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."

I'll Be Home For Christmas
Paul Anka Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I am dreaming tonight of a place I love
Even more than I usually do
And although I know it's a long road back
I promise you

I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe

And presents on the tree

Christmas Eve will find you
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

If only in my dreams

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Paul Anka's "I'll Be Home For Christmas" reflect the sentiment of longing to be reunited with loved ones during the holiday season. The singer is dreaming of a place they love, more so than usual, and knows that the journey home is a long one. However, they make a promise to return home in time for Christmas, asking their loved ones to have snow, mistletoe, and presents ready for their arrival.

But the reality is that the singer knows they may not be able to make it home for Christmas, and ultimately admits that being home for the holidays may only happen in their dreams. The lyrics are bittersweet, reflecting the emotional complexity of the holiday season, where joy and sadness can simultaneously coexist.

The mention of "love light" in the last two lines of the chorus is a nod to the holiday spirit, emphasizing the warmth of family love and togetherness that permeates the Christmas season. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, the singer affirms a deep desire to be home for Christmas, even if it's just in their dreams.

Line by Line Meaning

I am dreaming tonight of a place I love
I am lost in thought today about a place dear to my heart

Even more than I usually do
The feeling is stronger than ever before

And although I know it's a long road back
Despite being aware that the journey is far

I promise you
I vow to you

I'll be home for Christmas
I will return in time for Christmas

You can count on me
You can rely on me

Please have snow and mistletoe
Please let there be snow and festive decorations

And presents on the tree
And gifts under the tree

Christmas eve will find you
On Christmas eve you'll be located

Where the love light gleams
Where the atmosphere is warm and welcoming

I'll be home for Christmas
I will be there to celebrate the holiday