“My Way” is a song popularized by Frank Sinatra, recorded on December 30, 1968, and released on his 1969 album of the same name. The English lyrics were written by Paul Anka, who adapted the melody from the 1967 French song “Comme d’Habitude” (As Usual), originally composed by Jacques Revaux and Gilles Thibault, and performed by Claude François.
The song’s origins involve a complete thematic shift: the original French version was a melancholic track about a failing marriage and emotional routine, inspired by François’s breakup with singer France Gall. Anka, who purchased the adaptation rights for one dollar while vacationing in France, rewrote the lyrics specifically for Sinatra after the singer announced his intention to retire. Anka crafted the English words to reflect Sinatra’s persona and the era’s “me generation” individualism, using phrases like “I ate it up and spit it out” to match the singer’s distinctive dialect.
Despite becoming Sinatra’s signature song and an anthem of defiant American individualism, Sinatra himself reportedly disliked the track, viewing it as self-indulgent. He famously introduced it at a 1974 concert as being sung “under protest,” though the song’s massive success convinced him to abandon his retirement plans. The song has since been covered by numerous artists, including Elvis Presley and Sid Vicious, and remains one of the most recognizable standards in popular music.
[Verse 1]
And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
[Verse 2]
Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
[Chorus]
Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all, and I stood tall
And did it my way
[Verse 3]
I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing
And now, as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh, no, oh, no, not me
I did it my way
[Chorus]
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way
[Outro]
Yes, it was my way
