| One of the biggest teen idols of the late 1950's, Paul Anka moved to the adult sphere several years later and became a successful performer, songwriter, music businessman, and recording artist, remaining so well into the new millennium. His first penned hit was an ode to his former babysitter. "Diana" sold over ten million copies worldwide in 1957. He wrote one of Buddy Holly's last hits, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," and moved into movies with "Let's Rock" and "Girls Town." The latter film spawned his biggest American hit, "Lonely Boy," just the first in a string of 1959 chart successes including "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," "It's Time to Cry," and "Puppy Love" (written for old flame Annette Funicello, and later a hit for Donny Osmond as well). By 1961, when the teen idol craze began to cool off, Anka (a millionaire while still a minor) could boast of the over 125 compositions under his belt, his own record label (Spanka), and the recognition of being behind the second best-selling single of all time (only "White Christmas" had sold more copies than "Diana"). Instead of resting on his laurels, Anka took on the adult market. First, he groomed a solo act and got bookings into that haven for sophisticates, the Copacabana. Anka next moved to RCA and, in yet another shrewd business move, bought the rights to his old masters and made a fortune on reissues alone. He diversified his career by appearing in several more movie roles (including the 1962 drama "The Longest Day," for which he provided the title song). One of the first pop singers to do shows in Las Vegas, he also hosted television variety shows like Hullabaloo, The Midnight Special and Spotlite, and moved on to foreign audiences in Asia and Europe (where he found his wife, Parisian model Anne de Zogheb). He wrote the theme to "The Tonight Show" (aired every weeknight for almost 30 years), rewrote the French lyrics to the song "Comme d'Habitude" for one of Frank Sinatra's most famous later songs, "My Way," and also wrote Tom Jones' biggest hit, "She's a Lady." Anka also branched out in the recording studio, recording theme albums such as "Excitement On Park Avenue" and "Strictly Nashville." Although he had hit the Top 40 only once since 1963, Paul Anka stormed the number one slot in 1974 with "(You're) Having My Baby," a duet recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama with his singing protege, Odia Coates. The duo's next two singles, "One Man Woman/One Woman Man" and "I Don't Like to Sleep Alone," both hit the Top Ten (his 1974 LP "Anka" reached gold), and his 1975 solo single "Times of Your Life" reached number seven. In 1977 he returned the favor to Odia Coates by writing, producing and duetting with her on the disco hit "Make It Up To Me In Love." The 12" featured a stunning Tom Moulton mix but failed to garner enough success to merit another duet release. His last hit came in 1983 with the 12" disco treat "Gimme The Word." Another duet, this time with rocker Karla DeVito, that propelled him high unto the club charts. Anka continued his casino appearances and the occasional recording well into the 1990's but has since led a rather low profile. |
