Paul Anka wrote over 900 tunes!
Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka enjoyed two distinct periods of success. His first began with the release of his signature song Diana in 1957 and continued through to 1960.
During this early phase, he racked up a string of hits including You Are My Destiny (1958), Lonely Boy (1959), Put Your Head On My Shoulder (1959), and Puppy Love (1960).
Back then, it was all about singles—Anka’s albums didn’t make much impact on the charts. After Puppy Love, he switched to RCA and released nine albums throughout the 1960s, none of which produced any major hits.
This decline was likely due to the rise of British Invasion bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, whose fresh sound made Anka’s style seem dated.
A brief stint with Buddha Records didn’t fare much better, but a move to United Artists marked the start of a second successful run. Teaming up with Odia Coates, he released Anka (1974), which featured the hits (You’re) Having My Baby and One Man Woman/One Woman Man.
Now sporting a deeper voice and a more mature, grandiose production, Anka followed up with Feelings (1975), which produced three more hits: I Don’t Like To Sleep Alone and (I Believe) There’s Nothing Stronger Than Our Love (both duets with Coates), and Times Of Your Life, a solo effort.
These mid-’70s releases marked a second peak in Anka’s career.
Although he continued to release albums—14 more across seven different labels—none would bring further chart success.
One tune Anka didn’t score a hit with was She’s A Lady, which became a major success for Tom Jones. This perhaps nudged Paul Anka towards writing more for others.
The biggest surprise? He co-wrote This Is It, Love Never Felt So Good, and Don’t Matter To Me—all later released by Michael Jackson.
And of course, Anka famously penned the English lyrics to Frank Sinatra’s signature tune, My Way.
All in all, Paul Anka has written and published over 900 songs.
Never one to shy away from interpreting others’ music, his 2005 album Rock Swings saw him put a big band twist on a surprising range of songs. The tracklist includes Eye Of The Tiger (Survivor), Everybody Hurts (R.E.M.), Wonderwall (Oasis), Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden), Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana), Lovecats (The Cure), Hello (Lionel Richie), Jump (Van Halen), The Way You Make Me Feel (Michael Jackson), and Tears In Heaven (Eric Clapton).
Clearly, Paul Anka has always had a great ear—for both writing and picking timeless tunes!
Paul Anka Tunes | Related Pages
Diana | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Diana by Paul Anka using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| G | Em | C | D7 |
I’m so young and you’re so old, this my darling, I’ve been told…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Diana (Paul Anka) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Everybody Hurts | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| D | D | G5 | G5 |
When your day is long…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Everybody Hurts (R.E.M.) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus | Chords + TAB
Learn to play I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by The Ronettes using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| A | A | C#m | F#m |
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (The Ronettes) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Tears In Heaven | Chords + TAB
Learn how to play Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, 2nd guitar, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Aadd4 E/G# | F#m A/E | D/F# A | E A/E E7 |
Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Tears In Heaven – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Wonderwall | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Wonderwall by Oasis using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Em7 G5 | Dsus4 A7sus4 |
Today is gonna be the day that they’re gonna throw it back to you…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Wonderwall – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Paul Anka on the web
