding your age, because you know that she's Diana.
Già io mi vedo in un caffè Fra la gente insieme con lei Mentre i barman già pensan che Che un bel giorno poi finirà Come pugili un po' suonati Quasi morti e innamorati Resta qui con noi Diana Qui con noi Diana Qui con noi Diana Qui con noi Diana Paul, ehi Paul Adriano, Adriano sono qui Lei dove è? Sta arrivando
I can already see myself in a café, among people with her. While the bartender thinks one day it will end. Like a beaten-up boxer, half-dead and in love. Stay with us, Diana. Here with us Diana. Paul, hey Paul. Adriano, Adriano I'm here. Where is she? She's coming.
Ciao ragazzi
Hello, guys
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Adriano Celentano, Giulio Rapetti Mogol, Paul Anka
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sallylee1685
I'm so young and you're so old
This, my darling, I've been told
I don't care just what they say
'Cause forever I will pray
You and I will be as free
As the birds up in the trees
Oh, please stay by me, Diana
Thrills I get when you hold me close
Oh, my darling, you're the most
I love you but do you love me
Oh, Diana, can't you see
I love you with all my heart
And I hope we will never part
Oh, please stay with me, Diana
Oh, my darlin', oh, my lover
Tell me that there is no other
I love you with my heart
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Only you can take my heart
Only you can tear it apart
When you hold me in your loving arms
I can feel you giving all your charms
Hold me, darling, ho-ho hold me tight
Squeeze me baby with-a all your might
Oh, please stay by me, Diana
Oh, please, Diana
Oh, please, Diana
Oh, please, Diana
@kelvinpardamean
For those who want to sing, here is the lyric:
I'm so young and you're so old
This, my darling, I've been told
I don't care just what they say
'Cause forever I will pray
You and I will be as free
As the birds up in the trees
Oh, please stay by me, Diana
Thrills I get when you hold me close
Oh, my darling, you're the most
I love you but do you love me
Oh, Diana, can't you see
I love you with all my heart
And I hope we will never part
Oh, please stay by me, Diana
Oh, my darlin', oh, my lover
Tell me that there is no other
I love you with my heart
Ho-oh, ho-oh, oh
you know i love you, love you so much
Only you can take my heart
Only you can tear it apart
When you hold me in your loving arms
I can feel you giving all your charms
Hold me, darling, hold me tight
Squeeze me baby with all your might
Oh, please stay by me, Diana
Oh, please, Diana
Oh, please, Diana
@isabelcheng2528
Hoooo this song make me back to 17 . I'm 73 years old 😍
@potsy6470
any life advice maam?
@isabelcheng2528
@@potsy6470 Love music ,exercise more . Be optimistic and be satisfied !! Wishu have a wonderful 2121 !!!!
@isabelcheng2528
@@potsy6470 sorry 2021
@potsy6470
@@isabelcheng2528 thanks maam
@vlissingse
I knoew what you are talking about :) I'm 75! Happy New Year!
@enjij4093
How many generations are in love with this man
@quinlandboy1013
Only the music not him
@arcane1282
Him and your profile picture lmao
@quinlandboy1013
@@tastyyummycutehomecooknepa9288 u shut up bitch