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.
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James Last Lyrics
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Long before the Springtime is due?
And even though it's snowing, violets are growing
I know why and so do you
Why do breezes sigh every evening whispering your name as they do?
And why have I the feeling stars are on my ceiling?
I know why and so do you
When you smile at me I hear gypsy violins
I can see the sun when it's raining, hiding every cloud from my view
And why do I see rainbows when you're in my arms?
I know why and so do you
Why do robins sing in December
Long before the springtime is due?
And even though it's snowing, violets are growing
I know why and so do you
Why do breezes sigh every evening whispering your name as they do?
And why have I the feeling stars are on my ceiling?
I know why and so do you
When you smile at me I hear gypsy violins
When you dance with me, I'm in heaven when the music begins
I can see the sun when it's raining, hiding every cloud from my view
And why do I see rainbows when you're in my arms?
I know why and so do you
The lyrics of James Last's "I Know Why" present a series of observations and questions about the beauty and wonders of nature and the world. The song opens with the inquiry about why robins sing in December before the springtime is due, and how violets still manage to grow even when it's snowing. The answer to these questions is suggested to be not just a natural phenomenon, but something more profound and meaningful, which the singer and the listener both know.
The song goes on to ask why breezes whispering the name of a beloved one fills the air, why stars seem to be on the ceiling when thinking deeply, and why rainbows appear when one is holding someone they love. The answer, again, is implied to be that love and romance make everything in the world more beautiful and magical. The final verse elaborates on how the love of the beloved transforms even mundane things like the weather - the sun can be seen shining even during rainstorms. The song eventually acknowledges that it is not just the singer who understands these things, but the listener as well - the knowledge and the beauty of love is something that all people share.
Overall, "I Know Why" is a romantic and nostalgic song that celebrates the transformative power of love and how it illuminates and enhances the world around us. It invites the listener to reflect on their own experiences of love and to appreciate the beauty and mystery of the world that it reveals.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do robins sing in December
Why do things that seem out of place or out of season still happen, and what brings them about?
Long before the Springtime is due?
Why do these unexpected events occur long before they should according to natural timelines?
And even though it's snowing, violets are growing
Why do things that shouldn't thrive in certain conditions still grow and blossom despite the odds?
I know why and so do you
We understand the reasons behind these oddities, and what brings them to be.
Why do breezes sigh every evening whispering your name as they do?
Why do we feel a deep sense of longing and yearning for someone we love, even if they are not physically present?
And why have I the feeling stars are on my ceiling?
Why do we feel like the world is brighter and more beautiful when we are in love?
When you smile at me I hear gypsy violins
When we are with someone we love, the world becomes a more magical and musical place.
When you dance with me, I'm in heaven when the music begins
Being with the person we love can transport us to another world, one where we are blissfully happy and content.
I can see the sun when it's raining, hiding every cloud from my view
When we are with someone we love, things that seemed impossible or dreary before become beautiful and bright, and we feel like anything is possible.
And why do I see rainbows when you're in my arms?
When we are with someone we love, we feel like anything is possible, and even the most mundane of things become more beautiful and remarkable.
I know why and so do you
We understand the deep and profound effects that love can have on us, and what brings us to feel that way.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MACK GORDON, HARRY WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind