: While long-standing legends suggested she was his babysitter, Anka later clarified she was simply a family friend "a little out of my league".
The song was famously inspired by , a girl from Anka's hometown of Ottawa whom he met through his church and community events. Paul Anka- Diana
: Though the romance never materialized, the experience prompted Anka to write the lyrics as a poem before setting them to music. Chart Performance and Success : While long-standing legends suggested she was his