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.
The Girl of Ipanema
James Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes I would give my heart gladly
But each day, that she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at he
Tall, (and) tan, (and) young, (and) lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, he smile - but she doesn't see
(Doesn't see)
(She just doesn't see, she never sees him)
The song The Girl of Ipanema, composed by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, tells the story of a young woman who walks along the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and leaves a lasting impression on those who see her. The song starts by describing her physical appearance - she is tall, tan, young, and lovely - and how she walks with a samba-like movement that is charming to all who see her. The chorus then talks about the singer's admiration for the girl; he watches her with a bittersweet longing, knowing that he can never truly have her love. Every day, he sees her walk past him and head towards the sea, but she never looks at him or acknowledges his presence.
The song has a nostalgic undertone to it, as if the singer is reminiscing about a past love. The lyrics speak not only to the girl's beauty but the melancholic desire that the singer feels. The final lines sum up his feelings of unrequited love, as he smiles at her, but she never sees him.
Overall, The Girl of Ipanema is a beautiful and timeless song that captures the essence of Brazil's culture and the power of love, even in its most unattainable form.
Line by Line Meaning
Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema is beautiful and attractive with her impressive appearance and youthful charm.
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
The girl from Ipanema is taking a leisurely stroll to enjoy the beautiful scenery
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
The girl from Ipanema is so captivating and charming that everyone who sees her becomes amazed and mesmerized.
When she walks, she's like a samba
Her walk is so rhythmic and groovy that she resembles a samba dance, which is very famous in Brazil.
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
Her samba walk is so cool and graceful, making her look even more attractive.
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
The girl from Ipanema is so irresistible that everyone who sees her becomes enchanted and mesmerized.
But he watches her so sadly
There is someone who is secretly admiring her from afar but feels sad because he cannot express his love to her.
How can he tell her he loves her
The person who admires the girl from Ipanema is struggling with the dilemma of how to confess his love for her.
Yes I would give my heart gladly
The person who admires the girl from Ipanema is willing to give everything to her, including his heart and soul.
But each day, that she walks to the sea
The girl from Ipanema often walks towards the sea, which is her preferred destination.
She looks straight ahead, not at he
The girl from Ipanema is so focused on her walk that she does not notice the person who admires her from afar.
And when she passes, he smiles - but she doesn't see
Even though the person who admires the girl from Ipanema is happy when she passes by him, she doesn't notice him, and it makes him even more sad.
(Doesn't see)
The girl from Ipanema is so oblivious that she doesn't even realize the attention she is getting.
(She just doesn't see, she never sees him)
The girl from Ipanema is totally unaware that someone is admiring her from afar and is always looking straight ahead.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Muhidin Tahir
Beautifully orchestrated by James Last
BoxSetMusicGuy
Outstanding! Thank you :)
Arjun Atienza
Wow....SOOOOBBRANNNGGGGG GANDA NAMAN !!
Half Not Quantum
Here's the legendary musician Bob Strauch's version with his own lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDxLedytMm0