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."
You Made Me Love You
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa-wa)
A-tell me that'cha love me
A-tell me that'cha care
A-tell me when I want'cha,
You'll be waitin' there
Because I need ya like I want'cha,
(Ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa-wa)
Well, a-tell me you're ma baby
A-tell me you're my lover
A-tell me you will shine there,
Like the stars above
Because I need ya like I want'cha,
I want'cha like I need your lo-ove, oh, oh-oh
(Ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa-wa)
A-tell me that'cha love me,
And I will be so tru-ue (Tru-ue)
(La la la la la la la la la la la la)
A-tell me that'cha care,
And I'll be true to you
(Oh, wop-ah-wa)
A-tell me you're ma baby
A-tell me you're my lover
A-tell me you will shine there,
Like the stars above
Because I need ya like I want'cha,
I want'cha like I need your love
(Ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa-wa)
A-tell me that'cha love me,
And I will be so tru-ue (True)
((La la la la la la la la la la la la)
A-tell me that'cha care,
And I'll be true to you
(Oh, wop-ah-wa)
Oh, tell me you're ma baby
A-tell me you're my lover
A-tell me you will shine there,
Like the stars above
Because I need ya like I want'cha,
I want'cha like I need your love
(Ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa-wa)
Your love
(Ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa, ooh-wop-wa-wa)
Your love
The lyrics of "Tell Me That You Love Me" by Paul Anka express a desire for assurance and commitment in a romantic relationship. The singer asks for the person they're singing to, to confirm their love and devotion. The plea "tell me that you love me, tell me that you care" emphasizes the singer's yearning for stability and security in the relationship. The repetition of the catchphrase "I need ya like I want'cha, I want'cha like I need your love" not only gives the song a sweet and playful vibe but also signifies the magnitude of the singer’s emotions.
The second verse strengthens the idea of the singer's deep feelings by asking for more commitments, such as being referred to as "my baby" and "my lover," and wanting them to shine bright like the stars above. The overall tone of the song evokes the liveliness of 50s doo-wop music, causing the listener to feel happy and cheered up even within an emotional subject matter. The song acts as a reminder of the significance of verbal confirmation of love and commitment in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
A-tell me that'cha love me
Express to me your love and affection
A-tell me that'cha care
Let me know that you are concerned about me
A-tell me when I want'cha,
Assure me that you will be available when I need you
You'll be waitin' there
Ready and waiting for me whenever I need you
Because I need ya like I want'cha,
Your presence and love are indispensable for my happiness
I want'cha like I need your love
I crave your love more than anything else in the world
Well, a-tell me you're ma baby
Confirm that you see me as your beloved one
A-tell me you're my lover
Reassure me that you share an intimate romantic relationship with me
A-tell me you will shine there,
Promise that you will always radiate your beauty and warmth towards me
Like the stars above
As constant and brilliant as the stars in the sky
A-tell me that'cha love me,
Declare your love and affection for me
And I will be so tru-ue (Tru-ue)
I will reciprocate with genuine and sincere love
A-tell me that'cha care,
Inform me that I hold a special place in your heart
And I'll be true to you
I will remain loyal and faithful to you
Oh, tell me you're ma baby
Reaffirm your commitment and love to me
Your love
Your affection and devotion towards me
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES BROWN, NAT JONES, BUDDY J. HOBGOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
William Cocobean
Amazing Song! Paul Anka is the best!
Vicente Da silva
Maravilhoso!! Parabéns!
veronica salazar
Perfecta canción!!
la riviere
You made me love you / i didn't wanna do it (2X) / you made me want you / and all the time you knew it / i guess you always knew it / you made me happy sometimes / you made me glad / but there were times, dear, / oh! boy! you made me feel so glad / you made me sigh for / i didn't wanna tell you (2X) / i want some love / that is true yes, i do / hum! i do you know i do / give me (4X) / what i cry for / you know you got the band a kissing / that i die for / you know you made me love you / give me (4X) / hum! give me some more / you know you got the brand a kissing / that i die for / you know you made me / i can't resist you you know you made me love you!
ROBERTVANJOVI
Producers : David FOSTER, Robbie BUCHANAN & Humberto GATICA Guitars : Paul JACKSON Jr, Michael LANDAU, Michael THOMPSON, Dean PARKS Drums : Jeff PORCARO Keyboards : Robbie BUCHANAN, David FOSTER Bass : Neil STUBENHAUS Saxophone : Dave BORUFF Background vocals : Jeff PESCETTO, Renée GEYER, Michael McDONALD, Dionne WARWICK & Marcy LE