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."
Summer's Gone
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because you're gone, gone from my arms
Gone from my lips, but still in my heart
What to do? Oh, I'm left here just crying
Over you, oh, I'm so blue
What can I do now that you're gone?
My nights, they leave me blue (oh, so blue)
I don't know why there are tears in my eyes
Can it mean I'm still in love with you?
Summer's gone and no songbirds are singing
Oh, 'cause you're gone, gone from my arms
Gone from my lips, but still in my heart
(You're still in my heart)
In Paul Anka's song Summer's Gone, the lyrics describe the aftermath of a broken relationship with someone who was once deeply loved. The first stanza sets the scene with the imagery of a silent summer, lacking the sweet melodies of the songbirds that have presumably flown away. The emptiness of the environment parallels the emptiness that the singer feels now that their lover is gone. Even though this person is no longer present physically in the singer's life, the memory of them is still very much alive in the singer's heart. The second stanza discusses the emotions that come with heartbreak- crying, feeling blue, and having tears in one's eyes. The singer is grappling with the feeling of being left behind, and they are unsure about what to do next.
As the song progresses, the singer laments the length of the days and the emptiness of the nights, indicating that time seems to be moving slowly without their love. But a glimmer of hope remains as the singer wonders if the tears they are shedding mean that they are still in love with their lost love. The final stanza echoes the opening stanza, repeating the sentiment that the person is still gone, but not forgotten, and that their memory remains in the heart of the singer.
Overall, the song explores how the memory of a lost love can linger, even when the other person is no longer present. The lyrics illustrate the lingering pain and frustration that can come with heartbreak, and the sense of emptiness that can follow. The imagery of the songbirds serves as a metaphor for the happiness and joy that has fled along with the lover, leaving an empty space behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Summer's gone and no songbirds are singing
The joyous and vibrant atmosphere of summer has faded away, leaving a void where the sweet chirping of songbirds is conspicuously absent.
Because you're gone, gone from my arms
The singer's beloved has left and is no longer in their loving embrace.
Gone from my lips, but still in my heart
Although the singer's beloved is no longer close enough to feel the softness of their kiss on their lips, they still hold a special place in their heart.
What to do? Oh, I'm left here just crying
The sudden departure of the artist's beloved has left them feeling helpless and emotionally distraught, bringing them to a state of constant tearful sobbing.
Over you, oh, I'm so blue
The artist's recollection of their beloved prompts an overwhelming sense of sadness and melancholy that persists unchecked.
What can I do now that you're gone?
The singer is grappling with a sense of powerlessness and despair, as they cannot find any meaningful way to cope with the loss of their beloved.
The days, they prolong now that you're gone
The singer feels like the sun-drenched days have become painfully longer and lonely since their beloved left.
My nights, they leave me blue (oh, so blue)
The artist feels the emptiness of each night more acutely after their beloved's departure, and is overwhelmed by an almost unbearable sadness.
I don't know why there are tears in my eyes
The artist is confused as to why their eyes are constantly prone to welling up with tears irrespective of their thoughts, emotions, or activities.
Can it mean I'm still in love with you?
The artist is questioning the origin and continued presence of their tears in context to their emotional state and infers that their tears could indicate that they still harbor feelings of love for their beloved.
Summer's gone and no songbirds are singing
The absence of the beloved is so profound that it appears to have affected the very sounds of the surrounding nature, imparting a deafening silence where the once frequent chirping of songbirds lingers no more.
Oh, 'cause you're gone, gone from my arms
The artist attributes the sudden absence of happiness, love and companionship from their life solely to the departure of their loved one.
Gone from my lips, but still in my heart(You're still in my heart)
The singer's beloved might be physically absent, but they still hold the key to the singer's heart, creating an emotional stronghold that shall not easily fade away.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Paul Anka
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Élide Pires
Summer's gone and no songbirds are singing
Because you're gone, gone from my arms
Gone from my lips but you're still in my heart
What to do? Oh, I'm left here just crying
Over you, oh, I'm so blue
What can I do now that you're gone?
The days, they prolong now that you're gone
My nights, they leave me blue (you're so blue)
I don't know why there are tears in my eyes
Can it be that I'm still in love with you?
Summer's gone and no songbirds are singing
Because you're gone, gone from my arms (from my arms)
Gone from my lips (from my lips) but still in my heart
(Still in my heart, still in my heart)
Summer's gone and no songbirds are singing
Because you're gone, gone from my arms
Gone from my lips but still in my heart
(Summer's gone but you're still in my heart)
mihail jurkovic
Summer's Gone
Paul Anka
Summer's gone and no songbirds are singing
Because you're gone, gone from my arms
Gone from my lips but you're still in my heart
What to do? Oh, I'm left here just crying
Over you, oh, I'm so blue
What can I do now that you're gone?
The days, they prolong now that you're gone
My nights, they leave me blue (you're so blue)
I don't know why there are tears in my eyes
Can it be that I'm still in love with you?
Summer's gone and no songbirds are singing
Because you're gone, gone from my arms (from my arms)
Gone from…
stanich jones
The strings and great background vocals make this a great song along with Pauls incredible composing skills
William Fong
One of my favorite Paul Anka songs. This song packs a real emotional punch.
Jose Salame
Wow! I graduated from high school in the U.S. in 1957 as a foreign student. This song brings back fond memories. My heart pounded again after 51 years remembering my sweet 17 year old girl then. Her name was Karen. If she reads this she'll remember how much we enjoyed it together and will surely know who I am. I wish her the best!!!
ooCAliMoo
This is very nice and classy music. I wish more people my age would appreciate this as much as I do. Thanks for uploading this song! Calim
Jorge Mario Rodas
62 years later, it is still Great to hear! Good song and one of my favorites through the years-
Javier Guzman
Inolvidables años 60s, cargados de sentimiento, romanticismo y nostalgia pura, pura.
Nelcy Lopez
Lo lindo de Paul Anka es que todavía canta bien
felixbautista
Thanks for posting- this is one of my faves among Paul's ballads
Manesa Reyes
Cuando escucho su música, soy feliz!!! 👏👏👏👏
jnm100kph
First time I heard PA was when I was in Grade 4. He was singing Diana. It was love at first "hear". I devoured all his subsequent compositions. On vacation with my aunt in summer of '61, I brought with me my Paul Anka LP (I think it was titled 21 Greatest Hits) and fell in love with "Summer's Gone". I regret having neglected to save my 45s and LPs of Paul Anka. Now I have to scramble for CDs and remixes. Verboten is also a favorite.