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.
From a Distance
James Last Lyrics
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And the snow-capped mountains white
From a distance the ocean meets the stream
And the eagle takes to flight
From a distance there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace
It's the voice of every man
And no one is in need
There are no guns, no bombs, no diseases
No hungry mouths to feed
From a distance we are instruments
Marching in a common band
Playing songs of home, playing songs of peace
They're the songs of every man
God is watching us, God is watching us
God is watching us from a distance
From a distance you look like my friend
Even though we are at war
From a distance I can't comprehend
What all this war is for
From a distance there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves
It's the heart of every man
It's the hope of hopes, It's the love of loves
It's the song of every man
The song "From A Distance" by James Last & Richard Clayderman describes the idea of unity and peace that can be seen when looking at the world from a distance. The lyrics suggest that when we look at the world from far away, we see the beauty of the blue and green earth, the snow-capped mountains and the ocean meeting the stream. We also see the eagle take to flight, adding to the beauty and serenity. From this perspective, there is harmony, and it echoes through the land, it's the voice of hope, peace and every man. The song suggests that from a distance, we all have enough, and no one is in need, there are no guns, bombs or diseases and no hungry mouths to feed. Everyone is living in harmony.
The lyrics suggest that from a distance, we are all instruments marching in a common band, playing songs of home and peace, they are the songs of every man. God is watching us from a distance, and it seems like we are all together in this peaceful world. However, as the song goes on, the lyrics suggest that from a distance, we can't comprehend what war is for, and even though we may be at war with each other, from a distance, we look like friends. The hope of hopes, the love of loves, the heart of every man, and the song of every man, are all present from a distance. The lyrics suggest that if we can view the world from a distance, we can all see how we are connected and our actions can impact everyone.
Line by Line Meaning
From a distance the world looks blue and green
The world appears calm and serene when viewed from afar.
And the snow-capped mountains white
Even the mountains appear peaceful when viewed from afar.
From a distance the ocean meets the stream
The meeting point of two great water bodies appears seamless when viewed from afar.
And the eagle takes to flight
Even the eagle appears free and uninhibited when viewed from afar.
From a distance there is harmony
When viewed from a distance, peace and order are noticeable.
And it echoes through the land
The echo of this tranquility is felt throughout the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace
The feeling of hope and peace is pervasive in this experience.
It's the voice of every man
It is a universal feeling that resonates with everyone.
From a distance we all have enough
From a distance, it seems there is no shortage or lack of resources.
And no one is in need
There is no one with a pressing need or want.
There are no guns, no bombs, no diseases
From a distance, all forms of human strife like war and disease are non-existent.
No hungry mouths to feed
Everyone appears satisfied and well-fed.
From a distance we are instruments
When viewed from a distance, it is clear we are all part of a bigger picture.
Marching in a common band
We all have a common purpose or goal to pursue.
Playing songs of home, playing songs of peace
We all contribute to the harmony of the world with our individual gifts, talents, and efforts.
They're the songs of every man
These efforts are universal and beyond individual whims and desires.
God is watching us, God is watching us
The universe is paying attention to our every move.
God is watching us from a distance
The universe is observing us from an objective distance, with a view of the bigger picture.
From a distance you look like my friend
The distance obscures any superficial differences between people, and emphasizes our common humanity.
Even though we are at war
Despite the fact that war and strife exist in our world.
From a distance I can't comprehend
It is difficult to make sense of the reasons wars and strife exist from a distance.
What all this war is for
The purpose of war and conflict is obscure when viewed from a distance.
And it echoes through the land
Despite the human experience of war and turmoil, peace and order still radiate in the larger scheme of things.
It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves
The greatest aspirations of humanity are for hope and love.
It's the heart of every man
Hope and love are parts of the human experience that are essential to us all.
It's the hope of hopes, It's the love of loves
Hope and love are universal concepts that transcend individual differences and experiences.
It's the song of every man
The celebration of hope and love is a common theme throughout humanity.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JULIE GOLD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jesuszavalaaylas2258
Lo mejor de Richard Clayderman es haber sido acompañado por la orquesta de James Last, todas sus grabaciones con James Last son fabulosas digno de apreciar su interpretación. Ya no habrá otras grabaciones como las que hicieron en su buen momento.
@CARDEDIEVI
Coincido con usted, la orquesta de James Last engrandecen las obras.
@MariaBorges-xg6zw
Lindos,e ótima música.
Há, tudo disse,na intenção de lhes desejar uma boa noite!
@21lasp
LO QUE ME GUSTA DE CLAYDERMAN ES SU SENCILLEZ PARA TOCAR SIENDO UN FANTASISTA. EXIMIO. DE CADA MELODÍA ÉL PRESENTA LA ESENCIA DE LA COMPOSICIÓN. REFLEJA ASÍ EL BUEN GUSTO Y ELEGANCIA QUE ACOMPAÑAN LA PLACIDEZ DE SUS INTERPRETACIONES. NO EXAGERA , COMO OTROS. BIEN RICHARD.
@narayan1979shyam
very peaceful song ..just love it !!!
@sonakachlirova848
♡
@SpitzPrincipal4
The classic sound of the 80's- remember hearing this last on a 45 rpm vinyl. Both this one and 'Always' from Atlantic Starr on two I had. SO GOOD.....takes me back to when I was under 10 years old....sneaking into my parent's bedroom when they'd just turned out the light and Dad's clock radio playing ALL the songs like this on Star FM 105. (Lake Cowichan, B.C., Canada.) PRETTY SURE this takes us ALL back a few decades. 😁
@gabrielekellermann2008
Sooo schön !! Ich liebe dieses Lied!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤
@semma19
simply amazing!!!!
@klivertlunaacosta6729
👏