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.
Strangers in the Night
James Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Exchanging glances
Wandering the night,
What were the chances
We'd be sharing love
Before the night was through
Something in your eyes
Something in your smile
Was so exciting
Something in my heart
Told me I must have you
Strangers in the night
Two lonely people
We were strangers in the night
Up to the moment
When we said our first hello
Little did we know
Love was just a glance away
A warm embracing dance away
And ever since that night
We've been together
Lovers at first sight
In love forever
It turned out so right
Strangers in the night
Two lonely people
We were strangers in the night
Up to the moment
When we said our first hello
Little did we know
Love was just a glance away
A warm embracing dance away
For strangers in the night.
The lyrics to James Last's song, “Strangers in the Night,” tell a story of two strangers who meet by chance and immediately feel an intense connection. As they wander through the night, they exchange glances and share a feeling that they will soon be sharing love together. Something in each other's eyes and smiles draws them closer, and they both know that they must have each other.
The lyrics are full of romantic imagery, emphasizing the idea of chance meeting and fleeting moments of intimacy. The repeated line "strangers in the night" creates a sense of mystery and intrigue, highlighting the idea that these two people are complete strangers, but they share a powerful connection that brings them together. The lyrics also touch on the idea of fate, suggesting that their meeting was predestined, and that love was just a glance away.
Overall, the lyrics to "Strangers in the Night" celebrate the power of chance encounters and the magic of falling in love. They paint a picture of two people who come together in a moment of intense connection, and who are forever changed by that experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Strangers in the night,
Two unfamiliar individuals crossing paths in the darkness,
Exchanging glances
Exchanging looks without saying a word,
Wandering the night,
Roaming aimlessly without a set destination,
What were the chances
How likely was it for us to meet like this,
We'd be sharing love
That we would fall in love before the night ended,
Before the night was through
Before the night ended,
Something in your eyes
Something captivating in your gaze,
Was so inviting
It welcomed me to come closer,
Something in your smile
Something infectious in your smile,
Was so exciting
It gave me feelings of excitement,
Something in my heart
I felt something deep in my heart,
Told me I must have you
Urged me to pursue you,
Two lonely people
Two individuals feeling isolated and alone,
Up to the moment
Until the moment,
When we said our first hello
When we introduced ourselves for the first time,
Little did we know
We were unaware,
Love was just a glance away
That love was within reach if we only noticed each other,
A warm embracing dance away
Needed just a dance to embrace warmly,
And ever since that night
Since that very night,
We've been together
We've been inseparable,
Lovers at first sight
We fell in love when we first met,
In love forever
We'll be in love for eternity,
It turned out so right
Everything worked out perfectly,
For strangers in the night.
For two strangers who met in the dark.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind