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.
Tequila/ Papa Loves Mambo/ Oh Lonesome Me
James Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mama loves mambo
Look at 'em sway with it
Gettin' so gay with it
Shoutin' "ole" with it
Wow (oh)
Papa loves mambo
Mama loves mambo
(Mama loves mambo)
Papa does great with it
Swings like a gate with it
Evens his weight with it, now
He goes to, she goes fro
He goes fast, she goes slow
He goes left and she goes right
(Papa's lookin' for mama, but mama is nowhere in sight)
Papa loves mambo
Mama loves mambo
Havin' their fling again
Younger than spring again
Feelin' that zing again
Wow (oh)
Papa loves mambo
(Papa loves mambo)
Mama loves mambo
(Mama loves mambo)
Don't let her rumba and don't let her samba
'Cause papa loves mama tonight (oh)
(Papa loves mambo)
(Mama loves mambo)
(Papa loves mambo)
(Mama loves mambo)
He goes to, she goes fro
He goes fast, she goes slow
He goes left and she goes right
(Papa's lookin' for mama, but mama is nowhere in sight, oh)
Papa loves mambo
(Papa loves mambo)
Mama loves mambo
(Mama loves mambo)
Havin' their fling again
Younger than spring again
Feelin' that zing again
Wow, oh
(Papa loves mambo)
Mambo papa
(Mama loves mambo)
Mambo mama
(Don't let her rumba and don't let her samba)
'Cause papa
Loves a mambo tonight
The song "Tequila/ Papa Loves Mambo/ Oh Lonesome Me" is a medley of three songs with "Papa Loves Mambo" being the most prominent one. The lyrics revolve around the love of an older couple who is enjoying dancing the mambo together. The song highlights how skilled the couple is at dancing the Mambo, with Papa swinging and evening his weight, and Mama swaying it with style and grace. The couple is depicted as being completely engrossed in the dance, shouting "ole" and feeling younger than spring with the zing of the love they share. The song highlights the fun and joy of dancing, especially with one's partner, and how it can bring people closer and reignite sparks of love.
The lyrics of the song are quite simple and straightforward, depicting the love and passion for dancing that an older couple shares. Dancing here is not just a physical activity but an expression of love, joy, and togetherness. The repeated lines of "Papa loves mambo" and "Mama loves mambo" highlight the playful and flirtatious nature of the song, where the couple is depicted as being smitten with each other. The song is a reminder that love and romance are not just limited to the young and the carefree, but also that anyone can find love and romance at any age, and joyfully express it through something as simple as dancing.
Line by Line Meaning
Papa loves mambo
The father enjoys dancing the mambo.
Mama loves mambo
The mother also enjoys dancing the mambo.
Look at 'em sway with it
Observe how they move their bodies while dancing the mambo.
Gettin' so gay with it
They are becoming more cheerful and lively while dancing the mambo.
Shoutin' "ole" with it
They are shouting 'ole' to show their appreciation for the dance and cheer each other on.
Wow (oh)
They are impressed and excited by their dance moves.
Papa does great with it
The father is skilled and confident in his mambo dance moves.
Swings like a gate with it
He moves his hips in a swinging motion in tune with the music.
Evens his weight with it, now
He evens out his weight distribution while dancing the mambo.
He goes to, she goes fro
He moves towards one direction while she moves in the opposite direction.
He goes fast, she goes slow
He moves with a faster tempo while she moves at a slower tempo.
He goes left and she goes right
He moves towards the left while she moves towards the right, creating an interesting dance routine.
(Papa's lookin' for mama, but mama is nowhere in sight)
The father is searching for the mother, but she is not in his line of sight while dancing.
Havin' their fling again
They are enjoying their time together while dancing the mambo.
Younger than spring again
They feel youthful and energetic while dancing the mambo.
Feelin' that zing again
They are experiencing excitement and adrenaline while dancing the mambo.
Don't let her rumba and don't let her samba
Don't let the mother dance any other type of dance apart from the mambo.
'Cause papa loves mama tonight (oh)
The father loves dancing the mambo with the mother tonight.
Mambo papa
She is calling out the father's name while dancing the mambo.
Mambo mama
The father is calling out the mother's name while dancing the mambo.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: AL HOFFMAN, BIX REICHNER, DICK MANNING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind