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."
Oh Lonesome Me
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm just a fool for staying home and having none
I can't get over how she set me free
Oh lonesome me
A bad mistake I'm making bout just hanging round
I know that I should have some fun an paint the town
A love sick fool that's blind and just can't see
I'll bet she's not like me
She's out an fancy free
Flirting with the boys with all her charms
But I still love her so
And brother don't you know
I'd welcome her right back here in my arms
Well there must be some way
I can lose these lonesome blue
Forget about the past and find somebody new
I've thought of everything from A to Z
Oh lonesome me
(guitar solo) (ba-de-op-bop-bop)
(ba-de-op-bop-bop)
(Oh lonesome me)
Well I bet she's not like me
She's out and fancy free
Flirting with the boys with all her charms
But I still love her so
And brother don't you know
I'd welcome her right back into my arms
Well there must be some way
I can lose these lonesome blues
Forget about the past and find somebody new
I've thought of everything from A to Z
Oh lonesome me
Oh lonesome me
“Oh Lonesome Me” by Paul Anka is a song about heartbreak and loneliness after a breakup. Anka sings about how everyone else seems to be out having fun while he is stuck at home, feeling like a fool. He can’t get over how his ex-girlfriend has set him free, but he is still in love with her and wishes she would come back to him. He confesses that he has made a bad mistake by not moving on and finding someone new, but he is too lovesick and blind to see a way out of his misery.
The lyrics of “Oh Lonesome Me” highlight the pain of unrequited love and the feeling of being left behind. Anka uses a variety of metaphors throughout the song, comparing himself to a fool, a love sick puppy, and even a lost soul searching for a way out of his despair. Despite his efforts to forget about the past and find someone new, he cannot help but feel lonesome and isolated without his ex-girlfriend. The song concludes with the repetition of the title, emphasizing the overwhelming sense of loneliness that Anka is experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's going out and having fun
Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves and going out to have a good time.
I'm just a fool for staying home and having none
I feel like a fool for not going out and having fun like everyone else, and instead choosing to stay home alone.
I can't get over how she set me free
I cannot seem to move on from the fact that she broke up with me and went her own way.
Oh lonesome me
I feel so alone and unhappy.
A bad mistake I'm making bout just hanging round
I know it's not healthy to just stay at home and wallow in my loneliness and sadness, but I can't help myself.
I know that I should have some fun an paint the town
I am aware that I should go out and enjoy myself, but it's easier said than done.
A love sick fool that's blind and just can't see
I am deeply in love with her and cannot see myself with anyone else, even though it's probably not healthy.
I'll bet she's not like me
I assume that she is out enjoying herself and not feeling lonely like I am.
She's out an fancy free
I imagine her going out and feeling liberated without me, completely carefree.
Flirting with the boys with all her charms
I am worried that she is flirting with other men, using her charm to get what she wants.
But I still love her so
Despite everything, I still love her deeply.
And brother don't you know
I hope you understand that it's not easy for me to feel this way.
I'd welcome her right back here in my arms
If she were to come back to me, I would welcome her with open arms, even though I know it might not be the best decision.
Well there must be some way
I need to find a way to get over my loneliness and move on.
I can lose these lonesome blue
I want to find a way to overcome my sadness and feel happy again.
Forget about the past and find somebody new
I need to let go of the past and start looking for someone new to make me happy.
I've thought of everything from A to Z
I've considered every option and thought through every possible solution, but nothing seems to work.
Oh lonesome me
I am still feeling lonely and unhappy despite my efforts to move on.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Don Gibson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@francoisbonilla8825
Feel so good, I remember the wonderfull voice of Paul Anka from sixtys
@antoniribas6781
QUE AÑO LA GRABO