Last learned how to play piano as child, switching to bass as a teenager. He joined Hans-Gunther Oesterreich's Radio Bremen Dance Orchestra in 1946, when he was 17 years old. In 1948, he became the leader of the Becker-Last Ensemble, which performed for seven years. During that time, he was voted as the best bassist in the country by a German jazz poll for three consecutive years, from 1950-1952. After the disbandment of the Becker-Last Ensemble, he became the in-house arranger for Polydor Records, as well as for a number of European radio stations. For the next decade, he helped arrange hits for artists like Helmut Zacharias and Caterina Valente.
Last released his first album "Non-Stop Dancing" in 1965. The record of brief renditions of popular songs, all tied together by an insistent dance beat and joyous crowd noises. It was a hit and helped make him a major European star. Over the next four decades, Last has released over 190 records, including several more volumes of Non-Stop Dancing. On these records, he varies his formula by adding different songs from different countries and genres, as well as guest performers like Richard Clayderman and Astrud Gilberto.
Though his concerts and albums are consistently successful — especially in England, where he had 52 hit albums between 1967-1986, which made him second to Elvis Presley in terms of number of charting records — he has only had two hit singles with "The Seduction," the theme from American Gigolo (1980) and Biscaya from the album "Biscaya".
He has won numerous polls and prizes, for example Billboard magazine's "Star of the year" trophy in 1976, and has been honored for his lifework with the German ECHO prize in 1994.
The song "The Lonely Shepherd", written by Last and performed by Gheorghe Zamfir and the James Last Orchestra, was featured in the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino's film "Kill Bill Vol. 1" (2003).
Personally, he divides his time between Florida and Germany. He gives much credit to his wife and son, who helps with the music.
Chattanooga Choo Choo
James Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Track twenty nine, boy you can gimme a shine
I can afford to board a Chattanooga Choo Choo
I've got my fare and just a trifle to spare
You leave the Pennsylvania station 'bout a quarter to four
Read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore
Dinner in the diner, nothing could be finer
When you hear the whistle blowin' eight to the bar
Then you know that Tennessee is not very far
Shovel all the coal in, gotta keep it rollin'
Woo, woo, Chattanooga, there you are
There's gonna be a certain party at the station
Satin and lace, I used to call funny face
She's gonna cry until I tell her that I'll never roam
The lyrics to James Last's "Chattanooga Choo Choo" describe a man who is asking for directions to the train station where he plans to board the Chattanooga Choo Choo. He has his fare and a bit of extra cash, showing that he is prepared for his journey. The song then goes on to describe the ride on the train, starting with leaving Pennsylvania station and traveling through Baltimore. The train ride is depicted as luxurious, as the passenger can enjoy reading a magazine and eating a nice meal in the diner. The iconic whistle-blowing is portrayed as a signal that Tennessee, the destination of the train, is close. The song presents a joyful and upbeat vibe as the train keeps rolling and finally arrives at Chattanooga.
The lyrics also mention a "certain party" waiting for the passenger at the station. He describes her as someone he used to call "funny face," and she will cry until he promises not to roam again. This adds a romantic element to the song and gives the listener a sense of a happy reunion.
Overall, "Chattanooga Choo Choo" is a charming tune that celebrates the golden age of travel and presents the journey as an enjoyable and exciting experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?
Excuse me young man, is this locomotive the one that leads to Chattanooga?
Track twenty nine, boy you can gimme a shine
The track that the train departs from is number twenty-nine, would you polish my shoes?
I can afford to board a Chattanooga Choo Choo
I have enough money to purchase a ticket for the Chattanooga train.
I've got my fare and just a trifle to spare
I have enough money for my ticket and a small amount left over.
You leave the Pennsylvania station 'bout a quarter to four
The train departs from Pennsylvania station at approximately 3:45 pm.
Read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore
One can pass the time on the train by reading a magazine and before they know it, they'll have arrived in Baltimore.
Dinner in the diner, nothing could be finer
Eating dinner in the train's dining car is a delightful experience.
Than to have your ham 'n' eggs in Carolina
It's particularly wonderful to enjoy a meal of ham and eggs while passing through Carolina.
When you hear the whistle blowin' eight to the bar
Upon hearing the train whistle blowing with a rhythm of eight beats in one measure, the destination of Tennessee is almost reached.
Then you know that Tennessee is not very far
When the train whistle is heard, it signals that the point of destination of Tennessee is close.
Shovel all the coal in, gotta keep it rollin'
The person responsible for stoking the train's engine must continue to load the coal in order for it to function.
Woo, woo, Chattanooga, there you are
After hearing the final whistle, one can safely assume that they have made it to Chattanooga.
There's gonna be a certain party at the station
There will be a specific person waiting for me at the train station.
Satin and lace, I used to call funny face
The individual waiting for me at the train station will be wearing a satin and lace outfit, which reminds me of the nickname I used to call them.
She's gonna cry until I tell her that I'll never roam
The person waiting for me will be upset until I reassure them that I will never wander away from them again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MACK GORDON, HARRY WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
camaro7660
Grew up with James Last's music back in the '70's. The still remaining gentleman with the great Big Band sound...
Reinhard Nussbaum
So tolle Musik giebt es nie wieder
Narendra Jain
James Last: You may survive for a century.
rudbeckie1
***************** !!! Thanks! Prima primissima!