Paul Anka | |
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 Anka performing in 2024 | |
| Born | Paul Albert Anka (1941-07-30)July 30, 1941 (age 84) |
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| Years active | 1955–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 6 |
| Relatives | Jason Bateman (son-in-law) |
| Musical career | |
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| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Musical artist | |
Paul Albert AnkaOC (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter and actor. His songs include "Diana", "You Are My Destiny", "Lonely Boy", "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby".
Anka also wrotethe theme forThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; one ofTom Jones' biggest hits, "She's a Lady"; and the English lyrics toClaude François andJacques Revaux's music forFrank Sinatra'ssignature song "My Way", which has been recorded by many, includingElvis Presley. He co-wrote three songs withMichael Jackson: "This Is It" (originally titled "I Never Heard"),[1] "Love Never Felt So Good", and "Don't Matter to Me", which became posthumous hits for Jackson in 2009, 2014, and 2018, respectively.
Paul Albert Anka was born inOttawa,Ontario, to Camelia (née Tannis) and Andrew Emile "Andy" Anka Sr., who owned a restaurant called the Locanda.[2] According to Anka's autobiography,My Way, both of his parents were ofLebanese Christian descent; however, he also states in his autobiography that his ancestors came fromBab Tuma, inSyria.[3][4] His father came to Canada fromDamascus, Syria, and his mother was an immigrant from Lebanon.[5][6] His mother died when he was 18.[7]
Anka briefly studied piano underWinifred Rees[8][9] and sang with theSt. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral choir under the direction of Frederick Karam, with whom he studied music theory.[10] He attendedFisher Park High School, where he was part of a vocal trio called the Bobby Soxers.[11][12]
Anka recorded his first single, "I Confess", when he was 14. In 1956, with $100 given to him by his uncle, he went to New York City, where he auditioned forDon Costa atABC Records, singing what was widely believed to be a lovestruck verse he had written to a former babysitter. In an interview with NPR's Terry Gross in 2005, he stated that it was to a girl at his church whom he hardly knew.[13] The resulting song "Diana" brought Anka stardom as it went toNo. 1 on the Canadian and US music charts.[14] "Diana" is one of the best selling singles ever by a Canadian recording artist.[15] He followed up with four songs that made it into the Top 20 in 1958,[16] including "It's Time to Cry", which hitNo. 4 and "(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings", which reachedNo. 15, making him (at 17) one of the biggestteen idols of the time. He toured Britain, then Australia withBuddy Holly. Anka also wrote "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" – a song written for Holly, which Holly recorded just before he died in 1959. Anka stated shortly afterward:
"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" has a tragic irony about it now, but at least it will help look after Buddy Holly's family. I'm giving my composer's royalty to his widow – it's the least I can do.[17]
Anka composed thetheme forThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (reworked in 1962 from a song Anka wrote earlier called "Toot Sweet"; it had been rewritten with lyrics and recorded byAnnette Funicello in 1959 as "It's Really Love").[18] He wrote "Teddy" – a Top 20 hit forConnie Francis in 1960. Anka wrote the English lyrics to "My Way",Frank Sinatra's signature song (originally the French song "Comme d'habitude"). In the 1960s, Anka began acting in motion pictures as well as writing songs for them, most notably the theme for the hit filmThe Longest Day (which also was the official march of theCanadian Airborne Regiment), in which he made a cameo appearance as aU.S. Army Ranger. For his film work he wrote and recorded one of his greatest hits "Lonely Boy". He also wrote and recorded "My Home Town", which was aNo. 8 pop hit for him the same year. He then went on to become one of the first pop singers to perform at theLas Vegas casinos. In 1960, he appeared twice as himself inNBC's short-lived crime dramaDan Raven.
In 1963, Anka purchased the rights and ownership of his ABC-Paramount catalog and re-recorded his earlier hits forRCA Victor, which he had joined in 1960.[19]
Frustrated after more than ten years without a top 25 hit record, Anka switched labels again, which marked a turning point in his career. This time he signed with United Artists and in 1974 teamed up withOdia Coates to record theNo. 1 hit, "(You're) Having My Baby", exposing Anka to a new generation of fans and proving his staying power among his original fan base that was now maturing.[20]
Anka also wrote five songs which were included on an album by Don Goodwin.[21]
Anka and Coates recorded three more duets that made it into the Top 20: "One Man Woman/One Woman Man" (No. 7), "I Don't Like to Sleep Alone" (No. 8), and theNo. 15 duet "(I Believe) There's Nothing Stronger Than Our Love". In 1975, he recorded ajingle forKodak written byBill Lane (lyrics) andRoger Nichols (melody) called "Times of Your Life". It became so popular Anka recorded it as a full song, which peaked atNo. 7 in the US pop chart in 1976. The follow-up was another hit that Anka wrote for Sinatra, "Anytime (I'll Be There)", peaking atNo. 33. Anka's last Top 40 hit in the US was in the summer of 1983: "Hold Me 'Til the Mornin' Comes",[20] which included backing vocals from then-Chicago frontmanPeter Cetera; it hitNo. 2 on theHot Adult Contemporary chart.[22]
Anka's 1998 albumA Body of Work was his first new US studio release sinceWalk a Fine Line in 1983; vocalists and performers includedCeline Dion,Kenny G,Patti LaBelle, andSkyler Jett. The album included a new version of "Hold Me 'Til the Morning Comes", once again performed withPeter Cetera. In 2005, Anka released an album of big-band arrangements of contemporary Rock songs titled,Rock Swings; the album provided a mainstream comeback of sorts that saw Anka awarded a star onCanada's Walk of Fame inToronto.
On October 12, 2009, Anka stated thatMichael Jackson's new release titled "This Is It" was a collaborative effort between the two in 1980. According to Anka, after recording the song, Jackson decided not to use it and the tune was then recorded and released bySa-Fire. After Anka threatened to sue for credit and a share of royalties, the administrators of Jackson's estate granted Anka 50% of the copyright.[23] An additional song that Jackson co-wrote with Anka from this 1980 session, "Love Never Felt So Good", was discovered shortly thereafter. His albumSongs of December charted atNo. 58 in Canada in November 2011.[24]
Anka collaborated with a number of Italian musicians, including composer/directorEnnio Morricone, singer-songwriterLucio Battisti, and lyricistMogol. His official discography reports nine singles released byRCA Italiana,[25] but the Italian charts list at least six other songs he interpreted or recorded in Italian. His top hit was "Ogni giorno" which scoredNo. 1 in 1962, followed by "Piangerò per te" and "Ogni volta", which reached bothNo. 2, in 1963 and 1964. "Ogni volta" ("Every Time") was sung by Anka during theFestival di Sanremo of 1964 and then sold more than one million copies in Italy alone; it was also awarded agold disc.[26]
He returned to Sanremo in 1968 with "La farfalla impazzita" byBattisti-Mogol. On that occasion, the same title was interpreted by Italian croonerJohnny Dorelli. The pair of singers, however, were eliminated before the final stage of the musical contest. Anka, maybe only coincidentally, left the Italian scene shortly thereafter. In 2003, Anka came back with an exclusive concert inBologna, organized by the Italian companyMapei during the CERSAIE exhibition. He recorded a version of "My Way" with alternate lyrics dedicated to the sponsor of the evening.[citation needed]
In 2006, he recorded a duet with 1960s Italian hitmakerAdriano Celentano, a new cover of "Diana", with Italian lyrics by Celentano-Mogol and with singer-songwriterAlex Britti on the guitar.[27] The song hitNo. 3.
Anka has been very popular in Finland since the beginning of his career. He performed in Helsinki'sLinnanmäki in 1959,[28][29] inLappeenranta in 1989, at thePori Jazz Festival inPori on 19 July 2007 and in 2012, and inTampere three times on 6 August 2008 and on 9 and 10 August 2009. He also appeared in the Las Vegas scene in the 1991 Finnish filmPrince of the Hit Parade (Iskelmäprinssi), directed by Juha Tapaninen.[30] At the end of the film there is an archive footage of Anka's performance in Linnanmäki. As background music, Anka performs his song "How Long" in the film.
With less success than in Italy and Finland, Anka tried the French market as well, with his first song being "Comme Avant"[25] withMireille Mathieu. In 1964, he released an album titledPaul Anka à Paris; the six tracks on side B were sung in French. A single release in Japanese ("Kokoro no Sasae"/"Shiawase e no Tabiji") is also reported on his discography. In 1993, he recorded a duet with Filipino singerRegine Velasquez titled "It's Hard to Say Goodbye", included on her albumReason Enough. This song was re-recorded several years later by Anka andCeline Dion and was included on his albumA Body of Work.[20][31]
Anka has performed four times in Israel,[32] and in 2019 rejected pleas that he boycott the country.[33]
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Anka appeared in 1958's "Let's Rock", where he sang and appeared in a scene signing autographs. His first major-film acting role was in a cameo as an army private inThe Longest Day (1962). He also composed the title song to the movie. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he starred in such teen exploitation films asGirls Town (1959) andLook in Any Window (1961), in which he played a peeping tom. He later played an Elvis-hating casino pit manager in3000 Miles to Graceland (2001) and a yacht broker inCaptain Ron (1992). He guest-starred as a murder suspect in one of the Perry Mason Made-for-TV movies,The Case of the Maligned Mobster (1991). He made guest appearances as himself in the episode "Red's Last Day" onThat '70s Show and in "The Real Paul Anka" episode ofGilmore Girls. He made several appearances on the NBC TV seriesLas Vegas. In 2016, he made another guest appearance as himself in the "Spring" episode ofGilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, a revival of the original show.[34]
Anka was the subject of the 1962NFB documentaryLonely Boy, considered a classic work ofcinéma vérité.[35] He wrote and performed songs in the 1985 Canadian children's Christmas cartoonGeorge and the Christmas Star. He appeared onThe Simpsonsseason 7 episodeTreehouse of Horror VI,Attack of the 50 Ft Eyesore, singing a song withLisa in October 1995. InAmerican Idol's seasons 2 and 3, he made a special appearance and sang an adapted version of "My Way" that mocked the format of the show as well as participants, judges, and the host. The performance was praised as one of the best moments of the show. He also played the role of Buddy Maus in Season 2 Episode 14 "The Betrayal" of the TV showKojak.
Anka appeared in an episode of TheMorecambe and Wise Show in 1970, singing his own lyrics 'My Way'.[36] The show was broadcast again on BBC2 on Christmas Day 2021, after the tape recording - believed lost - was found.[37]
Anka appeared as himself in the American sitcomThat 70s Show in season 2, episode 2 "Red’s Last Day".[38]
OnGilmore Girls,Lorelai Gilmore named herPolish Lowland Sheepdog after Anka.[39] Series co-creatorDaniel Palladino chose the name after hearing theRock Swings album at acoffeehouse.[40] Both Paul Ankas were featured in adream sequence Lorelai describes to her daughterRory in thecold open to "The Real Paul Anka", the eighteenth episode ofSeason 6.[41][42]
Anka competed inseason four ofThe Masked Singer as "Broccoli". He ended up finishing in 7th place during the Group C finals.[43]
Anka was married toAnne de Zogheb, the half-English and half-Lebanese[44] daughter of Lebanese diplomat Charles de Zogheb, from February 16, 1963 to 2001.[45] The couple met in 1962 inSan Juan, Puerto Rico, where she was a fashion model on assignment and under contract to theEileen Ford Agency. Zogheb, brought up in Egypt,[46] is of Lebanese, English, Dutch, French, German, and Greek[46] descent. The couple married the following year in a ceremony atParis-Orly Airport. Through his daughter Amanda, he is the father-in-law of the actorJason Bateman.[47]
On September 6, 1990, Anka became anaturalized citizen of the United States.[48]
In 2008, Anka married his personal trainer,Anna Åberg, inSardinia, Italy.[49] They divorced in 2010, and Paul has full custody of their son. Anna was featured in the SwedishTV3 showSvenska Hollywoodfruar (Swedish Hollywood Wives).
Anka's autobiography,My Way, co-written withDavid Dalton, was published in 2013.[50]
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In October 2016, Anka married Lisa Pemberton inBeverly Hills, California.[51] They divorced in 2020.[52]
In 1972, a street in Ottawa was named Paul Anka Drive.[53] In 1981, theOttawa City Council named August 26 as "Paul Anka Day" to celebrate his quarter-century in show business.[54]
In the mid-1980s,[55] Anka was secretly recorded while launching a tirade against his crew and band members, berating them for behavior that he considered unprofessional. When asked about it on the interview programFresh Air, he referred to the person who did the recording as a "snake we later fired". The recording became widely known after being uploaded to the internet around 2004, and a number of quotes from it became famous, including "The guys get shirts!"; "Don't make a maniac out of me!"; and "Slice like a f*****g hammer!"[56] Some of the quotes were reproduced byAl Pacino's character in the 2007 filmOcean's Thirteen.[55] In the TV showGilmore Girls,Lorelai Gilmore names her dog Paul Anka.[57] He is also briefly mentioned in Finnish road movieRumble, as the father figure of the movie's main character group mentions "being with Paul Anka inLinnanmäki amusement park".
In 2012, Anka co-founded the holographic tech startup, ARHT Media.[58] He is currently a member of ARHT Media's Board of Advisors, alongside businessmanKevin O'Leary and former prime ministerBrian Mulroney until the latter's death in February, 2024.[59]
| Year | Title | Label | Format | US [60] | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Paul Anka | ABC Paramount | LP | - | |
| 1959 | My Heart Sings | ABC Paramount | CD, LP | - | - |
| 1960 | Swings for Young Lovers | ABC Paramount | CD, LP | - | - |
| 1961 | It's Christmas Everywhere | ABC Paramount | LP | - | - |
| 1962 | Young, Alive and in Love! | RCA Victor | LP | 61 | - |
| 1962 | Let's Sit This One Out | RCA Victor | LP | 137 | - |
| 1963 | 15 Songs I Wish I'd Written | RCA Victor | LP | - | - |
| 1963 | 3 Great Guys (Paul Anka,Sam Cooke andNeil Sedaka) | RCA Victor | LP | - | - |
| 1963 | Our Man Around the World | RCA Victor | LP | - | - |
| 1963 | Italiano | RCA Victor | LP | - | - |
| 1964 | A Casa Nostra | RCA Victor | LP | - | - |
| 1968 | Goodnight My Love | RCA Victor | LP | 101 | - |
| 1969 | Life Goes On | RCA Victor | LP | 194 | - |
| 1972 | Paul Anka | Buddah | CD, LP | 188 | - |
| 1972 | Jubilation | Buddah | CD, LP | 192 | - |
| 1974 | Anka | United Artists | CD, LP | 9 | Gold |
| 1975 | Feelings | United Artists | CD, LP | 36 | - |
| 1975 | Times of Your Life (nine of 10 cuts from previous two albums) | United Artists | LP | 22 | Gold |
| 1976 | The Painter | United Artists | CD, LP | 85 | - |
| 1977 | The Music Man | United Artists | LP | 195 | - |
| 1978 | Listen to Your Heart | RCA Victor | CD, LP | 179 | - |
| 1979 | Headlines | RCA Victor | CD, LP | - | - |
| 1981 | Both Sides of Love | RCA Victor | LP | 171 | - |
| 1983 | Walk a Fine Line | Columbia | CD, LP | 156 | - |
| 1987 | Freedom for the World (titledFreedom in Canada) | A&M Records | CD, LP | - | - |
| 1989 | Somebody Loves You | Polydor | CD | - | - |
| 1996 | Amigos (Duets in Spanish) | Sony | CD | - | - |
| 2005 | Rock Swings | Verve | CD | 120 (9 UK) | - |
| 2007 | Classic Songs, My Way | Decca | CD | 139 | - |
| 2011 | Songs of December | Decca | CD | - | - |
| 2013 | Duets | Sony | CD | 95 | - |
| 2021 | Making Memories | Paul Anka Productions, Greenhill | CD, Album, Stereo | - | - |
| 2022 | Sessions | Paul Anka Productions, Greenhill | CD, Album, Stereo | - | - |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Let's Rock | Himself | |
| 1959 | Verboten! | Self, behind opening credits | Sang "Verboten!" |
| 1959 | Girls Town | Jimmy Parlow | Wrote and Sang "Lonely Boy" |
| 1960 | The Private Lives of Adam & Eve | Pinkie Parker | Wrote and Sung "Adam and Eve" |
| 1961 | Look in Any Window | Craig Fowler | |
| 1961 | The Seasons of Youth | Self | TV documentary |
| 1961 | Make Room for Daddy | Paul Pryor | Season 8, episode 25: "Old Man Danny" |
| 1962 | The Longest Day | U.S. Army Ranger | |
| 1964 | Valentine's Day | Gerald Larson | TV series |
| 1965 | The Red Skelton Hour | Bonnie Prince Gorgeous | Episode 25: "Nuts of the Round Table" |
| 1974 | Kojak | Buddy Maus | Season 2, episode 14: "The Betrayal" |
| 1977 | Lindsay Wagner: Another Side of Me | Self | TV special |
| 1977 | Elvis in Concert | No role – Soundtrack #12:My Way written by Paul Anka | TV special |
| 1982 | The Paul Anka Show | Host | TV series |
| 1983 | The Fall Guy | Vic Madison | Season 3, episode 7: "Dirty Laundry" |
| 1987 | Crime Story | Anthony 'Tony' Dio | Season 1, episode 20: "Top of the World" |
| 1991 | Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster | Nick Angel | TV movie |
| 1991 | Prince of the Hit Parade | Himself | |
| 1992 | Captain Ron | Yacht Broker Donaldson | |
| 1993 | Ordinary Magic | Joey Dean | |
| 1994 | Shake, Rattle and Rock! | Himself | TV movie; Special appearance |
| 1995 | The Simpsons | Himself (voice) | Season 7, episode 6: "Treehouse of Horror VI |
| 1996 | Mad Dog Time | Danny Marks | |
| 1999 | That '70s Show | Himself | Season 2, episode 2: "Red's Last Day" |
| 2001 | 3000 Miles to Graceland | Pit Boss #1 | |
| 2005 | Las Vegas | Himself | Season 3, episode 2: "Fake the Money and Run" |
| 2006 | Gilmore Girls | Himself | Season 6, episode 18: "The Real Paul Anka" |
| 2016 | Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Himself | Miniseries, episode 2: "Spring" |
| 2020 | The Masked Singer | Broccoli | Season 4; Eliminated in episode 9 |
| 2020 | Jay Sebring....Cutting to the Truth | Himself | Documentary |
| 2024 | Times Square Ball | Himself | SangJohn Lennon’s Imagine before the ball drop |
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