Anka, Paul (1941—)
With his 1957 number one hit record, "Diana," about a teenage boy's unrequited crush on an older girl, 16-year-old singer-songwriter Paul Anka tapped into a collective angst. Catapulted into the ranks of the 1950s post-Elvis Presley teen idols, the Canadian-born Anka was a pervasive presence on the airwaves with songs including "Lonely Boy," "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," and "Puppy Love," the latter about his romance with former Mousketeer, Annette Funicello. With his adenoidal sound, and a self-confidence that belied his years, he was more at home with ballads than rock 'n' roll. As a result, he weathered changing tastes to reinvent himself as an in-demand cocktail circuit headliner. His sophistication as a songwriter also grew. Along with hits for Barbra Streisand and Tom Jones, Anka wrote Frank Sinatra's signature song, "My Way," and the theme to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Further Reading:
Bronson, Fred. The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. New York, Billboard Publications, 1988.
Nolan, Tom. "Paul Anka: The Lonely Boy Grows Up." Rolling Stone. October 24, 1974, pp. 9, 20.
Time. "Anka's Aweigh." December 8, 1975, p. 61.
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