My Way

by

Frank Sinatra

Album: My Way      Released: 1969

US Chart: 27     UK Chart: 5

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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This originated as French song called "Comme D'habitude" (translation: "As Usual") by Claude Francois. The French version tells the story of a man, living the end of his marriage, love killed by the boredom of everyday life.

Paul Anka discovered this song while visiting France, and re-wrote the lyrics as "My Way." Upon returning to the US, he gave it to Frank Sinatra, and it became one of his signature songs. Anka's lyrics changed the meaning to be about a man looking back fondly on a life he lived on his own terms.

The Gipsy Kings recorded this in Spanish ("A Mi Manera"). (thanks, yves - nimes, France, for all above)

In the UK, this re-entered the charts 6 times between 1970-1971. It holds the record for the longest stay on the chart.

In a 2000 interview with the BBC show Hardtalk, Sinatra's daughter Tina said, "He always thought that song was self-serving and self-indulgent. He didn't like it. That song stuck and he couldn't get it off his shoe."

Welch singer Dorothy Squires released a version shortly after Sinatra that was also a hit in the UK and re-entered the chart there twice.

Toward the end of his career, Elvis added this to his concert repertoire. After his death in 1977, a live version was released as a single, going to #22 in the US and #9 in the UK.

The Sex Pistols recorded a Punk version in 1979 with their bass player Sid Vicious on lead vocals. Their version went to #6 in the UK and was used over the closing credits of the movie Goodfellas. The song appeared on the Sex Pistols' album The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle. Sid Vicious died before the album was released.

Anton La Vey, founder of the Church of Satan, complimented Sid Vicious' cover of the song in his biography The Secret Life of a Satanist. (thanks, Diane - Ventura, CA)

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Comments:

Hector I think the meaning can be whatever you're feeling. Even somewhat straight verse takes many meanings IMO. Depends where you're at.
- mark, worcester, MI

Guys I got a question ; In the part of this beautiful song where we can hear: "When there was doubt I ate it up And spit it out" Is it possible that there are two meanings for this part? 1.- I ate up the doubt and I was so strong that I could control it and just spit it out. 2.- I ate up the doubt others may have about me and by my way to succede on things I spit that doubt in their face. Voilà! That would be the question ;) gracias! :)
- Hector, Montreal, QC

Bad Karaoke bar performances of this song have resulted in the murder of its singers in southeast Asian and polynesian countries.
- Eric, Camas, WA

British funeral directors said this was the song most requested by men to be played at their funerals.
- Ken, Louisville, KY

When Bobby Knight broke the NCAA Men's Basketball wins record, during his speech they played this song. It was incredible.
- Frankie, Richmond, IN

it wasn't after Elvis' "death" he just left the building and quit singing... Yeah thank you very much.
- Sara, Silver Spring, MD

David Bowie used the chords from theoriginal French Song as the basis of "Life On Mars"
- John, Dundee, United Kingdom

In his 1974 concert and television "comeback" at Madison Square Garden, Sinatra knew the crowd was waiting for him to sing this song, even though he no longer wanted to. So he told the crowd "I'm singing this under protest". And then sang it.
- Ken, Louisville, KY

Did Sid Vicious ever do this song with the Sex Pistols? Though it was included on a (post) Sex Pistols album, I've always known this song to be Vicious along with Mick Jones (the Clash) on guitar and a couple of the guys from the New York Dolls, done after the Pistols broke up.
- Syn, California City, CA

I have to agree with Frank Sinatra that this song is self-serving and self-indulgent. As a musician I have had to play this stupid song behind too many bozos who think they are Frank Sinatras, and they get so serious and dramatic that it embarrasses me. Sorry, Frank, but it does seem to fit him; and I wouldn't be embarrassed if I was playing it and HE was singing it! It's not THAT bad.
- arsenio, San Antonio, TX

I heard somewhere that the French guy who wrote it was electrocuted after singing the English version. It's a shame that the song has been sung by singers towards the end of their lives or careers. There is a comic moment in the film Happy Feet where the Adelie penguin voiced by Robin Williams is singing the Spanish version and Mumbles (Elijah Wood) the penguin who can dance but not sing is trying to fool his girlfriend by thinking he can finally sing!
- Sara, Silver Spring, MD

It's ironic that so many people--Frank, Elvis, Paul Anka, etc.--have all recorded the same song about how unique they are. It's interesting that Frank didn't like the song, since it seems to be custom-written for his ego and history. Oh well, his delivery is one for the ages.
- Guy, Woodinville, WA

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