Paul Anka – Diana

Paul Anka turned a crush on an older girl into his breakthrough hit. He was just 15 years old when he wrote “Diana” about his unrequited love for Diana Ayoub, who was five years older. “She was a little out of my league,” Anka said. “She really didn’t want anything to do with me, which made it even worse.”

Ayoub and Anka didn’t cross paths all that often; he would see her at church and some other functions, and she would sometimes babysit his younger brother and sister.

Anka was the first teenager to have a million-seller in the UK – he was 16 when it charted. At the time, it was the biggest-selling single in the UK history.

Paul Anka’s original 1957 recording reached number 1 (for two weeks) on the Billboard “R&B Best Sellers In Stores” chart, (although it climbed no higher than number 2 on Billboard′s composite “Top 100” chart) and has reportedly sold over nine million copies. “Diana” also hit number one on the R&B Best Sellers chart. It also reached number 1 on the UK’s New Musical Express chart, staying there for nine weeks, and sold 1.25 million copies in the UK.

After signing with RCA Records, Anka re-recorded “Diana”, along with many other hits in 1963, for the album Paul Anka’s 21 Golden Hits.

Diana Ayoub, the song’s inspiration, died in December 2022 at age 83.

“Diana” – Single by Paul Anka from the album Paul Anka
Released on July 2, 1957
Songwriter Paul Anka
Charted No.1 US; No.1 UK; No.1 Australia; No.1 Canada; No.1 Belgium; No.1 Netherlands

Session musicians on the record included George Barnes playing lead guitar, Bucky Pizzarelli playing the “Calypso” riff on guitar, Moe Wechsler on piano, Jerry Bruno on bass, and Panama Francis on drums. The song was recorded in May 1957 at RCA Victor Studios in New York. Backup singers included Artie Ripp.