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."
Times Of Your Life
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You wake up and time has slipped away
And suddenly it's hard to find
The memories you left behind
Remember, do you remember?
The laughter and the tears
The shadows of misty yesteryears
And all the others in between
Remember, do you remember
The times of your life? (do you remember?)
Reach out for the joy and the sorrow
Put them away in your mind
The memories are time that you borrow
To spend when you get to tomorrow
Here comes the saddest part (comes the saddest part)
The seasons are passing one by one
So gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life?
Gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life?
Of your life
Of your life
Do you remember, baby
Do you remember the times of your life?
Do you remember, baby
Do you remember the times of your life?
Paul Anka's "Times of Your Life" is an inspiring, reflective song that urges listeners to reminisce and cherish the memories of their past. The opening lines begin with "Good morning, yesterday," setting an introspective and nostalgic tone. Anka goes on to describe the fleeting nature of time, pointing out how it's easy to lose track of memories and moments that we've left behind. The singer asks listeners to recall the joys and sorrows they've experienced, the good times and bad times, and everything in between. He emphasizes the significance of holding on to these experiences as they are what we have to hold on to in our future.
Anka highlights that memories are time that we borrow, which we can revisit whenever we need. As the song progresses, he emphasizes the importance of collecting moments and dreams in the present because time moves forward, and every moment that passes can never be reclaimed. The last verse is the most poignant as it reiterates that the passing seasons will continue, and it's up to us as to what we want to hold on to and remember about our lives.
Overall, "Times of Your Life" emphasizes the significance of reflecting on our past, holding on to our memories, and how these moments play a crucial role in shaping who we are and what we become. It reminds us that time is a precious commodity, and we should use it wisely.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning, yesterday
It's a new day, but time has passed by and you're reminded of the past
You wake up and time has slipped away
Time goes by quickly and it can be hard to keep track of memories
And suddenly it's hard to find
Memories can be elusive and hard to remember
The memories you left behind
Memories are like leftovers, they stay with you even after the experience has passed
Remember, do you remember?
The song is a call to remember the good times and the bad
The laughter and the tears
Life is a mix of happy and sad moments
The shadows of misty yesteryears
The past can be foggy and hard to see clearly
The good times and the bad you've seen
Life has its ups and downs
And all the others in between
Life is made up of many moments, some big and some small
Reach out for the joy and the sorrow
Life is full of both good and bad experiences, and both should be embraced
Put them away in your mind
Memories should be cherished and kept safe
The memories are time that you borrow
Memories are borrowed from the past and can be revisited again in the future
To spend when you get to tomorrow
Memories can be revisited and enjoyed again in the future
Here comes the saddest part (comes the saddest part)
The song acknowledges that life has sad moments too
The seasons are passing one by one
Time goes on, and seasons change just like life changes
So gather moments while you may
Seize the day, take advantage of the present moment
Collect the dreams you dream today
Take time to plan and envision your future
Remember, will you remember
The song is once again reminding listeners to remember their experiences
The times of your life?
The song is reflective in nature, prompting listeners to think about and appreciate their life experiences
Of your life
Life is constantly changing and evolving, and this line refers to the entire span of life experiences
Do you remember, baby
The use of 'baby' gives the song a nostalgic and sentimental tone
Do you remember the times of your life?
The song's central theme is repeated, asking listeners to take stock of their life experiences
Lyrics © ROGER NICHOLS MUSIC INC
Written by: BILL LANE, ROGER NICHOLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind