Music
Elvis Presley was not meant to sing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” The famous writer of the song said as much.
Elvis Presley was not meant to sing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” The famous writer of the song said as much. There’s a good reason why Elvis’ “My Way” has been left in the dust — and it has nothing to do with music or Elvis’ singing.
The writer of Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ cried when Elvis Presley died
“My Way” was written by pop star Paul Anka. In his 2013 book My Way: An Autobiography, Anka discussed his connection to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. “I only really got to know Elvis well near the end of his life,” he said. “You only had to hang out with him for a few minutes to know he was out of control.”
Anka said that Elvis loved “My Way.” “And his whole thing near the end with me was very disturbing, with all his graciousness and all he was going through,” he said. “‘My Way’ meant so much to him as a song, he was going to do it. And I’d say, ‘Elvis, it’s not really your kind of song.’ And he’d say, ‘Nooo, Paulie, but those words, they mean so much to me. Boy, I want to do that song one day.’ It was one of the last songs he recorded.”
Anka wasn’t a fan of the cover. “In the end, that song and those words had resonance for him but not in the way I intended,” he wrote. “Basically, given Elvis’s pathetic state at the end, it was in the opposite sense that the words had had for Sinatra. There was nothing defiant or heroic about Elvis at that point.” When Anka learned about Elvis’ untimely death, he cried.
Why ‘My Way’ worked better for Frank Sinatra
Of course, Anka does not have the final word on what is popular. However, he was still onto something in his autobiography. Sinatra’s “My Way” remains his most popular song and it still gets played on the radio even though it’s almost 60 years old. However, Elvis’ cover is all but forgotten. This has to do with the way the two singers lived their lives.
The “Can’t Help Falling in Love” singer really struggled during his later years. He passed away at 42. With that in mind, it’s challenging to listen to Elvis’ “My Way.” He definitely lived his life in his own way, but his habits were often self-destructive. Sinatra did not display such self-destructive tendencies, so his version of the song is easier to swallow.
Elvis Presley’s ‘My Way’ was the bigger hit
Ironically, Elvis’ “My Way” was initially a bigger hit than Sinatra’s. Elvis’ cover reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and lasted on the chart for 12 weeks. That tune appeared on the album Elvis in Concert. The record climbed to No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and spent 18 weeks on the chart.
Meanwhile, Sinatra’s “My Way” reached No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charted for eight weeks. It took a while for audiences in the United States to see “My Way” as one of Sinatra’s crowning achievements. The album My Way reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and charted for 19 weeks.
Elvis’s vocal performance on “My Way” is heavenly — but he wasn’t as suited for the song as Sinatra was.
