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.
Dancing Queen
James Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen
Friday night and the lights are low
Where they play the right music
Getting in the swing
You come to look for a king
Anybody could be that guy
Night is young and the music's high
With a bit of rock music
Everything is fine
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance
You are the dancing queen
Young and sweet
Only seventeen
Dancing queen
Feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen
You're a teaser, you turn 'em on
Leave 'em burning and then you're gone
Looking out for another
Anyone will do
You're in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance
You are the dancing queen
Young and sweet
Only seventeen
Dancing queen
Feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen
The song Dancing Queen by James Last is a classic disco hit that became popular in the late 1970s. The lyrics talk about the joy and freedom of dancing, and how it can make people feel alive. The chorus has become iconic, and it's about a girl who is the dancing queen, young and sweet at only seventeen, who feels the beat from the tambourine as she dances and enjoys the night.
The first verse is about a Friday night of partying, where the lights are low, and people are looking for a place to go to dance. When they find the right music and get in the swing, they come to look for a king, a guy who can dance and have fun with them. Anyone could be that guy, and they all feel young and full of energy to dance the night away. The second verse is about the dancing queen herself, who is a teaser and turns people on before leaving them burning, always looking for someone else to have fun with. She enjoys the mood for dancing and seizes every chance to have fun on the dance floor.
Overall, the song captures the essence of disco music, the energy and joy of dancing, and the youthful spirit that comes with it. The lyrics are simple but effective, and the melody is catchy, making it easy to dance and sing along. The song is a timeless classic that remains popular today and is enjoyed by people of all ages.
Line by Line Meaning
You can dance
You have the ability to move your body rhythmically
You can jive
You can dance energetically to swing music
Having the time of your life
Enjoying yourself more than you ever have before
See that girl
Notice the young woman over there
Watch that scene
Observe the actions and environment around the girl
Dig in the dancing queen
Appreciate the confident and skilled female dancer
Friday night and the lights are low
It's the end of the week and the lighting is dim
Looking out for a place to go
Searching for a venue to socialize and dance
Where they play the right music
A location where the genre of music is enjoyable and conducive to dancing
Getting in the swing
Getting into the rhythm of the music and social scene
You come to look for a king
Seeking a young man to dance and have a good time with
Anybody could be that guy
There are a variety of potential dance partners
Night is young and the music's high
It's early in the evening and the music is at a lively volume
With a bit of rock music
Adding some rock songs to the mix of music being played
Everything is fine
The atmosphere is amiable and congenial
You're in the mood for a dance
You're feeling excited and prepared to dance
And when you get the chance
As soon as a suitable partner appears
You are the dancing queen
You are the young female dancer who has caught the attention of others
Young and sweet
You are a youthful and charming person
Only seventeen
You are a teenage girl who is at a prime age for enjoying social activities
Feel the beat from the tambourine
Excitedly noticing the powerful rhythm of the music
You're a teaser, you turn 'em on
You are a flirtatious person who arouses the interest of others
Leave 'em burning and then you're gone
After making an impression on others, you may move on to dance with other partners
Looking out for another
Seeking to meet other people and experience new things
Anyone will do
Being open to meeting all kinds of people
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Benny Goran Bror Andersson, Bjoern K. Ulvaeus, Stig Erik Leopold Anderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vlasta Bogojević
James LAST za sva vremena!!! Izvanredno!! 😍👍
Cesar Rodrigues Cardoso
Simplesmente nota 10, magnífico.
Pankaj Shah
One of all-time favorite of ABBA group.Well done James Last(The Lonely Shepherd).🌷🌷🌷
Samuel Maia
Isso sim é música de verdade
Lindo d +...
Roberto Pinto Pinto
Maravilhoso, purifica alma
Demver Lacea
Love it.Like to hear these orchestra of James Last playing dancing queen.
Chuck G
There are some songs a group just gets into more and this is definitely one of them.
jorge fernandez
Uno de los mejores temas del fabuloso grupo sueco a la manera del gran Maestro James Last, que al frente de sus grandes músicos y en un estupendo arreglo nos regala este tema. Saludos desde México.
Juan Fernandez
Y es un excelente tema, cargado de alegría y un poco de nostalgia. Fueron las bellas épocas y los buenos recuerdos que nos dejaron los recordados integrantes del grupo ABBA. Saludos desde Colombia.
myusoff hazman
Always in memory with James Last! 👍