Introduction:
Paul Anka Shares the Story Behind Writing “My Way” for Frank Sinatra
Few songs in modern music carry the weight, defiance, and emotional finality of “My Way.” For decades, it has been inseparable from Frank Sinatra’s voice. But the story of how the song came to be—told by Paul Anka himself—is just as remarkable as the anthem it became.
Paul Anka was only 26 years old when he wrote “My Way,” yet he already understood something profound about Sinatra: his life, his ego, his battles, and his need for a song that sounded like a final statement. In interviews, Anka has recalled that the inspiration came during a trip to France in the late 1960s, where he heard the French song “Comme d’habitude.” While the melody struck him immediately, the lyrics did not. To Anka, they felt small, routine—nothing like the life Sinatra had lived.
“I thought, this isn’t about Frank,” Anka has said. “But the melody could be.”
Anka quickly acquired the rights to the song and rewrote it entirely—late at night, alone, imagining Sinatra sitting across from him. He didn’t write it as a hit single. He wrote it as a mirror. Every line was tailored to Sinatra’s persona: the regrets, the pride, the unapologetic tone of a man who had lived loudly and survived consequences.
“I knew Frank was nearing the end of one chapter,” Anka explained. “He needed a song that said, ‘I did it my way—and I don’t apologize.’”
When Anka played the song for Sinatra, the reaction was immediate. Sinatra reportedly stopped him midway and said, “You wrote that for me.” It wasn’t just flattery—it was recognition. Sinatra recorded the song in 1968, and although it didn’t initially top the U.S. charts, it became one of the most enduring recordings of his career.
Ironically, Sinatra later admitted he had a complicated relationship with “My Way,” sometimes calling it self-indulgent. But audiences felt otherwise. The song became a global anthem for individuality, often played at farewells, funerals, and moments of reflection.
For Anka, the song remains deeply personal. “That wasn’t me talking,” he has said. “That was Frank. I just gave him the words.”
Today, “My Way” stands not just as a Sinatra signature, but as proof of Anka’s rare gift: the ability to step inside another man’s life and write a song so truthful it feels autobiographical.
It wasn’t just songwriting.
It was understanding.