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.
Money Money Money
James Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball...
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world
A man like that is hard to find but I can't get him off my mind
Ain't it sad
And if he happens to be free I bet he wouldn't fancy me
That's too bad
So I must leave, I'll have to go
To Las Vegas or Monaco
And win a fortune in a game, my life will never be the same...
Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world
Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world
It's a rich man's world
The lyrics to James Last's song Money Money Money explore the theme of financial struggle and the desire for wealth. The opening lines suggest that the singer works tirelessly to make ends meet but still struggles to have any money left over for themselves. This sentiment is further reinforced by the line "ain't it sad," suggesting a sense of disappointment and frustration. The following verse, however, offers a glimmer of hope as the singer envisions a life without financial struggle, free to indulge in frivolous, pleasurable activities. The repetition of the phrase "Money, money, money" becomes something of a mantra, underscoring the importance of wealth and the lengths people will go to acquire it.
The lyrics also suggest that the wealthy lead a carefree and indulgent lifestyle, with the phrase "always sunny in the rich man's world" emphasizing the disparity between the rich and poor. The singer seems to long for a life of luxury, imagining the things they could do if they were wealthy. The final lines of the song, "It's a rich man's world," drive home the notion that money represents power, stability, and, ultimately, happiness.
Overall, James Last's Money Money Money presents a complex commentary on wealth, class, and the societal pressure to succeed. The lyrics suggest that the pursuit of money can be all-consuming and that financial struggles can lead to feelings of powerlessness and frustration. However, the song also acknowledges the allure of wealth and the idea that a life without financial struggle may offer greater happiness and freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
I have to work constantly, day and night to pay all my bills, which is quite unfortunate.
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
Even after working so hard, there is never any money left for me, which is tragic.
In my dreams I have a plan, If I got me a wealthy man, I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball...
I dream of marrying a rich man so that I wouldn't have to work anymore, and could live a carefree life filled with fun and excitement.
Money, money, money, Must be funny, In the rich man's world, Money, money, money, Always sunny, In the rich man's world, Aha-ahaaa, All the things I could do, If I had a little money, It's a rich man's world
Money seems to be funny in a world full of rich men, where money is always sunny. If I had some money, there would be so many things I could do; this is a world where being rich is everything.
A man like that is hard to find but I can't get him off my mind
It's challenging to find a rich man like that, but I can't stop thinking about finding a wealthy man.
And if he happens to be free I bet he wouldn't fancy me, That's too bad
Even if I find a rich man, he probably wouldn't be interested in me, which is devastating.
So I must leave, I'll have to go, To Las Vegas or Monaco, And win a fortune in a game, my life will never be the same...
I must go to Las Vegas or Monaco and try to win a fortune, then my life would change and I could live like a rich person without caring about working.
It's a rich man's world
In this world, being rich is everything, so it's a world only for the rich people.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Benny Goran Bror Andersson, Bjoern K. Ulvaeus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind