My Way - wikipedia My Way This article is about the Frank Sinatra song. For other uses, see My Way ( disambiguation ). `` My Way '' German vinyl release Single by Frank Sinatra from the album My Way B - side `` Blue Lace '' Released 1969 Recorded December 30, 1968, Los Angeles Genre Traditional pop Length 4 : 35 Label Reprise Songwriter ( s ) Claude François and Jacques Revaux ; English lyrics by Paul Anka Producer ( s ) Sonny Burke `` My Way '' is a song popularized in 1969 by Frank Sinatra. Its lyrics were written by Paul Anka and set to the music of the French song `` Comme d'habitude '' co-composed and co-written ( with Jacques Revaux ), and performed in 1967 by Claude François. Anka 's English lyrics are unrelated to the original French song. The song was a success for a variety of performers including Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Sid Vicious. Sinatra 's version of `` My Way '' spent 75 weeks in the UK Top 40, a record which still stands. Contents 1 Background 2 Charts 3 Certifications 4 Versions 4.1 Dorothy Squires 4.2 Elvis Presley 4.2. 1 Certifications 4.3 Sid Vicious 4.4 Chris Mann 4.5 Other 5 In popular culture 5.1 Films 5.2 Funerals 5.3 Karaoke 5.4 Politics 6 References 7 External links Background Paul Anka heard the original 1967 French pop song, Comme d'habitude ( As Usual ) performed by Claude François, while on holiday in the south of France. He flew to Paris to negotiate the rights to the song. In a 2007 interview, he said, `` I thought it was a shitty record, but there was something in it. '' He acquired adaptation, recording, and publishing rights for the mere nominal, but formal, consideration of one dollar, subject to the provision that the melody 's composers would retain their original share of royalty rights with respect to whatever versions Anka or his designates created or produced. Some time later, Anka had a dinner in Florida with Frank Sinatra and `` a couple of Mob guys '' during which Sinatra said `` I 'm quitting the business. I 'm sick of it ; I 'm getting the hell out. '' Back in New York, Anka re-wrote the original French song for Sinatra, subtly altering the melodic structure and changing the lyrics : `` At one o'clock in the morning, I sat down at an old IBM electric typewriter and said, ' If Frank were writing this, what would he say ? ' And I started, metaphorically, ' And now the end is near. ' I read a lot of periodicals, and I noticed everything was ' my this ' and ' my that '. We were in the ' me generation ' and Frank became the guy for me to use to say that. I used words I would never use : ' I ate it up and spit it out. ' But that 's the way he talked. I used to be around steam rooms with the Rat Pack guys -- they liked to talk like Mob guys, even though they would have been scared of their own shadows. '' Anka finished the song at 5 in the morning. `` I called Frank up in Nevada -- he was at Caesar 's Palace -- and said, ' I 've got something really special for you. ' '' Anka claimed, `` When my record company caught wind of it, they were very pissed that I did n't keep it for myself. I said, ' Hey, I can write it, but I 'm not the guy to sing it. ' It was for Frank, no one else. '' Despite this, Anka would later record the song in 1969 ( very shortly after Sinatra 's recording was released ). Anka recorded it four other times as well : in 1996 ( as a duet with Gabriel Byrne, performed in the movie Mad Dog Time ), in 1998 in Spanish as `` A Mi Manera '' ( duet with Julio Iglesias ), in 2007 ( as a duet with Jon Bon Jovi ) and in 2013 ( as a duet with Garou ). A few hours before going to celebrate New Year 's Eve at the Casino SANDS, Frank Sinatra recorded his version of the song on December 30, 1968, which was released in early 1969 on the ' ' My Way ' ' LP and as a single. It reached No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 2 on the Easy Listening chart in the US. In the UK, the single achieved a still unmatched record, becoming the recording with the most weeks inside the Top 40, spending 75 weeks from April 1969 to September 1971. It spent a further 49 weeks in the Top 75 but never bettered the No. 5 slot achieved upon its first chart run. Although this work became Frank Sinatra 's signature song, his daughter Tina says the legendary singer came to hate the song. `` He did n't like it. That song stuck and he could n't get it off his shoe. He always thought that song was self - serving and self - indulgent. '' Charts Chart ( 1969 ) Peak position Canada RPM Top Singles 28 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 5 US Billboard Hot 100 27 US Billboard Adult Contemporary US Cash Box Top 100 29 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Italy ( FIMI ) Gold 25,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Silver 991,563 sales figures based on certification alone Versions Dorothy Squires In the midst of Sinatra 's multiple runs on the UK Singles Chart, Welsh singer Dorothy Squires also released a rendition of `` My Way '' in Summer 1970. Her recording reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart and re-entered the chart twice more during that year. Elvis Presley `` My Way '' Single by Elvis Presley from the album Elvis in Concert B - side `` America '' Released October 3, 1977 Format 7 '' single Recorded June 21, 1977 Label RCA Records Songwriter ( s ) Paul Anka and Claude François Elvis Presley singles chronology `` Way Down '' ( 1977 ) `` My Way '' ( 1977 ) `` Unchained Melody '' ( 1978 ) Elvis Presley began performing the song in concert during the mid-1970s, despite Anka 's suggestions that the song did not suit him. Nevertheless, on January 12 and 14, 1973, Presley sang the song during his satellite show Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite, beamed live and on deferred basis ( for European audiences, who also saw it in prime time ), to 43 countries via Intelsat. On October 3, 1977, several weeks after Presley 's death, his live recording of `` My Way '' ( recorded for the Elvis In Concert CBS - TV special on June 21, 1977 ) was released as a single. In the U.S., it reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in late - 1977 / early - 1978 ( higher than Frank Sinatra 's peak position ), number 6 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and went Gold for its successful sales of over a million copies. The following year the single reached number 2 on the Billboard Country singles chart but went all the way to number 1 on the rival Cash Box Country Singles chart. In the UK, it reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart. Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Canada ( Music Canada ) Platinum 150,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Silver 250,000 United States ( RIAA ) Gold 1,000,000 shipments figures based on certification alone Sid Vicious `` My Way '' Single by Sid Vicious from the album The Great Rock ' n ' Roll Swindle Released 1978 Recorded January -- August 1978 Genre Punk rock Length 4 : 06 Label Virgin Records Songwriter ( s ) Paul Anka, Sid Vicious ( A few lines ) Producer ( s ) Bill Price, Simon Jeffes Sex Pistols ' bassist Sid Vicious did a punk rock version of the song, in which a large body of the words were changed and the arrangement was sped up. The orchestral backing was arranged by Simon Jeffes. Interviewed in 2007, Paul Anka said he had been `` somewhat destabilized by the Sex Pistols ' version. It was kind of curious, but I felt he ( Sid Vicious ) was sincere about it. '' Vicious did not know all the lyrics to the song when it was recorded, so he improvised several lyrics, including use of the swear words `` cunt '' and `` fuck '' as well as the word `` queer '' ( slang for a gay man ). Vicious ' reference to a `` prat who wears hats '' was an in - joke directed towards Vicious ' friend and Sex Pistols bandmate Johnny Rotten, who was fond of wearing different kinds of hats he would pick up at rummage sales. An edited version of Vicious 's cover is played during the closing credits of the films Goodfellas and Juan of the Dead. In her album The End, released in conjunction with the film Nana 2, singer and actress Mika Nakashima performs a cover of Vicious ' version of the song with what sounds like an audience singing background vocals. Chris Mann In 2012 Anka revised the lyrics of the song for Chris Mann 's debut album Roads. In Mann 's version the song is presented from the perspective of a young man looking to the future instead of an older man reflecting on his life. Other In 1970, British singer Samantha Jones won the music festival held in Belgian Knokke - Heist with a version of `` My Way '', which subsequently reached # 4 on the Dutch charts. The Pogues ' Shane MacGowan recorded a punk cover of the song, reaching No. 29 on the UK singles chart. In 2002, American rapper Jay - Z released a hip - hop version of `` My Way '' titled `` I Did It My Way '' on his album The Blueprint 2 : The Gift & The Curse. In popular culture This article appears to contain trivial, minor, or unrelated references to popular culture. Please reorganize this content to explain the subject 's impact on popular culture, using references to reliable sources, rather than simply listing appearances. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( January 2017 ) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( January 2017 ) Films Robin Williams recorded a Spanish version, `` My Way ( A Mi Manera ), '' for the 2006 animated film Happy Feet. Seth MacFarlane recorded his version of `` My Way '' for the 2016 animated film Sing. The Frank Sinatra version of the song was used in the trailer for the 2017 film Kingsman : The Golden Circle. Funerals `` My Way '' is the song most frequently played at funeral services in the UK. Karaoke `` My Way '' is a popular karaoke song around the world. However, it has been reported to cause numerous incidents of violence and homicides among drunkards in bars in the Philippines, referred to in the media as the `` My Way killings ''. Politics In 1971 impressionist David Frye ( as Nixon ) sung `` My Way '' on the album Radio Free Nixon. Sinatra Doctrine was the name that the Soviet government of Mikhail Gorbachev used jokingly to describe its policy of allowing neighboring Warsaw Pact states to determine their own internal affairs, alluding to the song `` My Way '' in that the Soviet Union was allowing those states to go their own way. References Jump up ^ `` How Sinatra did it My Way - via a French pop star and a Canadian lounge act ''. the Guardian. ^ Jump up to : McCormick, Neil ( November 8, 2007 ). `` Paul Anka : One song the Sex Pistols wo n't be singing ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved November 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Paul Anka, `` With Paul Anka, ' Rock Swings ', Part Two '', interviewed on Fresh Air, WHYY, August 10, 2005 Jump up ^ The rights holders including Jacques Revaux and Claude François ' heirs sold it to Xavier Niel in 2009 Jump up ^ `` Classic Songs, My Way ''. Jump up ^ Forever_Gentlemen Jump up ^ `` Record - Breakers and Trivia - everyHit.com ''. Jump up ^ `` Sinatra ' loathed ' My Way ''. BBC. 30 October 2000. Retrieved 20 June 2016. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 21. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2017 - 01 - 21. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990 - ISBN 0 - 89820 - 089 - X Jump up ^ Cash Box Year - End Charts : Top 100 Pop Singles, May 17, 1969 Jump up ^ `` Italian single certifications -- Frank Sinatra -- My Way '' ( in Italian ). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved June 25, 2013. Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Frank Sinatra -- My Way ''. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 25, 2013. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Enter My Way in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ Copsey, Rob ( September 19, 2017 ). `` The UK 's Official Chart ' millionaires ' revealed ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Canadian single certifications -- Elvis Presley -- My Way ''. Music Canada. Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Elvis Presley -- My Way ''. British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Enter My Way in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Elvis Presley -- My Way ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ `` MY WAY LYRICS - SID VICIOUS ''. Jump up ^ `` The Blueprint2 : The Gift & the Curse - Jay - Z Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 20. Jump up ^ My Way tops funeral charts -- An article in The Guardian Jump up ^ Utton, Dominic ( March 28, 2009 ). `` My Way : The story behind the song ''. Daily Express. London : Northern and Shell Media Publications. Retrieved July 11, 2009. ' Meanwhile in the Philippines My Way is so popular at karaoke bars that it has been declared responsible for a number of deaths after arguments over performances degenerated into violence -- a social phenomenon referred to by the Philippine media as `` My Way killings ''. ' Jump up ^ Onishi, Norimitsu ( February 6, 2010 ). `` Sinatra Song Often Strikes Deadly Chord ''. The New York Times. Retrieved February 9, 2009. ' Whatever the reason, many karaoke bars have removed the song from their playbooks. And the country 's many Sinatra lovers... are practicing self - censorship out of perceived self - preservation. ' External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Paul Anka Discography Albums 3 Great Guys 30th Anniversary Collection Amigos Rock Swings Classic Songs, My Way Singles `` Diana '' `` You Are My Destiny '' `` Crazy Love '' `` Lonely Boy '' `` Put Your Head on My Shoulder '' `` Puppy Love '' `` In the Still of the Night '' `` ( You 're ) Having My Baby '' `` Times of Your Life '' `` Hold Me ' Til the Mornin ' Comes '' Songs `` Send for Me '' `` Everything 's Been Changed '' `` It Does n't Matter Anymore '' `` Johnny 's Theme '' `` My Way '' `` She 's a Lady '' `` This Is It '' `` ( I 'm Watching ) Every Little Move You Make '' Related articles Anna Åberg Lonely Boy Book : Paul Anka Nina Hagen Discography Filmography Studio albums Nina Hagen Band ( 1978 ) Unbehagen ( 1979 ) NunSexMonkRock ( 1982 ) Fearless / Angstlos ( 1983 ) Nina Hagen in Ekstasy / In Ekstase ( 1985 ) Nina Hagen ( 1989 ) Street ( 1991 ) Revolution Ballroom ( 1993 ) FreuD euch ( 1995 ) BeeHappy ( 1996 ) Om Namah Shivay ( 1999 ) Return of the Mother ( 2000 ) Big Band Explosion ( 2003 ) Irgendwo auf der Welt ( 2006 ) Personal Jesus ( 2010 ) Volksbeat ( 2011 ) Extended plays Nina Hagen Band ( 1980 ) Punk Wedding ( 1987 ) Compilations The Very Best of Nina Hagen ( 1990 ) Rock aus Deutschland : Nina Hagen ( 1992 ) Definitive Collection ( 1995 ) 14 Friendly Abductions ( 1996 ) Prima Nina in Ekstasy ( 2000 ) Sternenmädchen ( 2001 ) Rangeh'n -- Das Beste von Nina Hagen ( 2004 ) Was Denn : Hits ' 74 -- ' 95 ( 2004 ) Heiß ( 2005 ) Soundtracks Cha Cha ( 1979 ) Live releases Live in Krefeld ( 2001 ) Singles `` Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen '' `` Hatschi - Waldera '' `` TV - Glotzer '' `` My Way '' `` Smack Jack '' `` Zarah '' `` New York New York '' `` Universal Radio '' `` Fieber '' `` Total Eclipse / Die schwarze Witwe '' `` Seemann '' `` Personal Jesus '' Related articles Eva - Maria Hagen Wolf Biermann Cosma Shiva Hagen Book Brook Benton Singles `` Endlessly '' `` It 's Just a Matter of Time '' `` So Many Ways '' `` Thank You Pretty Baby '' `` Baby ( You 've Got What It Takes ) '' `` Fools Rush In ( Where Angels Fear to Tread ) '' `` Kiddio '' `` A Rockin ' Good Way ( to Mess Around and Fall in Love ) '' `` Think Twice '' `` Frankie and Johnny '' `` Boll Weevil '' `` Shadrack '' `` Walk on the Wild Side '' `` Laura ( What 's He Got That I Ai n't Got ) '' `` My Way '' `` Rainy Night in Georgia '' Other songs `` Goodnight My Love '' `` It 's Been a Long, Long Time '' `` Looking Back '' `` Send for Me '' Sex Pistols Johnny Rotten Steve Jones Glen Matlock Paul Cook Sid Vicious Studio album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here 's the Sex Pistols Compilations and soundtracks Spunk The Great Rock ' n ' Roll Swindle Some Product : Carri on Sex Pistols Flogging a Dead Horse Kiss This The Filth and the Fury Jubilee Sex Pistols ( box set ) Agents of Anarchy Silver Jubilee Live albums Anarchy in the U.K : Live at the 76 Club Filthy Lucre Live Live at Winterland 1978 Raw and Live Live & Filthy Singles `` Anarchy in the U.K. '' `` God Save the Queen '' `` Pretty Vacant '' `` Holidays in the Sun '' `` No One Is Innocent '' / `` My Way '' `` Something Else '' `` Silly Thing '' `` C'mon Everybody '' `` The Great Rock ' n ' Roll Swindle '' `` ( I 'm Not Your ) Steppin ' Stone '' `` Who Killed Bambi ? '' `` Pretty Vacant '' ( live ) Other notable songs `` Belsen Was a Gas '' `` Bodies '' Films The Punk Rock Movie D.O.A. : A Rite of Passage The Great Rock ' n ' Roll Swindle The Filth and the Fury There 'll Always Be an England Related articles 100 Club Punk Festival Filthy Lucre Tour Nancy Spungen Malcolm McLaren Vivienne Westwood Jamie Reid Julien Temple Dave Goodman Chris Thomas Wally Nightingale Ronnie Biggs Edward Tudor - Pole Nick Kent Rich Kids Vicious White Kids Public Image Ltd The Professionals Ex Pistols Neurotic Outsiders Who Killed Bambi ? Sid and Nancy Julio Iglesias Discography Studio albums Yo canto ( 1969 ) Un canto a Galicia ( 1972 ) Soy ( 1973 ) A flor de piel ( 1974 ) A México ( 1975 ) El amor ( 1975 ) America ( 1976 ) A mis 33 años ( 1977 ) Emociones ( 1978 ) Sono un pirata, sono un signore ( 1978 ) À vous les femmes ( 1979 ) Hey ! ( 1980 ) De niña a mujer ( 1981 ) Zartlichkeiten ( 1981 ) Momentos ( 1982 ) Momenti ( 1982 ) Amor ( 1982 ) Et l'amour crea la femme ( 1982 ) 1100 Bel Air Place ( 1984 ) Libra ( 1985 ) Un hombre solo ( 1987 ) Tutto l'amore che ti manca ( 1987 ) Non Stop ( 1988 ) Raíces ( 1989 ) Starry Night ( 1990 ) Calor ( 1992 ) Crazy ( 1994 ) La carretera ( 1995 ) Tango ( 1996 ) Noche de cuatro lunas ( 2000 ) Ao Meu Brasil ( 2001 ) Divorcio ( 2003 ) Romantic Classics ( 2006 ) 1 ( 2011 ) México ( 2015 ) Live albums En concierto ( 1983 ) Compilation albums Da Manuela a Pensami ( 1978 ) Minhas canções preferidas ( 1981 ) Julio ( 1983 ) My Life : The Greatest Hits ( 1998 ) Mi vida : Grandes éxitos ( 1998 ) Love Songs ( 2003 ) 1 : The Collection ( 2014 ) Singles `` Chiquilla '' ( 1970 ) `` Gwendolyne '' ( 1970 ) `` Cucurrucucú paloma '' ( 1975 ) `` Pauvres Diables '' ( 1979 ) `` Begin the Beguine '' ( 1981 ) `` Yours ( Quiéreme Mucho ) '' ( 1981 ) `` Amor '' ( 1984 ) `` All of You '' ( 1984 ) `` The Air That I Breathe '' ( 1984 ) `` To All the Girls I 've Loved Before '' ( 1984 ) `` I 've Got You Under My Skin '' ( 1985 ) `` We Are the World '' ( 1985 ) `` Lo Mejor de Tu Vida '' ( 1987 ) `` Que No Se Rompa la Noche '' ( 1987 ) `` Bamboléo '' ( 1989 ) `` Vincent '' ( 1990 ) `` Ca n't Help Falling in Love '' ( 1990 ) `` Crazy '' ( 1994 ) `` Oye Como Va '' ( 1994 ) `` When You Tell Me That You Love Me '' ( 1994 ) `` El Choclo '' ( 1996 ) `` La Gota Fría '' ( 1998 ) `` Everybody 's Talkin ' '' ( 2006 ) Family Julio Iglesias Sr. ( father ) Julio Iglesias Jr. ( son ) Enrique Iglesias ( son ) Chabeli Iglesias ( daughter ) Isabel Preysler ( first wife ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=My_Way&oldid=854306054 '' Categories : 1960s ballads 1969 singles 1970 singles 1977 singles 1980 singles Pop ballads Songs written by Paul Anka Frank Sinatra songs Elvis Presley songs Paul Anka songs Nina Hagen songs Nina Simone songs Tom Jones ( singer ) songs Tiny Tim ( musician ) songs Shirley Bassey songs Il Divo songs Andy Williams songs Glen Campbell songs Jay - Z songs RPM Country Tracks number - one singles Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Schlager songs Songs about death Songs with music by Claude François RCA Records singles Reprise Records singles Virgin Records singles 1969 songs Songs written by Jacques Revaux Hidden categories : CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) Use mdy dates from December 2011 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Certification Table Entry usages for Italy Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for Canada Certification Table Entry usages for United States All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2015 Articles with trivia sections from January 2017 Articles needing additional references from January 2017 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Euskara فارسی Français 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Magyar Baso Minangkabau Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Sardu Slovenčina Suomi Svenska Türkçe Tiếng Việt 中文 21 more Edit links This page was last edited on 10 August 2018, at 10 : 58 ( UTC ). 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Question: who was the first to sing my way
Answer: Claude François