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."
Memories Are Made Of This
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me
Take one fresh and tender kiss
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Add one stolen night of bliss
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
One girl, one boy; some grief, some joy
(I was rover, but now it's over
It was a happy day when you came my way to tell me)
Memories are made of this
(of the sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Don't forget a small moon beam
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Fold in lightly with a dream
Your lips and mine, two sips of wine
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Memories are made of this
(I was rover, but now it's over
It was a happy day when you came my way to tell me)
Then add the wedding bells, one house where lovers dwell
Three little kids for the flavor, stir carefully through the days
See how the flavor stays These are the dreams you will savor
With His blessings from above
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Serve it generously with love
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
One man, one wife, on love through life
(I was rover, but now it's over
It was a happy day when you came my way to tell me)
Memories are made of this
(of the sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Memories are made of this
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me)
Take one fresh and tender kiss
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Add one stolen night of bliss
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
One girl, one boy, some grief, some joy
(I was rover, but now it's over
It was a happy day when you came my way to tell me)
Memories are made of this
(of the sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Don't forget a small moon beam
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Fold in lightly with a dream
Your lips and mine, two sips of wine
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Memories are made of this
(I was rover, but now it's over
It was a happy day when you came my way to tell me)
Then add the wedding bells, one house where lovers dwell
Three little kids for the flavor. stir carefully through the days
See how the flavor stays
These are the dreams you will savor
With His blessings from above
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Serve it generously with love
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
One man, one wife, on love through life
(I was rover, but now it's over
It was a happy day when you came my way to tell me)
Memories are made of this
(of the sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Memories are made of this
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me)
The lyrics of Paul Anka's "Memories are Made of This" talks about the sweet memories that the singer has with someone special. These memories are primarily made up of experiences like a tender kiss, a stolen night of bliss, grief, joy, and more. The singer mentions that memories form a significant part of one's life, and they are precious because they can never be taken away. Memories, according to the singer, can range from something as simple as a small moonbeam to complex experiences like marriage, kids, and love that lasts through life.
Overall, the song conveys that memories are the essence of life. The singer values every moment that they spend with their loved one and cherishes the memories that they share together. The lyrics emphasize the importance of living in the moment and creating experiences that one can treasure for a lifetime.
Line by Line Meaning
The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
The memories given by someone special are priceless
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me
No other experience or possession is as valuable as cherished memories
Take one fresh and tender kiss
Begin with a new and gentle embrace
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Repeated emphasis on the importance of memories
Add one stolen night of bliss
Include a secret, romantic encounter
One girl, one boy; some grief, some joy
Life's highs and lows come in relationships with others
(I was rover, but now it's over
It was a happy day when you came my way to tell me)
The memory of finding love is a happy one
Memories are made of this
The foundation of our lives are the memories we make
Don't forget a small moon beam
Remember to include moments of magic and wonder
Fold in lightly with a dream
Your lips and mine, two sips of wine
Combine passions and aspirations with moments of intimacy
Then add the wedding bells, one house where lovers dwell
Three little kids for the flavor, stir carefully through the days
See how the flavor stays
These are the dreams you will savor
Life milestones like marriage, family, and home are valuable ingredients in the recipe of memories
With His blessings from above
Acknowledgement of the role of faith in a fulfilling life
(The sweet sweet memories you gave-a me
You can't beat the memories you gave-a me)
Continuation of emphasizing the importance of memories
Serve it generously with love
Share these memories with others, and do so with love and hospitality
One man, one wife, on love through life
With commitment and continued love, a life of memories can be made
Memories are made of this
Reiteration of the theme that memories are what make life special
Lyrics © DEHR FAMILY MUSIC, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Frank Miller, Richard Dehr, Terry Gilkyson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind