50 years ago: Frank Sinatra charted with “My Way”

My Way Frank Sinatra

Writer(s): Jacques Revaux (music), Giles Thibaut and Claude François (original French lyrics), Paul Anka (English lyrics) (see lyrics here) First Charted: March 21, 1969 Peak: 27 US, 29 CB, 17 GR, 28 HR, 2 AC, 5 UK, 28 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 1.05 UK Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 3.0 radio, 286.8 video, 314.67 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “My Way” originated as a song composed by Jacques Revaux in 1967. It originally was called “For Me” and had English lyrics about a couple falling out of love. Revaux shopped the demo around to Petula Clark, Claude François, and others. François worked with Giles Thibaut to give the song new French lyrics. The song was retitled “Comme d’habitude” (“As Usual”). It was released in November 1967 and reached the top of the French pop chart. WK Paul Anka heard the song on the radio while on holiday in France. He liked it so much that he bought adaptation, recording, and publishing rights for one dollar, under the condition that the composers of the melody retained royalty rights. After Anka had dinner with Frank Sinatra in Florida and Sinatra announced that he was quitting the business, Anka re-wrote the original song with Sinatra in mind. He said as he wrote it he thought, “If Frank were writing this, what would he say?” WK Sinatra recorded the song on December 30, 1968. It was released as a single in early 1969 and while it only reached #27 on the Billboard Hot 100, it became his signature song. It peaked at #5 in the UK, but set a record for spending 108 weeks in the top 40 WK and became the most popular song to play at funerals in the UK. LW According to Sinatra’s daughter Tina, he came to hate the song, thinking it was self-serving and self-indulgent. WK Other artists who have charted with the song include Brook Benton (#25 RB, 1970), Dorothy Squires (#10 UK, 1970), Elvis Presley (#22 US, 6 AC, 2 CW, 9 UK, 1973), Sid Vicious (#7 UK, 1978), and Shane MacGowan (#29 UK, 1996). David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Pearl Jam, the Platters, and Nina Simone are among the other artists to record the song. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Frank Sinatra LW Alan Lewens (2001). Popular Song – Soundtrack of the Century. Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 130. WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/25/2022.

50 years ago: Paul Anka hit #1 with “Diana”

Diana Paul Anka

Writer(s): Paul Anka (see lyrics here) Released: July 2, 1957 First Charted: June 29, 1957 Peak: 11 US, 3 HP, 2 CB, 13 HR, 12 RB, 19 UK, 11 CN, 18 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 1.25 UK, 10.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 1.0 radio, 73.9 video, 50.78 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Paul Anka may be best remembered for writing “My Way,” which was a hit for Frank Sinatra in 1969 and became what many consider to be his signature song. However, Anka had an extremely successful career of his own as a recording artist. From 1957 to 1975, he landed ten songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Three of them – “Diana,” “Lonely Boy,” and “You’re Having My Baby” went to #1. It was the first, however, which really launched Anka’s career. As a teenager, Paul Anka had a crush on 20-year-old Diana Ayoub, who he occasionally saw at church and other functions. She also babysat for his younger siblings. SF She was several years older and not interested. As Anka said, “She was a little out of my league…She really didn’t want anything to do with me, which made it even worse.” SF Distraught over being rejected, he wrote her a poem, which he later set to music. FB He won a trip to New York City in 1956 by collecting Campbell’s Soup wrappers and was so taken with the city that he went back later that summer with four songs he’d written, including “Diana.” He went to see Don Costa at ABC-Paraomount Records, who was so impressed he told Paul to have his parents come to New York immediately to sign a contract. FB The first single, “I Confess,” was released in 1956 but went nowhere. The follow-up, however, went to #1 when Anka was the ripe old age of 16. It went on to become an international hit, topping the charts in Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. At the time, it was the biggest-selling single in UK history. SF After he toured the world to support it and came home, Diana reached out to him, but he’d lost interest by then. FB Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Paul Anka FB Fred Bronson (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 25. SF Songfacts TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 23. WK Wikipedia First posted 2/13/2021; last updated 3/25/2023.