Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) is a Leba… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) is a Lebanese-Canadian singer and songwriter.

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."

Everybody Ought To Be In Love
Paul Anka Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(CHORUS)
Everybody ought to be in love
Everybody ought to have somebody
Everybody ought to be in love
Everybody ought to have somebody

Empty rooms behind me
No more nights alone

A table and some chairs for two

Now the world will find me
With someone of my own
The loneliness at last
Is through

If everyone had
Someone just like you
Then everyone would
Feel the way I do

(CHORUS)

Imagine having someone
Always by your side
A bed for one can be so cold
Someone you can talk to
When your hands are tied
Someone there to have and hold

There's nothing more
Rewarding to pursue
(When you're in love and you hear)
Hearing someone saying
I love you (I love you)

(CHORUS) 3X to fade

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Paul Anka's song "Everybody Ought To Be In Love" present a universal feeling - the desire for love and companionship. The chorus repeats the titular phrase that everyone deserves to be in love and have someone to share their life with. In the verses, Anka narrates a story of finding love after being alone and the benefits of having a partner in one's life. The emptiness and loneliness of being by oneself are replaced by the comfort and warmth of having someone to talk to and hold.

The lyrics touch upon the idea that if everyone had someone like the singer's partner, the world would be a better place. It presents a vision of love as a unifying force that can make the world a happier and more peaceful place. The song celebrates the joy and fulfillment that comes with having a companion and encourages everyone to seek and cherish love.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody ought to be in love
Love is such a fulfilling emotion that everyone is worth experiencing it

Everybody ought to have somebody
Having someone to share life with will make it more joyful for everyone

Everybody ought to be in love
The feeling of love is worth striving for

Everybody ought to have somebody
No one should spend their life alone

Empty rooms behind me
The singer had no one in his past, and it was a lonely time for him

No more nights alone
Now that he's found love, he has someone to spend his evenings with

A table and some chairs for two
The singer is describing a scene where he's preparing for a romantic dinner with his significant other

Now the world will find me
The singer is now more visible because he's accompanied by his partner

With someone of my own
He has found someone special to be with

The loneliness at last
The singer has finally conquered his loneliness

Is through
He is feeling satisfied that he's not lonely anymore

If everyone had
The singer is imagining a world where everyone has a special person to love

Someone just like you
He is referring to his partner, suggesting that everyone should have someone like her/him

Then everyone would
If everyone had love, they would

Feel the way I do
Experience the same joy and contentment that the singer is feeling

Imagine having someone
The singer wants the listener to picture someone in their life

Always by your side
The imagined person is loyal, supportive, and constant in the singer's life

A bed for one can be so cold
The singer is reminding the listener that being alone is not preferable

Someone you can talk to
The person in the singer's imagination is also a good listener

When your hands are tied
The listener can turn to this person for help in a difficult situation

Someone there to have and hold
The imagined person is a romantic partner, and is loving and affectionate

There's nothing more
Nothing is more

Rewarding to pursue
Worth striving for than love

(When you're in love and you hear)
The singer is in love and is speaking from the heart

Hearing someone saying
When someone says

I love you (I love you)
the three magical words that express love and affection are very important in a relationship and it's always satisfying to hear them

Everybody ought to be in love
The singer is reiterating the importance of love

Everybody ought to have somebody
Love involves two people and is essential for happiness

Everybody ought to be in love
Love is such a positive experience, and everyone should experience it at least once in life

Contributed by Lila P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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