Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra
Francesc d'Asís Xavier Cugat Mingall de Bru i Deulofeu (1 January 1900 – 27… Read Full Bio ↴Francesc d'Asís Xavier Cugat Mingall de Bru i Deulofeu (1 January 1900 – 27 October 1990) was a Catalan-Cuban bandleader whom many consider to have had more to do with the infusion of Latin music into United States popular music than any other musician. Perez Prado followed in Cugat's footsteps.
Cugat was born in Barcelona, Spain. [1] With his family, he immigrated to Cuba when he was five. He trained as a classical violinist and played with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana.
On 6 July 1915, Cugat and his family arrived in New York as immigrant passengers on board the S.S. Havana. Entering the world of show business, he played with a band called “The Gigolos” during the tango craze.[2] Later, he went to work for the Los Angeles Times as a cartoonist. Cugat's caricatures were later nationally syndicated.
In the late 1920s, as sound began to be used in films, he put together another tango band that had some success in early short musical films. By the early 1930s, he began appearing with his group in feature films. Cugat took his band to New York for the 1931 opening of Waldorf Astoria Hotel and it became the hotel's resident band.
He shuttled between New York and Los Angeles for most of the next thirty years, alternating hotel and radio dates with movie appearances in films such as Week-End at the Waldorf (1945) and Neptune's Daughter (1949).
In 1940, he recorded the song Perfidia with singer Miguelito Valdés which became a big hit. Cugat followed trends closely, making records for the conga, the mambo, the cha-cha-cha, and the twist when each was in fashion. His first marriage was to Rita Montaner, his second to Carmen Castillo (1929 – 1946), his third to Lorraine Allen (1947 – 28 April 1952), and his fourth to singer Abbe Lane in 1952. He and Lane performed together until their divorce in 1964. He married salsa dancer Charo on 7 August 1966. The two were the first couple to marry in the newly opened Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip.
Cugat did not lose sleep over artistic compromises: “I would rather play Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve.”
Cugat died of heart failure at age 90 in Barcelona in his native Catalonia, Spain.
Cugat was born in Barcelona, Spain. [1] With his family, he immigrated to Cuba when he was five. He trained as a classical violinist and played with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana.
On 6 July 1915, Cugat and his family arrived in New York as immigrant passengers on board the S.S. Havana. Entering the world of show business, he played with a band called “The Gigolos” during the tango craze.[2] Later, he went to work for the Los Angeles Times as a cartoonist. Cugat's caricatures were later nationally syndicated.
In the late 1920s, as sound began to be used in films, he put together another tango band that had some success in early short musical films. By the early 1930s, he began appearing with his group in feature films. Cugat took his band to New York for the 1931 opening of Waldorf Astoria Hotel and it became the hotel's resident band.
He shuttled between New York and Los Angeles for most of the next thirty years, alternating hotel and radio dates with movie appearances in films such as Week-End at the Waldorf (1945) and Neptune's Daughter (1949).
In 1940, he recorded the song Perfidia with singer Miguelito Valdés which became a big hit. Cugat followed trends closely, making records for the conga, the mambo, the cha-cha-cha, and the twist when each was in fashion. His first marriage was to Rita Montaner, his second to Carmen Castillo (1929 – 1946), his third to Lorraine Allen (1947 – 28 April 1952), and his fourth to singer Abbe Lane in 1952. He and Lane performed together until their divorce in 1964. He married salsa dancer Charo on 7 August 1966. The two were the first couple to marry in the newly opened Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip.
Cugat did not lose sleep over artistic compromises: “I would rather play Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve.”
Cugat died of heart failure at age 90 in Barcelona in his native Catalonia, Spain.
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02Carioca (Digitally Remastered original)Xavier Cugat and His OrchestraXavier Cugat and His Orchestra
03Papa Loves Mambo (digitally remastered)Xavier Cugat and His OrchestraXavier Cugat and His Orchestra
04El Manicero (digitally remastered original)Xavier Cugat and His OrchestraXavier Cugat and His Orchestra
05Siboney (Orginal Digitally Remastered)Xavier Cugat and His OrchestraXavier Cugat and His Orchestra
06Brasil (digitally remstered recording)Xavier Cugat and His OrchestraXavier Cugat and His Orchestra
07Linda Mujer (digitally remstered original)Xavier Cugat and His OrchestraXavier Cugat and His Orchestra
09Oye Negra (Digitally remastered original)Xavier Cugat and His OrchestraXavier Cugat and His Orchestra
11Malagueña (digitally remstered original)Xavier Cugat and His OrchestraXavier Cugat and His Orchestra
12Andalucía (Digitally Remstered Original)Xavier Cugat and His OrchestraXavier Cugat and His Orchestra
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Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra Lyrics
A Cuban Love Song I love you that's what my heart is saying While every…
Always In My Heart I left my heart in San Francisco. High on a hill…
Amor Amor, amor, amor This word so sweet, that I repeat, means…
Andalucía The breeze and I are saying with a sigh That you…
Anything Can Happen-Mambo Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a…
Aquarela do Brasil Brazil, where hearts were entertaining June, We stood bene…
Aquellos Ojos Verdes cquellos ojos verdes cquellos ojos verdes, De mirada serena…
Bahía Dans les rues de Bahia Va, dans les rues de…
Begin the Beguine When they begin the beguine It brings back the sound…
Brasil Brazil, where hearts were entertaining June, We stood beneat…
Brazil Brazil, where hearts were entertaining June, We stood benea…
Cerezo Rosa It's cherry pink and apple blossom white When your true lov…
Chattanooga Choo Choo Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo? Track twen…
Chica Chica Boom Chic Come on and sing the Chica Chica Boom Chic That crazy…
Chiu Chiu Canta, canta pajarito, Canta, canta tu cancion, Mira que la …
Cocktails for Two In some secluded rendezvous That overlooks the avenue With s…
Frenesi Some time ago I wandered down into old mexico While I was…
Granada Granada, I'm falling under your spell, And if you could spea…
I Yi Yi Yi Yi I Like You Very Much I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I,…
In a Little Spanish Town Evenings are crowded with memories Thrilling me again Like t…
In the Mood I'm in the mood for love Simply because you're near me. Funn…
Isle of Capri 't was on the Isle of Capri that I found…
It Happened In Monterey In my imagination, I'm finding consolation Somewhere along t…
It Might as Well Be Spring I'm as restless as a willow in a windstorm I'm as…
Love Is a Many Splendored Thing Love is a many splendored thing It's the April rose that…
Makin' Whoopee Another bride, another June Another sunny honeymoon Another …
Mambo Ay Ay Ay Out on the plains down near Santa fe I met a…
Maria Elena Maria Elena You're the answer to a prayer Maria Elena Can't …
Misirlou Desert shadows creep across purple sands. Natives kneel in p…
Mon homme It's cost me a lot But there's one thing that I've…
My Shawl My shawl, pretty lady, try it on you, By my shawl,…
Night Must Fall Into each life some rain must fall But too much is…
No Can Do Ooh, ooh, ooh What a little moonlight can do Ooh, ooh, ooh W…
Papa Loves Mambo Uh Uh Papa loves mambo Mama loves mambo Look at 'em sway wi…
Park Avenue Mambo Put on your slumming clothes and get your car Let's go…
Say Si Si Si tu reviens un jour Je te revois debout devant ma…
South America Take It Away Up here in the land of the hot-dog stand The atom…
Strangers In The Dark Take my hand I'm a stranger in paradise All lost in…
Sun Sun Babae Du, du, du, du, du, du, du Du, lu, lu, du,…
Sway When marimba rhythms start to play Dance with me, make me…
Tea For Two Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-ooh Oh honey Picture me upon …
Temptation You came, I was alone I should have known you were…
Thanks for the Dream Thanks for everything. Every word, every sigh, every kiss. T…
The Green Leaves of Summer A time to be reapin', a time to be sowin'. The…
The Lady In Red Say! Have you ever met the girl Who's the toast of…
The Peanut Vendor (Peanut do bop do bop) (Peanut do bop do bop) In Cuba…
The Peanuts Vendor (Peanut do bop do bop) (Peanut do bop do bop) In Cuba…
when the swallows came back to capistrano When the swallows come back to Capistrano That's the day you…
Woodchopper's Ball Sing, sing, sing, sing everybody start to sing like dee…
You Belong To My Heart You belong to my heart Now and forever And our love had…
Yours I see stars in your eyes when my lips beg…
Zip-a-Dee Doo-Dah Zip a dee doo-dah, zip a dee ay My, oh…