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.
Ill Be Seeing You
Roger Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That this heart of mine embraces all day through
In that small cafe, the park across the way
The children's carousel,
The chestnut trees, the wishing well
I'll be seeing you in every lovely summer's day
In everything that's light and gay
I'll find you in the morning' sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you
I'll find you in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you
The song "I'll Be Seeing You" is a sentimental ballad about a person who is separated from their loved one, but who continues to find comfort in their memories and dreams of them. The lyrics describe the various places and experiences that evoke memories of the loved one, such as a small cafe, a children's carousel, and the chestnut trees, which give a sense of nostalgia and yearning. The repeated refrain of "I'll be seeing you" emphasizes the idea that even though the person may be physically away from their loved one, they still feel connected to them in a powerful way. The lyrics also suggest that the person will always remember their loved one as bright and joyful, evoking a sense of hopefulness and optimism.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written in 1938 by two relatively unknown songwriters, Irving Kahal and Sammy Fain, who were struggling to find success in the competitive music industry. However, the song was later recorded by several popular artists, including Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, and became a hit during World War II, as many people could relate to the emotions expressed in the lyrics.
Another interesting fact is that the song was used as a theme song for soldiers who were fighting overseas during the war. The lyrics resonated with them, as they longed to be reunited with their loved ones back home. The song was also popular among civilians who were separated from their spouses or family members due to the war.
The song has been covered by many artists over the years, including Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Rod Stewart. It has also been featured in several films, such as "The Notebook" and "The English Patient."
Interestingly, some of the lyrics were changed in later versions of the song, such as the line "I'll be looking at the moon" being replaced with "I'll be seeing you soon." However, many people prefer the original lyrics, which evoke a stronger sense of longing and separation.
Despite being a classic love song, the lyrics of "I'll Be Seeing You" have also been interpreted as a metaphor for the loss and trauma of war. The idea of searching for loved ones in memories and dreams speaks to the experience of soldiers and their families who were torn apart by the war.
The chords of the song are as follows:
Verse: C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - F - Dm7 - G7 -
Chorus: C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - F - Dm7 - G7 -
C - A7 - Dm7 - G7 -
Bridge: E7 - A7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
Outro: C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - F - Dm7 - G7 -
C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - F - Dm7 - G7 -
C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
C - F - Dm7 - G7 -
C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 -
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places
I will constantly envision you in places that are close to my heart
That this heart of mine embraces all day through
My mind and soul harbor memories of you throughout the entire day
In that small cafe, the park across the way
I will see you distinctly in the small café and the park lying just opposite to it
The children's carousel,
The children's revolving platform also reminds me of you
The chestnut trees, the wishing well
Even the chestnut trees and the wishing well conjure up sweet memories of you
I'll be seeing you in every lovely summer's day
Even during the summer when the climate is beautiful, I know you will still be with me
In everything that's light and gay
In every cheerful and joyful aspect of life, you will still be a part of me
I'll always think of you that way
You will remain implanted in my mind and will always evoke a happy feeling in me
I'll find you in the morning' sun
When the sun rises in the morning, I will feel like I've found you
And when the night is new
Likewise, when the night falls, and everything feels new and fresh, I'll feel your presence
I'll be looking at the moon
Whenever the moon is up in the sky, I know you will still be there to keep me company in my thoughts
But I'll be seeing you
No matter where I look, I will always be seeing you in my remembrance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Kahal, Sammy Fain
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind