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."
Waiting For A Girl Like You
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been looking too hard, I've waiting too long
Sometimes I don't know what I will find
I only know it's a matter of time
When you love someone
When you love someone
It feels so right, so warm and true
Maybe I'm wrong
Won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong?
This heart of mine has been hurt before
This time I wanna be sure
I've been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I've been waiting for a girl like you
A love that will survive
I've been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
You're so good
When we make love it's understood
It's more than a touch or a word we say
Only in dreams could it be this way
When you love someone
Yeah, really love someone
Now, I know it's right
From the moment I wake up till deep in the night
There's no where on earth that I'd rather be
Than holding you, tenderly
I've been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I've been waiting for a girl like you
And a love that will survive
I've been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I've been waiting, waiting for you, ooh
Ooh, I've been waiting
I've been waiting, yeah
I've been waiting for a girl like you
I've been waiting
Won't you come into my life?
My life?
The lyrics of "Waiting For a Girl Like You" by Paul Anka express the sentiment of a man who has been searching for someone to love who is worth the wait. He is tired of searching and has been laying his heart on the line for some time, hoping to find the one. The song talks of his uncertainty, desperation, and hopefulness as he waits for the girl he desires so much. He acknowledges that he has been hurt in the past, but he is willing to try again with the girl he has been waiting for. He believes the love he feels is right, warm, and true, and he needs to know if his love interest feels the same way too.
The song reflects the typical human experience of looking for love, waiting for the right person, and feeling uncertain about the future. It speaks of the situation of people who have put themselves on the line for love, hoping to find the right one. It is relatable to couples who have just started dating, those who have been in a long-term relationship, and those who are still searching for love.
Line by Line Meaning
So long
It has been a long time.
I've been looking too hard, I've waiting too long
I've been searching for love for a long time, and it's been tough.
Sometimes I don't know what I will find
I don't know what kind of love I will experience.
I only know it's a matter of time
I'm sure that eventually, I will find my soulmate.
When you love someone
When you genuinely love someone.
It feels so right, so warm and true
Love feels right, and it is warm and pure.
I need to know if you feel it too
I want to confirm if our love is mutual.
Maybe I'm wrong
Perhaps I don't have an accurate prediction.
Won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong?
Please notify me if my affection is too intense.
This heart of mine has been hurt before
My heart has broken on previous occasions.
This time I wanna be sure
I want to be confident that there is a future with us.
I've been waiting for a girl like you
I have been waiting for a perfect girl to come into my life.
To come into my life
To be a part of my existence.
A love that will survive
To have a relationship that will endure all situations.
To make me feel alive
To bring me to live again.
You're so good
You are an excellent person.
When we make love it's understood
When we are together, a deep connection is established.
It's more than a touch or a word we say
Our love goes beyond just physical contact or verbal communication.
Only in dreams could it be this way
This kind of love only exists in dreams.
Now, I know it's right
I'm sure that our love is genuine.
From the moment I wake up till deep in the night
I think about you all day long.
There's no where on earth that I'd rather be
Being with you is my ultimate aspiration.
Than holding you, tenderly
I long to embrace you lovingly.
I've been waiting, waiting for you, ooh
I have been patiently hoping to meet you.
Won't you come into my life?
Please be a significant part of my life.
My life?
Will you be a part of my life forever?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LOU GRAMMATICO, MICK JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind