Paul Anka | The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan
About this episode
Billy Corgan interviews Paul Anka about his career, songwriting, and the essence of performance.
Billy Corgan welcomes legendary songwriter and entertainer Paul Anka for a masterclass on longevity, songwriting, and surviving every era of music. From writing his first hit as a teenager in 1957 to buying back his own masters decades before "owning your masters" was a movement, Anka reflects on friendships with Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Sammy Davis Jr., and The Beatles, and explains why great songs always outlive trends. He tells the real story behind writing the English lyrics to "My Way" for Sinatra, remembers touring with Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, and recalls watching a Jimi Hendrix leave Clapton, Page, and Beck speechless in a tiny London club. Along the way, Billy and Paul dive into the Great American Songbook, and what today's artists often miss about performance and craftsmanship closing on Anka's simple philosophy for a long, fulfilled life: no rearview mirror. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
People in this episode
Host: Billy Corgan
Guest: Paul Anka
Topics covered
- songwriting
- music history
- performance
- longevity
- craftsmanship
- Great American Songbook
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