Interview with Paul Anka

ARLENE’S INTERVIEW WITH PAUL ANKA IS IN FOUR SEGMENTS.

EACH SEGMENT DISCUSSES A DIFFERENT TOPIC.

Part 1

ARLENE: HELLO PAUL ANKA, HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

PAUL ANKA: FINE THANK YOU.

ARLENE: WELL YOU KNOW YOU ARE PHENOMENAL, YOU HAVE BEEN A SUCCESS SINCE YOU WERE SIXTEEN YEARS OLD. YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR FORTY YEARS…WE AREN’T GOING TO SAY EXACTLY HOW OLD YOU ARE, BUT IT ALL STARTED WITH A SONG AND A WOMAN. THE SONG “DIANA”. WHO WAS DIANA?

PAUL ANKA: WELL, I WAS LIVING IN OTTAWA, CANADA AT THE TIME AND ATTENDING CHURCH AND SCHOOL AND LIVING THE LIFE OF A TEENAGER. I SPOTTED THIS GIRL CALLED DIANA, AT SCHOOL AND AT CHURCH, SHE WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS MY SENIOR AND I HAD A CRUSH ON HER. YOU KNOW WE ALL GO THROUGH THAT AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER WHEN WE ARE A TEENAGER. ONE THING LEAD TO ANOTHER AND I WROTE THIS SONG FOR HER. SHE WAS JUST SOMEBODY WHO WAS SOMEWHAT FAR REMOVED FOR ME FOR WHATEVER REASON AND SHE WAS LIVING IN A LITTLE FASTER LANE. EVEN IN THE 50’S IT WAS A TIME OF INNOCENCE AND ROMANCE SHE WAS A LITTLE BIT UNREACHABLE TO ME. I HAD JUST WROTE THIS SONG FOR HER AND PLAYED IT AT PARTIES AND KINDA SENT THE MESSAGE OUT THAT WAY AND SHE REALLY NOT THAT INTERESTED IN ME UNTIL THE RECORD WAS A HIT BY THE WAY.

ARLENE: OK. YOU WERE 15 AND SHE WAS 20, SHE WAS AN OLDER WOMAN.

PAUL ANKA: ACTUALLY SHE WAS ABOUT 18 AND YOU KNOW IN THOSE DAYS THAT WAS A BIG THING, I MEAN EVERYTHING MATTERED BACK IN THE 50’S, TALLER, SHORTER, WHATEVER, OLDER THERE WAS ALL KINDS OF SEGREGATION IN TERMS OF AGE AND OTHER ASPECTS, BUT HER BEING ABOUT 3-4 YEARS OLDER THEN ME MATTERED.

ARLENE: RIGHT WELL IT WOULDN’T MATTER NOW.…

PAUL ANKA: NO, TODAY EVERYTHING GOES.

ARLENE: AND DOES SHE KNOW THE SONG IS WRITTEN FOR HER?

PAUL ANKA: SHE DID…SHE THOUGHT IT WAS CUTE, BUT IT IS JUST A LITTLE HOUSE SONG THAT YOU SING AT PARTIES AT A PIANO AND OBVIOUSLY AS IT GAINED MOMENTUM AND IT GOT RECORDED AND CAME OUT, IT BECAME AND ITEM AND WE TOOK PICTURES AND I WASN’T REALLY INTERESTED. I HAD TRAVELED AND BEEN TO PARIS AND ITALY AND JAPAN AND ALL THROUGH THE UNITED STATES….YOU GROW UP, AND THEN YOU REALIZE IT WAS JUST A CRUSH, BUT SHE WAS THE MOTIVATION FOR THIS SONG.

ARLENE: YES, A GOOD MOTIVATION, GOOD WAY TO START. ACTUALLY THERE ARE IMPORTANT WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE, YOU HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 35 YEARS. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANN?

PAUL ANKA: WELL, I MET ANN IN THE 60’S, SHE IS FROM EUROPE, WE GOT MARRIED IN PARIS AND SHE IS A GREAT GIRL, GREAT MOTHER AND GREAT WIFE AND SHE IS THE MOTHER OF 5 CHILDREN, ALL OF WHICH ARE GIRLS. SHE WAS A MODEL BACK THEN IN THE 60’S AND GAVE IT ALL UP BACK THEN TO GET MARRIED. SHE WAS THE HIGHEST EARNING, POPULAR MODEL IN ALL THE TRADE AND WORKED WITH ILENE FORD. SHE HAS JUST HELPED ME KEEP THIS INCREDIBLE FAMILY TOGETHER AND SHE HAS SINCE BECOME A GRANDMOTHER. WE HAVE OUR FIRST GRANDCHILD WHO LIVES IN EUROPE . NONE OF THE OTHERS ARE MARRIED EXCEPT MY OLDEST.

ARLENE: OK, NOW YOU ARE A GRANDFATHER AND I STILL THINK OF YOU AS A TEENAGE IDOL. YOU HAVE FIVE DAUGHTERS..

PAUL ANKA: 5 DAUGHTERS AND 1 GRANDCHILD, THAT IS CORRECT.

ARLENE: NOW ALL YOUR DAUGHTERS NAMES START WITH ‘A’..

PAUL ANKA: THEY DO YES.

ARLENE: AMELIA, ALTHEA, ALISIA, AMANDA AND ALEXANDRIA. YOUR WIFE’S NAME IS ANN.

PAUL ANKA: HER NAME IS ANN. MY MIDDLE NAME IS ALBERT AND MY GRANDCHILD’S NAME IS ALEGRA.

ARLENE: OK, SO WHY THE A’S? WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?

PAUL ANKA: YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW. WE JUST STARTED. WE LOVE THE NAME ALEXANDRA AND WE JUST STARTED WITH THAT AND THEN WE WENT TO AMANDA AND IT JUST KINDA….I THINK WE STARTED TO SEE THE FORMAT WE GOT INTO AROUND THE 3RD OR 4TH CHILD, BUT WE JUST LIKED THOSE NAMES AND OF COURSE, NOT KNOWING IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE BOYS OR GIRLS, YOU KNOW, AS THEY CAME OUT, AMANDA SEEMED APPROPRIATE AND SHE REALLY FITS HER NAME AND THEN WE JUST KEPT GOING.

ARLENE: WOW, OK AND A GRANDDAUGHTER WITH AN ‘A’ AS WELL.

PAUL ANKA: ALEGRA.

ARLENE: OK, NO BOYS YET.

PAUL ANKA: NO THAT WOULD BE THE B’S.

ARLENE: RIGHT, YOU HAVE HAD, I THINK IT IS OVER A 123 ALBUMS, YOU KNOW YOU HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT IS OUT RECENTLY AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR DAUGHTER ALTHEA IS ON THAT WITH YOU.

PAUL ANKA: YES. ANTHEA SINGS ON THE ALBUM “BODY OF WORK”. SHE SINGS ON A TRACK PRODUCED BY DAVID FOSTER AND IT FEATURES KENNY G AND GARY GIBB AND IT IS A SONG CALLED “DO I LOVE YOU?” WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FAVORITE OF HERS AND SHE WANTED TO BE ON THE ALBUM AND SHE NOW LIVES IN LONDON AND IS STARTING HER OWN ROCK BAND AND SHE IS DOING APPEARANCES AND GETTING READY TO RECORD.

ARLENE: ANY OF THE OTHER DAUGHTERS GO ON TO BE IN SHOW BUSINESS?

PAUL ANKA: NO, ONE IS AN ATTORNEY. ONE IS WITH A COMPUTER COMPANY GETTING HER MASTERS AND MY YOUNGEST IS GOING FOR HER MASTERS AND AMANDA IS WORKING IN COMMERCIALS. SHE DOES A LOT OF VOICE OVERS. SHE DOES GOOD WITH VOICE OVERS AND SHE JUST STARTED TO DO SOME FILM.

ARLENE: WOW IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL FAMILY.

PAUL ANKA: YES A VERY GOOD FAMILY.

ARLENE: YOU TRAVEL SO MUCH. WHEN YOU TRAVEL IS THERE ANYTHING YOU TAKE FROM HOME THAT MAKES YOU MORE COMFORTABLE WHEN YOU ARE ON THE ROAD?

PAUL ANKA: I TAKE ALL MY PILLOWS WITH ME.

ARLENE: OH, YOU DO?

PAUL ANKA: YEAH.

ARLENE: OH FOR A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP.

PAUL ANKA: EXACTLY!

ARLENE: WELL THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD TALK PAUL ANKA, I HOPE THAT WE CAN TALK AGAIN SOON.

PAUL ANKA: THANK YOU.

ARLENE: OK THANKS, TALK TO YOU AGAIN SOON.

PAUL ANKA: OK.

ARLENE: B-BYE.

Part 2

ARLENE: HELLO PAUL ANKA GOOD TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN.

PAUL ANKA: HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?

ARLENE: HI, I HAVE BEEN GOOD. I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO YOUR SONGS. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE WRITTEN HUNDREDS OF SONGS OVER THE YEARS. I HEARD THAT A LOT OF THE SONGS COME FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. THE MOST FAMOUS SONG OF COURSE IS “MY WAY”. YOU WROTE THAT FOR FRANK SINATRA, BUT COULDN’T YOU HAVE WRITTEN THAT FOR YOURSELF AS WELL.

PAUL ANKA: WELL, I GUESS I DID. SUBLIMINALLY OF COURSE, MOST OF YOUR SONGS ARE WRITTEN FOR YOURSELF. MY FEELING WAS THAT KNOWING SINATRA SINCE 1959 AND ACTUALLY MEETING HIM IN FLORIDA AND SPENDING TIME WITH HIM. HE HAD SAID TO ME THAT HE WANTED ME TO WRITE SOMETHING FOR HIM AND HE WAS GOING TO RETIRE. EVEN THOUGH I WAS IN MY 20’S, I HAD LIVED A CERTAIN LIFE EXPERIENCE, BUT NOT LIKE HIM AND WHEN I WROTE THAT FOR HIM, I REALLY TARGETED FOR HIM. THE RECORD COMPANY WANTED ME TO KEEP IT FOR MYSELF, BUT I FELT THAT I WAS REALLY TOO YOUNG AND NOT THE PROPER CASTING. THUS, I GAVE IT TO SINATRA AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY REGRETS SINCE. I THINK THAT HE WAS THE PROPER GUY TO DO THE SONG AND GIVE IT THE POPULARITY THAT IT DID HAVE.

ARLENE: WELL, HE WAS THE ONE THAT MADE THE SONG FAMOUS. YOU ARE. THE PERSON THAT WROTE THE SONG, AND IT WILL ALWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH YOU.

PAUL ANKA: YES, IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WRITING ASPECT, BUT I THINK IT IS ALSO VERY MUCH A SINATRA SONG. I THINK WHEN PEOPLE HEAR IT, THEY RELATE IT TO FRANK SINATRA. I DON’T THINK THERE IS ANY DOUBT, BUT THE WORDS AND THE ANIMATION OF IT, OF COURSE IT COMES FROM ME.

ARLENE: AND IT SEEMS TO BE EVERYONE’S THEME SONG. WE ALL WANT TO DO IT OUR WAY.

PAUL ANKA: OF COURSE, THAT IS WHY I WROTE IT.

ARLENE: ARE YOU DOING IT YOUR WAY?

PAUL ANKA: AWE.E… YEAH, TO A GREAT EXTENT. I THINK I ALWAYS HAVE ACTUALLY. I LEFT HOME AT 16 AND WENT TO NEW YORK AND TRIED TO CARVE MY WAY INTO THIS BUSINESS. THAT WAS CERTAINLY MY WAY. …..MY FAMILY WAS A LITTLE BIT CURIOUS AS TO WHY AND WANTED ME TO FINISH SCHOOL. I HAVE BEEN DOING THINGS MY WAY EVER SINCE ACTUALLY.

ARLENE: GOOD. WHEN YOU CAME TO NEW YORK, IT WAS I UNDERSTAND A VACATION….A FLUKE THAT YOU WOUND UP STAYING HERE AND BECOMING SUCH A BIG STAR.

PAUL ANKA: NOT ACTUALLY. I WON A CONTEST FROM IGA FOOD STORES COLLECTING SOUP WRAPPERS AND I WENT TO WORK FOR IGA AND COLLECTED THE SOUP WRAPPERS AND WON A TRIP WITH 40 KIDS FROM CANADA. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I CAME DOWN AND SAW NEW YORK AND THEN I WAS SMITTEN BY IT FROM THAT. THEN I WENT BACK HOME AND TALKED MY FATHER INTO LETTING ME COME BACK AND PURSUE MY RECORD CAREER AND TO TRY TO GET A CONTRACT. THAT IS WHAT IS WAS IN THOSE DAYS, IT WAS …POP MUSIC WAS IN ITS INFANCY STAGE AND YOU NEEDED TO DO THAT TO GET AHEAD. SO I CAME DOWN WITH A 100 BUCKS IN MY POCKET, STAYED WITH SOME FRIENDS, MADE THE ROUNDS OF THE RECORD COMPANIES AND GOT A CONTRACT.

ARLENE: WOW, OK. WAS IT DON COSTA?

PAUL ANKA: DON COSTA WAS THE GUY WHO FOUND ME.

ARLENE: HE FOUND YOU.

PAUL ANKA: THAT IS CORRECT.

ARLENE: THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TAKE CREDIT FOR BRING YOU TO NEW YORK. IRVIN FELD BEING ONE OF THEM.

PAUL ANKA: OH NO, IRVIN FELD CAME LATER. IRVIN FELD WAS THE PROMOTER WHO HAD ALL THESE TOURS AND DIANA WAS OUT A GOOD YEAR BEFORE I EVER MET IRVIN FELD. DON COSTA WAS REALLY THE GUY THAT HEARD AND WORKED WITH RAW TALENT, MADE THE RECORD AND I HAD NO REPRESENTATION UP UNTIL THAT POINT AND IT WAS WELL AFTER THAT I GOT INVOLVED WITH AGENCIES WITH IRVIN FELD. DON COSTA WAS THE GUY RESPONSIBLE.

ARLENE: I KNOW, BUT IRVIN FELD.... IF YOU READ SOME OF THE BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL, HE WANTS TO TAKE CREDIT FOR YOU!

PAUL ANKA: YEAH.

ARLENE: A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE CREDIT FOR YOU. DIANA SOLD OVER 20 MILLION RECORDS TO DATE SO FAR AND STILL GOING, BUT YOU AUDITIONED FOR TELEVISION ORIGINALLY WHEN YOU WERE 15 YEARS OLD, WE TALK ABOUT COMING FROM CANADA, AND I HEAR IT DIDN’T GO SO WELL.

PAUL ANKA: NO, YOU KNOW, CANADA WAS ALWAYS IN THE SHADOW OF THE UNITED STATES, THEY HADN’T REALLY FOUND THEIR OWN VIBE UP THERE AND I OBVIOUSLY BEING CANADIAN, I HAD TO DEAL WITH WHAT WAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY I WENT TO TORONTO, … IT WAS CANADIAN. THEY HAVE SINCE GROWN UP, BUT IT JUST DIDN’T WORK OUT…THEY DIDN’T SEE WHAT I WAS ABOUT AND IT TOOK THE UNITED STATES TO DO THAT.

ARLENE: ARE YOU A CITIZEN NOW OF THE UNITED STATES?

PAUL ANKA: I AM A CITIZEN, I ALSO HAVE A CANADIAN PASSPORT.

ARLENE: WELL WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

PAUL ANKA: THANK YOU.

ARLENE: AND I HOPE WE CAN TALK AGAIN SOON?

PAUL ANKA: THANK YOU.

ARLENE: OK WE WILL TALK AGAIN SOON.

PAUL ANKA: WE WILL I PROMISE.

ARLENE: OH THANKS. B-BYE.

Part 3

ARLENE: HI PAUL ANKA, GOOD TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN.

PAUL ANKA: THERE WE ARE.

ARLENE: THERE WE ARE AGAIN.

PAUL ANKA: AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.

ARLENE: I LIKE TALKING TO YOU. I LIKE YOU COMING BACK.

PAUL ANKA: THANK YOU.

ARLENE: WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE SONGS THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN AND THAT MANY OF THEM COME FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I AM CURIOUS, IF I THROW OUT A COUPLE OF THE TITLES OF THE SONGS, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL ME WHAT YOU WERE THINK AT THE TIME.

PAUL ANKA: SURE.

ARLENE: “LONELY BOY”.

PAUL ANKA: WELL “LONELY BOY” WAS A PRODUCT OF THE 50’S. ONE HAS TO REALIZE IN THOSE DAYS, POP MUSIC WAS JUST STARTING OUT AND WE HAD A LOT OF RECORDS HOPS TO DO AND FAVORS FOR DISC JOCKEYS AND I WAS TRAVELING AROUND PRETTY MUCH ALL ALONE WITH WHOEVER WAS WITH ME OF COURSE AND WE WOULD GO TO THESE HOPS AND KIDS WOULD BE DANCING TOGETHER AND THEY WOULD BE SCREAMING AT ME AND I WOULDN’T HAVE ANY KIND OF LIFE AS THEY DID. I WOULD JUST GO BACK TO THE HOTELS AND LOOK AT MYSELF AND SAY WOW THIS HAS A LONELY ASPECT TO IT AND THEN I WROTE “LONELY BOY”.

ARLENE: OH MY GOD! NO ONE WOULD EVER THINK THAT PAUL ANKA WAS EVER LONELY. YOUR DOCUMENTARY WHICH WAS DONE YEARS AGO, TALKED ABOUT YOUR SUCCESS AS A TEENAGE IDOL WAS CALLED “LONELY BOY”.

PAUL ANKA: YEAH.

ARLENE: I HEAR THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING DOING A SEQUEL TO THAT.

PAUL ANKA: WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT ACTUALLY I AM REALLY PLANNING MY OWN TV SPECIAL, IT WILL BE SHOT IN APRIL. IT WILL HAVE ASPECTS OF THAT. I AM JUST A LITTLE CURIOUS AT HOW LIABLE THAT TITLE WOULD BE TODAY, YOU KNOW I CERTAINLY DID PLAN THAT, IT WAS AN AWARD WINNING FILM, BUT I DON’T KNOW IF I FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TODAY, BUT I AM DOING A WORLD WIDE SPECIAL THAT WE ARE SHOOTING OUT OF POSSIBLY THE BELAGIO HOTEL OUT OF VEGAS AND THAT WILL ENCOMPASS A LOT OF BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL.

ARLENE: WOW AND CERTAINLY NOT LONELY BOY EVER AGAIN.

PAUL ANKA: NOT ANYMORE!

ARLENE: RIGHT! NOW WHAT ABOUT THE SONG “PUPPY LOVE”?

PAUL ANKA: YES, WELL I WAS WRITING FOR A FEW PEOPLE WHEN I FIRST STARTED AND DISNEY HAD COME TO US AND SAID THEY HAD THIS YOUNG GIRL THAT WAS JUST KILLING THEM ALL ACROSS AMERICA BREAKING HEARTS, HER NAME WAS ANNETTE, AND THEY PUT HER ON TOUR, THE TOUR I WAS ON AND I GOT TO KNOW HER. THEY WANTED TO MAKE A RECORD AND RECORD AN ALBUM CALLED “ANNETTE SINGS ANKA” THAT I WROTE FOR HER. AT THE SAME TIME A RELATIONSHIP STARTED AND WE REALLY GOT INTO EACH OTHER. DISNEY WAS QUITE CONCERNED. SHE WANTED TO GET MARRIED. THEY WERE INTO THEIR IMAGING AND SAID LOOK THIS CAN’T GO THAT WAY AND I CERTAINLY DIDN’T WANT TO GET MARRIED AT THAT TIME. SHE IS A VERY SWEET GIRL AND BY THE WAY SHE IS HANGING IN DOING QUITE WELL TODAY AND THEY KEPT SAYING IT IS JUST A PUPPY LOVE AND IT JUST KINDA HIT ME AND I WENT TO MY PIANO AND I WROTE IT FOR HER AND IT DID FAIRLY WELL FOR ME.

ARLENE: GREAT SONG. OK WHAT ABOUT THE SONG, “PUT YOUR HEAD ON MY SHOULDER”?

PAUL ANKA: YOU KNOW I WAS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE AMBIANCE OF THESE RECORD HOPS THAT I WOULD GO TO AS FAVORS OF DISC JOCKEYS AND OF COURSE IN THOSE DAYS, THAT WAS A ROOM FULL OF KIDS AND A LOT OF BALLADS AND EVERYONE WAS HOLDING EACH OTHER AND I AM UP THERE SINGING ALONE TO ALL OF THESE TEENAGERS AND EVERYBODY’S HEAD WAS ON EACH OTHER’S SHOULDERS. IT WAS KIND OF IMPORTANT BACK IN THE 50’S, A TIME OF INNOCENCE AND ROMANCE AND IF YOU WENT TO THE THEATER YOU JUST WANTED TO GET THAT HEAD ON YOUR SHOULDER. IF YOU WERE MAKING OUT, GET THE HEAD ON THE SHOULDER. IT WAS KIND OF THE EQUIPMENT BACK IN THOSE DAYS AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING YOU FOCUSED ON AND I JUST WROTE THE SONG ON HOW IMPORTANT THAT WHOLE PHYSICAL MOMENT WAS BETWEEN TEENAGERS. IT IS NOT IMPORTANT TODAY, BUT BACK THEN IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT AS TO THE SCHEDULING OF YOUR ROMANTIC SCHEDULE.

ARLENE: I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TODAY. I THINK WE WOULD ALL LIKE SOMEONE TO PUT THEIR HEAD ON OUR SHOULDER.

PAUL ANKA: YEAH, YOU GO TO A LOT OF DISCOS AND THAT, IT IS NOT AS PREDOMINANT AS IT WAS BACK THEN.

ARLENE: WELL, ANOTHER SONG THAT YOU WROTE ORIGINALLY WAS “YOU’RE HAVING MY BABY” AND I HEARD THAT YOU CHANGED IT TO “YOU’RE HAVING OUR BABY”?

PAUL ANKA: NO IT IS STILL “YOU’RE HAVING MY BABY” I NEVER CHANGED IT AT ALL. WHAT I DID WAS ..THERE WAS SOME SLACK. THAT WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WERE ALL OF THESE GROUPS THAT HAD SOMETHING TO SAY AND THAT KIND OF….THE EVOLUTION AND PEOPLE SOAP BOXING AND THAT FASHION AND ALL THE BIG TRADES AND “TIME” MAGAZINE CAME TO ME AND SAID WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING. WE HAVE A WAR AND A DRUG PROBLEM AND GANGS…HE WROTE A SONG FOR HIS WIFE AND I REALLY DIDN’T GET THE FRAY OF IT, NOR DO I WANT TO GIVE OUT PAMPHLETS WITH EVER RECORD EXPLAINING WHAT I WRITE ABOUT, BUT IT WAS…AT SOME OF MY CONCERTS, AT THE END OF THE SONG I WOULD END IT WITH “YOU ARE HAVING OUR BABY.” BUT THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF IT, I NEVER CHANGED ANYTHING, NOR WOULD I EVER. I DON’T BELIEVE IN THOSE KIND OF RESTRICTIONS IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS.

ARLENE: WELL AS WE SAY YOUR MOST FAMOUS SONG “MY WAY” AND YOU WERE DOING IT YOUR WAY…

PAUL ANKA: RIGHT.

ARLENE: AND I HOPE THAT YOU’LL TALK TO US MORE ABOUT YOUR WAY THE NEXT TIME WE SPEAK AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN TALK AGAIN SOON.

PAUL ANKA: WELL LET’S TALK SOON AND I WILL FILL YOU IN ON THAT.

ARLENE: OK, GOOD.

PAUL ANKA: I HOPE EVERYONE HANGS IN OR TUNES IN WHEN IT HAPPENS.

ARLENE: YEAH, YOU BET. TALK TO YOU SOON, B-BYE.

Part 4

ARLENE: HELLO PAUL ANKA HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

PAUL ANKA: GOOD TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN.

ARLENE: OH ME TOO, I LIKE THIS CONTINUATION OF TALKING TO PAUL ANKA.

PAUL ANKA: THANK YOU.

ARLENE: YOU KNOW, SO MUCH AS HAPPENED. IT STARTED FROM WHEN YOU WERE 16 YEARS OLD. YOU ARE A MULTI-MULTI MILLIONAIRE TODAY. YOU HAVE MADE A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS OF YOUR LIFE AND YET WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT MANY OF THE PERFORMERS WHO JUST GO ON DRUGS AND MAKE A LOT OF MONEY AND END UP JUST DESTITUTE ALMOST. HOW HAVE YOU STAYED ON TRACK?

PAUL ANKA: WELL, WHEN I STARTED OUT, WHEN I CAME DOWN FROM CANADA, I REALIZED THIS DREAM THAT HAD COME TRUE. I MEAN YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP EVERY MORNING IN THIS BUSINESS, BEING VERY SUCCESSFUL AND FORTUNATE YOU CAN’T LOSE SIGHT OF THE INCREDIBLE OCCUPATION THAT YOU ARE IN AND THAT YOU WOULD BE A FOOL TO RUIN IT. I HAVE BEEN AROUND FRANKIE ???. A LOT OF THOSE TEEN ACTS THAT WERE USING DRUGS AND WHAT HAVE YOU AND I SAW HOW DISABLED THEY BECAME HOW UNPRODUCTIVE AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PRODUCTIVE PERSON AND I JUST MADE A CHOICE. I MEAN CERTAINLY EVERYONE IS ALLOWED TO LIVE THEIR LIFE HOW THEY WANT TO. THERE ARE CERTAIN ASPECTS AND TROUBLE YOU CAN GET INTO. IT IS UNFORTUNATE TO SEE IT. I JUST REALLY DIDN’T WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE, NOR WAS I INTERESTED. I WANTED TO EMBELLISH WHAT I WAS DOING AS A PERFORMER. YOU NEED TO BE TOTALLY COHERENT FOR THAT. I KNEW AS A WRITER I HAD TO HAVE MY WITS ABOUT ME. I WAS ENJOYING WHAT I WAS DOING SO MUCH THAT IF YOU ARE NOT CONSCIOUS OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN A SENSE THEN IT DOESN’T REALLY WORK. BEING ON MY OWN SINCE I WAS 16 YEARS OLD AND HAVING TO DRAW FROM MYSELF, I REALLY HAD TO BE TOGETHER. I LOVED THIS BUSINESS AND I STILL DO. IT IS IN A WHOLE NEW PHASE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO IT RIGHT AND HAVE LONGEVITY. I MEAN YOU JUST CAN’T ENTERTAIN ANY OF THAT STUFF. IT IS JUST A CHOICE THAT I MADE AND I DON’T THINK THAT IT IS COOL OR HIP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND THAT IS JUST THE WAY THAT I AM.

ARLENE: GOOD FOR YOU. A GOOD ROLE MODEL. WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU WERE ALONE SINCE YOU WERE 16 YEARS OLD, WERE THERE PEOPLE THAT WERE WITH YOU THAT WERE ROLE MODELS FOR YOU DURING THAT TIME?

PAUL ANKA: I WAS ALONE IN THE SENSE, WITH ROCK MUSIC BEING IN ITS INFANCY STAGE BACK THEN, I LEFT HOME AND JUST GOT A RECORD CONTRACT. CERTAINLY I HAD ADULTS AROUND ME AND THAT WOULD CHAPERONE IN A SENSE, BUT PRIMARILY I WAS ON MY OWN. THERE WERE PEOPLE AROUND ME THAT WERE OBVIOUSLY A NECESSITY THAT WERE SOMEWHAT ROLE MODELS AND IT WAS JUST THE WAY I LEAD MY LIFE . I WAS ALONE UNTIL I GOT MARRIED. I WAS ENJOYING IT, I WAS A TEENAGER, I WAS TRAVELING, I HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS IN EVERY COUNTRY I WOULD GO TO. I HAVE LIVED A GLOBAL EXISTENCE ACTUALLY, I LIVE IN A GLOBAL COMMUNITY. I HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AND READ AND KIND OF FOLLOWED PEOPLE THAT I HAVE ADMIRED AND JUST REALIZED THAT THERE WERE A CERTAIN KIND OF ETHICS THAT HAD TO BE APPLIED TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN ANY BUSINESS ACTUALLY AND I JUST GOT LUCKY, I JUST STAYED WITH IT.

ARLENE: AROUND THE SAME TIME WHEN YOU WERE BECOMING A BIG STAR, ELVIS PRESLEY WAS BECOMING STAR AT THAT TIME….YOU WERE BOTH BIG STARS AND HIS LIFE WENT IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND I UNDERSTAND AND HE RECORDED “MY WAY”.

PAUL ANKA: YES HE DID.

ARLENE: WHAT WERE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF HIM?

PAUL ANKA: WELL PRESLEY WAS KIND OF DIFFERENT FROM THE PACK. I MEAN, A LOT OF US TRAVELED ON TOURS TOGETHER AND ELVIS DID HIS OWN THING. I MEAN HE WAS THIS GREAT LOOKING GUY DOING THIS UNUSUAL MUSIC GETTING A LOT OF CONTROVERSY. A LOT OF GUYS I TRAVELED WITH WE WAITIFIE???, ROCK AND ROLL, WE WERE A CLERGY MAN’S ANSWER TO POP MUSIC. WE KNEW HIM, BUT HE WAS NEVER IN OUR GANG AS SUCH, BUT THEN AS THE YEARS WHEN ON AND I STARTED WORKING VEGAS AND SO DID HE, HE BECAME A FRIEND. HE WOULD COME OVER AND SEE THE SHOW. HE WAS A NICE ENOUGH GUY. THERE WERE SOME DEMONS THERE I THINK, EITHER YOU ACCEPT GROWING OLD AND YOU DO IT GRACEFULLY OR YOU DON’T. I THINK ALL OF THAT WAS CATCHING UP WITH ELVIS AND HE WAS ALWAYS A GENTLEMAN WITH ME AND A GOOD GUY. HE WOULD COME SEE THE SHOW AND HE WOULD SAY I AM GOING TO SING THAT SONG “MY WAY” I LOVE THAT SONG! AND I WOULD SAY ELVIS THAT ISN’T YOUR KIND OF SONG AND HE WOULD SAY NO I AM GOING TO DO IT AND I WOULD SEE IT PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE WHEN HE WOULD COME OVER AND THEN ULTIMATELY HE RECORDED THE SONG AND IT WAS ONE OF THE LAST THAT HE RECORDED BECAUSE IT MEANT A LOT TO HIM AND THEN I GUESS MY WIFE WOKE ME UP ONE AFTERNOON AROUND 2 AND TOLD ME HE WAS DEAD.

ARLENE: WOW, WELL HE DID IT HIS WAY, WHICH WASN’T YOUR WAY AND YOUR WAY IS WORKING OUT PRETTY GOOD. I HEARD YOU JUST MADE A SIX MILLION DOLLAR DEAL WITH BALLY’S IN ATLANTIC CITY AND FOXWOODS IN CONNECTICUT.

PAUL ANKA: WELL I HAVE MULTIPLE DEALS…I GUESS IT IS A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE WHEN THESE CASINOS…I WORKED FOXWOODS IN CONN. AND THE HILTON IN ATLANTIC CITY....AND TO TIE YOU UP THEY GIVE YOU THESE DEALS . IT IS 4 YEAR DEAL. IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT AND IT IS, BUT IT IS JUST THAT IT IS IN RELATIVITY. IT IS GOOD AND I AM VERY LOYAL TO THEM AS THEY ARE TO ME. THE THRUST OF THAT COMES INTO MY ALBUM “BODY OF WORK” WE HAVE THE MOST ADDED RECORD RIGHT NOW IN THE COUNTRY WITH CELINE DION, A SONG CALLED “HARD TO SAY GOODBYE” AND THAT IS WHAT I HAVE REALLY BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND IT FEATURES FRANK SINATRA AND CELINE AND PATTY LABELLE AND PETER SENTARA, KENNY G AND MY DAUGHTER AS WE MENTIONED THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE SPOKE.

ARLENE: YES, YOU SING WITH YOUR DAUGHTER.

PAUL ANKA: AND THAT ALBUM, IT WAS ACTUALLY A STATISTIC ON BILLBOARD MAGAZINE, THAT IF I GET A TOP 50 RECORD, BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, IT IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT ANYONE HAS EVER HAD 5 CONSECUTIVE DECADES IN A ROW OF TOP 50 RECORDS, SO I HAVE SOME KIND OF A GOAL TO GET TO THIS YEAR.

ARLENE: WELL, WE ARE ROUTING FOR YOU.

PAUL ANKA: THANK YOU.

ARLENE: AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST ADMIRED AND RESPECTED PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS TODAY, NOT ONLY IN THE BUSINESS, BUT I THINK IN THE WORLD TODAY.

PAUL ANKA: THANK YOU.

ARLENE: THANKS FOR SPENDING SO MUCH TIME WITH US AND WE WILL TALK TO YOU AGAIN SOON I HOPE.

PAUL ANKA: IT IS A PLEASURE. TO ALL OF YOUR LISTENERS, WE HAVE HAD A GREAT TIME AND I WILL BE SEEING YOU IN YOUR AREA REAL SOON.

ARLENE: YES EXACTLY AND WE WILL BE THERE!

PAUL ANKA: THANK YOU.

ARLENE: OK, THANKS.

PAUL ANKA: B-BYE.

ARLENE: B-BYE.