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.
Let The Sunshine In
James Last Lyrics
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Walking proudly in our winter coats
Wearing smells from laboratories
Facing a dying nation of moving paper fantasy
Listening for the new told lies
With supreme visions of lonely tunes
Somewhere, inside something , there is a rush of greatness
Who knows what stands in front of our lives
Silence tells me secretly ev'rything, ev'rything
Singing my space songs on a spiderweb star
"Life is around you and in you"
Answer for Timothy Leary, deary
Let the sun shine
Let The sunshine in
The sun shine in
Let the sun shine
Let The sunshine in
The sun shine in
Let the sun shine
Let The sunshine in
The sun shine in
Let the sun shine
Let The sunshine in
The sun shine in
The lyrics of James Last's "Let The Sunshine In" contain a powerful social commentary on the state of humanity during the late 1960s. The opening lines "We starve, look at one another short of breath" refer to the deteriorating conditions of society, with people struggling to survive and barely able to communicate. People are walking proudly in their winter coats, but the use of the word "proudly" suggests that they are attempting to maintain dignity and pride despite their current situation.
The reference to wearing smells from laboratories is a nod to the increasing reliance on artificially produced products that were becoming more and more prevalent in society. The mention of facing a dying nation of moving paper fantasy speaks to the idea that society was becoming more technology-focused and less personal, with the reality of life becoming less important than the images projected by the media.
The lyrics then shift to a message of hope and optimism, with the suggestion that somewhere, inside everyone, there is a rush of greatness. The line "I fashion my future on films in space" shows the influence of science fiction and the idea that people were looking to the future with optimism and the belief that anything was possible. Finally, the repetition of the chorus "Let The Sunshine In" serves as a call to action, encouraging people to embrace positivity and let the light into their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
We starve, look at one another short of breath
We are in a state of desperation, looking at one another exhausted
Walking proudly in our winter coats
Despite our struggles, we continue to march forward confidently and with pride
Wearing smells from laboratories
We are surrounded by artificial, manufactured scents
Facing a dying nation of moving paper fantasy
We live in a world that is slowly declining, where our hopes and dreams are only represented by fleeting images on paper or screens
Listening for the new told lies
We are attentive to the latest falsehoods being spread
With supreme visions of lonely tunes
We have grand ambitions and ideas, but still feel isolated and alone
Somewhere, inside something, there is a rush of greatness
Despite our struggles and hardships, there is a feeling of greatness that lies within our being
Who knows what stands in front of our lives
We are uncertain of what the future holds for us
I fashion my future on films in space
I use the escape and fantasy of science fiction movies to imagine and plan my own future
Silence tells me secretly everything, everything
It is in moments of quiet and stillness that I gain insight and understanding of the world around me
Singing my space songs on a spiderweb star
I sing my own songs and dreams to the universe, hoping they will be heard
"Life is around you and in you"
Answer for Timothy Leary, deary
Timothy Leary's message that life exists both within and around us is a response to the larger question of how one should approach life
Let the sun shine
Let The sunshine in
The sun shine in
We must embrace hope and positivity, letting the light shine into our lives
Let the sun shine
Let The sunshine in
The sun shine in
We must continue to embrace hope and positivity
Let the sun shine
Let The sunshine in
The sun shine in
We must continue to let the light shine into our lives
Let the sun shine
Let The sunshine in
The sun shine in
We must hold onto hope and let it guide us forward
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Galt Mac Dermot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind