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 and Me Today
Paul Anka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Help me make it last
Help me spare the moment
Good things go so fast
Let me kiss you slowly
There upon your mouth
Let me get to know you
Love, love, love
We found love
Together, in each other
Oh, we found love
Loving you comes easy
With someone like you
Skin to skin, you please me
I hope I please you, too
Let me take you higher
I'll never let you down
Let me take you higher
Let me stay around
Love, love, love
We found love
Together, in each other
Oh, we found love (yes, together)
Together, in each other
Oh, we found love
Let me get to know you
Help me make it last
Help me spare the moment
Good things go so fast
Love, love, love
We found love
Together, in each other
Oh, we found love
Love, love, love
We found love
Together, in each other
The lyrics to Paul Anka's song "Never Get To Know You" depict an individual who seems to be begging their partner for something deeper than just a physical connection. They yearn to "get to know" the person they are with, to "help [them] make it last," and to cherish the moment, as "good things go so fast." The lyrics seem to imply that they are in a state of infatuation, with the lines "skin to skin, you please me" suggesting that their attraction is purely physical. However, they desire more than that, as seen when they ask to "kiss [their partner] slowly" and when they promise to "never let [them] down" and take them "higher."
The chorus of the song emphasizes the love that the two individuals have found in each other. They "found love together" and they seem content in the knowledge that they have each other for support. The line "loving you comes easy with someone like you" suggests that the person being addressed is someone they view as a soulmate--someone who they feel a deep connection to. They wish to please this person, as evidenced by the line "I hope I please you, too."
Overall, the lyrics to "Never Get To Know You" explore the delicate balance between physical attraction and emotional connection. The person singing the song seems to want both, yet understands that they need to "get to know" the person they are with in order for this to happen.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me get to know you
The singer requests the opportunity to know the listener on a deeper level.
Help me make it last
The singer seeks the listener's assistance in maintaining their current happy relationship.
Help me spare the moment
The singer desires to cherish each moment and not let any pass by carelessly.
Good things go so fast
The artist acknowledges that happy times seem to pass quickly and want to make the most of them.
Let me kiss you slowly
The artist wants to savor the intimacy and passion of each kiss shared with the listener.
There upon your mouth
The singer wants to kiss the listener on the mouth.
Let me get to know you
The singer desires to continue to know the listener better.
North, east, west and south
The artist wants to know all aspects of the listener's being, from every direction and angle.
Love, love, love
The artist emphasizes the importance and impact of love in their relationship.
We found love
The artist and listener discovered love together.
Together, in each other
The singer and listener found love within themselves and found happiness together.
Oh, we found love
The artist expresses happiness and contentment about finding love together.
Loving you comes easy
The singer finds it natural and effortless to love the listener.
With someone like you
The singer acknowledges that it is easy to love the listener because of their personality traits or qualities.
Skin to skin, you please me
The singer enjoys the physical intimacy shared with the listener and reciprocates the pleasure.
I hope I please you, too
The artist wants to make sure that the intimacy is mutually enjoyable for both parties.
Let me take you higher
The artist wants to elevate the relationship and bring it to new heights.
I'll never let you down
The singer promises to be dependable and trustworthy for the listener.
Let me stay around
The singer wants to stay in the listener's life and relationship for the long haul.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PAUL ANKA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind