Paul Anka, the 84-year-old Canadian singer and songwriter, has a career that spans over seven decades. At just 15 years old, he wrote a song for Chuck Berry, who promptly told him it was "the worst song I've ever heard in my life." Instead of being deterred, this rejection became the spark that ignited his drive to succeed.
Revenge, Anka says, is indeed a powerful motivator. He began singing Diana at every opportunity he could, from performing for his parents' restaurant patrons to sneaking into Chuck Berry's dressing room. The song eventually rose to No 1 in both the UK and US, making Anka the first Canadian artist to top the American charts.
Anka's remarkable achievements as a teen idol were further cemented with hits like You Are My Destiny, Lonely Boy, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, and Puppy Love. What set him apart from his peers was that he wrote all of these songs himself and retained the publishing rights – a crucial aspect of his success.
Over the years, Anka has continued to evolve as an artist, forging connections with stars across multiple generations. His compositions have become some of the most performed pieces in music history, including My Way, which has been covered by Frank Sinatra and Sid Vicious among others.
Anka's experience with Buddy Holly is particularly noteworthy. Despite being a fellow teen idol who wrote his own songs, Anka was asked to pen one for Holly. The result was It Doesn't Matter Anymore, later covered by Linda Ronstadt and Eva Cassidy after Holly's untimely death in 1959.
As Anka matured, he began to emulate the sophistication of the Vegas kings – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. He played to sold-out crowds, charming both mob bosses and showgirls with his wit and charm. Anka credits these connections for helping him navigate the highs and lows of his career.
Anka's shrewd business sense also played a significant role in his success. When his record company started losing faith in him, he bought back his entire catalogue – a move that would be echoed by Taylor Swift decades later. He also began recording songs in various languages to tap into international markets.
In 1969, Anka wrote My Way as a final song for Frank Sinatra, who was planning to retire at 58. The song's enduring success has become an anthem of sorts for aging, with Anka marveling at how he seemed to have tapped into the wisdom that came later in life.
Throughout his career, Anka has continued to tour and perform, even at 84, singing Puppy Love with gusto. He's remained committed to his craft, still working on a new album and overseeing a play about his life for Broadway. When asked about his own final curtain call, Anka jokes that he'll keep doing this until he can no longer stand – then it will be the big wave out.
Revenge, Anka says, is indeed a powerful motivator. He began singing Diana at every opportunity he could, from performing for his parents' restaurant patrons to sneaking into Chuck Berry's dressing room. The song eventually rose to No 1 in both the UK and US, making Anka the first Canadian artist to top the American charts.
Anka's remarkable achievements as a teen idol were further cemented with hits like You Are My Destiny, Lonely Boy, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, and Puppy Love. What set him apart from his peers was that he wrote all of these songs himself and retained the publishing rights – a crucial aspect of his success.
Over the years, Anka has continued to evolve as an artist, forging connections with stars across multiple generations. His compositions have become some of the most performed pieces in music history, including My Way, which has been covered by Frank Sinatra and Sid Vicious among others.
Anka's experience with Buddy Holly is particularly noteworthy. Despite being a fellow teen idol who wrote his own songs, Anka was asked to pen one for Holly. The result was It Doesn't Matter Anymore, later covered by Linda Ronstadt and Eva Cassidy after Holly's untimely death in 1959.
As Anka matured, he began to emulate the sophistication of the Vegas kings – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. He played to sold-out crowds, charming both mob bosses and showgirls with his wit and charm. Anka credits these connections for helping him navigate the highs and lows of his career.
Anka's shrewd business sense also played a significant role in his success. When his record company started losing faith in him, he bought back his entire catalogue – a move that would be echoed by Taylor Swift decades later. He also began recording songs in various languages to tap into international markets.
In 1969, Anka wrote My Way as a final song for Frank Sinatra, who was planning to retire at 58. The song's enduring success has become an anthem of sorts for aging, with Anka marveling at how he seemed to have tapped into the wisdom that came later in life.
Throughout his career, Anka has continued to tour and perform, even at 84, singing Puppy Love with gusto. He's remained committed to his craft, still working on a new album and overseeing a play about his life for Broadway. When asked about his own final curtain call, Anka jokes that he'll keep doing this until he can no longer stand – then it will be the big wave out.
i mean have you seen his career span over 7 decades?! and at 84 he's still killing it on stage 
he's got so much talent and drive, i love how he didn't let that one bad review from chuck berry get him down lol revenge is indeed a powerful motivator 
and his songs are just iconic - who can forget "my way" that song is literally the ultimate anthem for aging 
anka's business sense is also super impressive, buying back his catalogue was such a smart move 
i mean, dude's been around for decades but his drive is still fire 
he didn't let that one diss from Chuck Berry get him down & look at all the hits he dropped 
and I love how he stuck it out in the business game even when record labels were doubting him 
his business sense is everything 
and who can forget that iconic performance of Puppy Love at 84? 
he's still got the moves 
! The fact that he got rejected by Chuck Berry at 15 and still managed to write hits like "Diana" is insane 
I mean, who else can say they wrote a song for Chuck Berry that ended up NOT being so bad after all 
? And then he just takes it to the next level by writing hits like You Are My Destiny and Puppy Love? Genius! 
! I mean, getting rejected by Chuck Berry and then still making it to number one is like the ultimate underdog story 
. And what's crazy is that he did all of those hits himself and retained the rights – talk about a savvy business move 
. But what really gets me is how he's evolved over the years, from teen idol to Vegas legend 
. His ability to connect with artists across generations is truly remarkable 
. And let's be real, his sense of humor and humility are just infectious 
can't help but admire his perseverance and commitment to his craft 
. I mean, getting rejected by Chuck Berry and then still managing to top the charts? That's some serious motivation right there 
. But what I find really interesting is how Anka took control of his career and bought back his own music – talk about being the boss, fam 
. Anyway, at 84 and still kicking, Paul Anka is definitely the ultimate boss.
It's incredible that he's still performing at 84 and still working on new music.
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paul anka's story is so much deeper than just gettin back at chuck berry, it's about havin the guts to follow ur dreams no matter what. and let's be real, his songwriting skills are ON POINT 
he knew how to take care of biz. but at 84 and still tourin? that's dedication 