Roger Williams (October 1, 1924 – October 8, 2011), born Louis Jacob Weertz… Read Full Bio ↴Roger Williams (October 1, 1924 – October 8, 2011), born Louis Jacob Weertz, was an American popular music pianist. As of 2004, he had released 116 albums.

He was born to a Lutheran minister, the Rev. Frederick J. Weertz (1891–1980) and a music teacher, Dorothea Bang Weertz (1895–1985), in Omaha, Nebraska. The family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, before his first birthday. He first played the piano at age three. In high school he became interested in boxing, mainly at his father's insistence, and only returned to music after breaking his nose several times and sustaining several other injuries.

He majored in piano at Drake University in Des Moines, but claimed he was expelled for playing "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" in the practice room. Weertz entered the United States Navy and served in World War II. While still in the Navy, he earned a bachelor's degree from Idaho State College (now Idaho State University) in 1950. Afterwards, Weertz re-enrolled at Drake, where he earned his master's degree. He then moved to New York City to attend Juilliard, where he studied jazz piano under Lennie Tristano and Teddy Wilson.

Williams won a talent contest on Dennis James' television program, Chance of a Lifetime. He was heard by David Kapp, founder of Kapp Records. Kapp was so impressed that he signed the pianist, changing his name to "Roger Williams" after the founder of Rhode Island.

In 1955 Williams recorded "Autumn Leaves", the only piano instrumental to reach #1 on Billboard's popular music chart. It sold over two million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. It was the fourth #1 song of the "rock era," which unofficially began with the ascension of "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets into the top spot. In 1966 he had another Top Ten hit with the song "Born Free" from the motion picture soundtrack. His other hits include "Near You", "Till", "The Impossible Dream", "Yellow Bird", "Maria", and "The Theme from Somewhere in Time". Billboard magazine ranks him as the top selling piano recording artist in history with 18 gold and platinum albums to his credit. Williams was known as the "Pianist to the Presidents" having played for nine administrations beginning with Harry S. Truman. His last White House performance was in November 2008 for a luncheon hosted by First Lady Laura Bush.

His interest in the public stems from a boyhood experience in Des Moines, Iowa. After a piano concert by the Polish genius Ignacy Jan Paderewski, young Roger waited for 45 minutes outside in the freezing cold to meet his idol. When the pianist finally appeared it was to rush to a waiting automobile. "I didn't even get near enough to touch him or get an autograph," says Williams. "It was then and there I resolved that if ever I became famous I would never disappoint anyone who wanted to talk to me."

On his 75th birthday, Williams performed his first 12-hour piano marathon. He performed the marathon at Steinway Hall in New York City and the Nixon, Carter and Reagan Presidential Libraries. His Steinway & Sons "Gold Steinway" grand piano was on tour for public display and entertainment during 2007–2008.
In 2010 Roger Williams was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. At that time, "Autumn Leaves" was the best-selling piano solo record of all time and the only one ever to top the Billboard charts.

In March 2011 Williams posted on his website that he had pancreatic cancer and that his doctors had told him they could not remove the tumor until chemotherapy shrunk it to an operable size. Williams said that he did not plan on canceling any upcoming concerts. He wrote: "What does it all mean? It means I'm in just one more fight — the fight for my life.. And this much I know, this old Navy boxing champion is going for broke. Just watch me!"

Williams died on October 8, 2011, one week after his 87th birthday.

For Once In My Life
Roger Williams Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

For once in my life I have someone who needs me
Someone I've needed so long
For once unafraid I can go where life leads me and somehow I know I'll be strong

For once I can touch what my heart used to dream of
Long before I knew
Someone warm like you
Who have my dreams come true

For once in my life I won't let sorrow hurt me
Not like it's hurt me before

For once I have someone I know won't desert me
I'm not alone anymore

For once I can say
This is mine you can't take it
As long as I know I have love I can make it
For once in my life I have someone who needs me

For once I can say
This is mine you can't take it

As long as I know I have love we can make it
For once in my life I have someone who needs me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of this song convey a sense of newfound love and strength in the singer's life. The opening lines express the joy of finally having someone who truly needs them, someone they have longed for. This suggests that the singer has felt a sense of emptiness or longing prior to this relationship, and now that they have found someone who needs them, they feel complete.

The next lines show a newfound fearlessness in the singer. They feel confident in following wherever life may lead them because they have someone by their side who gives them strength. This suggests that the love and support from their partner empowers them to face the uncertainties of life with a renewed sense of courage.

The lyrics also touch upon the fulfillment of dreams. The singer acknowledges that they can now touch and experience the things they once only dreamed of. It implies that their partner brings warmth and love into their life, making their dreams a reality. The sentiment expressed here is one of gratitude and astonishment at finding someone who makes their dreams come true.

The following lines convey a sense of healing and resilience. The singer declares that they won't let sorrow hurt them anymore. It suggests that they have experienced pain in the past, but with the presence of their partner, they have the strength to overcome it. The lyrics emphasize that they are no longer alone and have someone who won't abandon them, indicating a deep sense of security and comfort.

The concluding lines highlight the importance of love. The singer declares that this love they have found is truly theirs, and no one can take it away from them. Love becomes the source of their strength and resilience. They affirm that as long as they have love, they can overcome any obstacles they may face in life.

Overall, the lyrics of "For Once In My Life" convey a sense of transformation, from a place of longing and vulnerability to a newfound strength and fulfillment through experiencing love and companionship.

Line by Line Meaning

For once in my life I have someone who needs me
Finally, after a long time, I have found someone who truly depends on me and seeks my presence in their life.

Someone I've needed so long
This person is someone I have yearned for and desired for a significant period of time.

For once unafraid I can go where life leads me and somehow I know I'll be strong
Now, without fear holding me back, I can confidently embrace whatever path life takes me on, as deep down, I have a strong belief in my ability to overcome any challenges.

For once I can touch what my heart used to dream of
At long last, I can experience and grasp the very things that my heart once fantasized about and longed for.

Long before I knew someone warm like you
Even before I encountered someone as caring and loving as you, these dreams had already taken root within me.

Who have my dreams come true
You are the one who has made my dreams a reality, bringing them to fruition in my life.

For once in my life I won't let sorrow hurt me
This time, I am determined not to allow grief and sadness to inflict pain upon my heart.

Not like it's hurt me before
Unlike the past experiences where sorrow has caused me significant harm, I refuse to let it have the same impact on me again.

For once I have someone I know won't desert me
Finally, I have found someone I can trust and rely on, someone who I am confident will never abandon or forsake me.

I'm not alone anymore
With this person by my side, I no longer feel lonely or isolated.

For once I can say This is mine you can't take it
At last, I can assert that what I have is truly mine, and no one has the power to take it away from me.

As long as I know I have love I can make it
The presence of love in my life provides me with the strength and resilience to overcome any obstacles and challenges that come my way.

For once in my life I have someone who needs me
Once again, I emphasize that I have found someone who truly depends on me and requires my presence in their life.

For once I can say This is mine you can't take it
I reiterate that what I possess cannot be taken away from me.

As long as I know I have love we can make it
As long as both of us know and feel the presence of love, we can navigate through life's challenges and succeed together.

For once in my life I have someone who needs me
Once again, I stress the importance of having someone who genuinely relies on me and considers me indispensable in their life.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ronald N. Miller, Orlando Murden

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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