Top Ten Songs by Andy Williams
#1″Moon River” In what was a highly lucrative combination of singer and song writer, Andy Williams and Henry Mancini connected to produce a vocalized version of the movie theme from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the Academy Award Winning Song,
“Moon River”. The dreamily romantic tone that Andy Williams brought to this tune seemed only to increase its popularity and to thrust it irreversibly into the number one slot of the list of Top Ten Songs by Andy Williams. For decades after its release “Moon River” remained Williams’ signature song, included in many albums and concert programs.
#2“Days of Wine and Roses “ is not basically a feel good movie, but somehow the title song from that movie sung by Andy Williams has become a love song requested time and again over generations. There are such nostalgic lines as ” the days of wine and roses laugh and run away, like a child at play” but there is also the joy of remembering all ” that introduced me to the days of wine and roses and you”. This touching song required and received a gentle and memorable handling by Andy Williams and easily takes the number 2 spot on the list of Top Ten Songs by Andy Williams
#3″Call Me Irresponsible” and #4″Can’t Get Use to Losin’ You” are songs that portray the sometimes bumpy road of love. Andy Williams’ characteristically slow, thoughtful delivery is worked to near perfection in “Call Me Irresponsible”. As the lyrics come softly forward, we can almost hear the singer as one penitent for his many flaws. At the same time we feel already a forgivenss because some of the irresponsibility seems somehow innocent as when Williams confessees ” rainbows I’m inclined to purse”. How angry can you get with a guy chasing rainbows? This is a love song for the passive agressive who agrees to all his failings but then in the end delivers lines like ” do my simple alibies bore you? Well I’m not too clever, I just adore you.” Andy Williams has the depth and subtlety of style to deliver such lyrics skillfully and with feeling.
The pepped up tempo of “Can’t Get Used to Losin’ You” turns lose a more energized Williams. Andy puts a bounce into his delivery and some life into the lyrics that tell the sad story of love lost. Williams fans can quickly pick up the couplet “can’t get used to losin’ you, no matter what I try to do. Gonna spend my whole life through lovin’ you.” This is not the most cerebral or heart warming of Williams’ melodies but its catchy and shows another dimension of Williams’ talent and folks loved it all the way to the list of Top Ten Songs by Andy Williams.
#5 ” Oh Danny Boy” and #6 ” We Need a Little Christmas”. It’s hard to know whether it was the sparkling eyes of Andy Williams, his melancholy tenor or his slowly rolling tempo that first helped him to connect so naturally with “Danny Boy” No matter, the combination has been a winner for decades. Among Williams’ most requested songs “Danny Boy” is always patiently waiting in the Williams’ repertoire to be danced out to hush a crowd or moisten a few Irish eyes. For Williams, Danny Boy is a St. Patrick’s Day special that’s good all year round.
“We Need a Little Christmas ” is another Williams’ favorite with a holiday bent. Andy Williams celebrated Christmas with a television special for so many years that for many Americans his voice became almost one with many traditional Christmas Songs. But “We Need a Little Christmas” was one Christmas tune Andy really came to sing as his own. Television specials, holiday concerts and Christmas albums always seemed somehow to include “We Need a Little Christmas”. Together with “Danny Boy”, “We Need a Little Christmas” demonstrates clearly that holiday songs can make it on a list of Top Ten Songs by Andy Williams.
#7“Dear Heart” and #8″ Warm and Willing” In “Dear Heart” Andy Williams summons up a touching combination of passionate love and deep personal caring and filters the blend through lyrics that continue to touch the mind and heart. While Andy Williams excels at rendering the touching love song,”Dear Heart” gives him an opportunity to take even his performance up a notch.
“Warm and Willing” is a very personal love song. It’s not filled with a lot of heady themes. It’s really a very basic statement from one deeply in love lover to another. It’s the voice of Williams that gives endless layers to the meaning of both “warm” and “willing” and the same voice that lifts a rather simple melody and lyric to a song enjoyed by lovers everywhere and deserving of a place on the list of Top Ten Songs by Andy Williams.
#9 “Hawaiian Wedding Song” and “Emily”. Unique for its subject matter and its arrangement,the “Hawaiian Wedding Song” provides an excellent vehicle for the voice of Andy Williams. Perhaps it’s the fact that Andy’s laid back style is perfect match to the year round vacation feel of Hawaii . Of maybe his soft almost caressing voice is not unlike the gentle touch of a Hawaiian breeze. Whatever the secret, the magic is there and Andy Williams seems exactly the right vocalist to perform this now traditional love song.
Like “Hawaiian Wedding Song”, “Emily” is a Top Ten Song byAndy Williams that applauds and extols marriage. In “Emily”, Williams uses the lyrics and his vocal instrument to present a beautiful image of his love named “Emily”. As he sings just the name “Emily, Emily, Emily” we hear in his voice joy, amazement, even reverence for this wonderful person whom he adores. We are not surprised when Williams completes his reverie about this woman by sharing ” when my eyes visualize a family, I see Emily, Emily , too”. Williams’ voice does not allow the sweet innocence of this pronouncement to escape our ears or our hearts.
Andy Williams is a successful singer and performer of romantic love songs, movie themes and classic ballads. In a time when music trends were exploding in a hundred directions, singers like Andy Williams continued to hold the middle ground and gave us music that is still played and enjoyed today, decades later. This list of Top Ten Songs by Andy Williams gives witness to the enduring success of this man’s career.
