Paul Mauriat (Marseille, 4 March 1925 – 3 November 2006 in Perpignan) was a… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Mauriat (Marseille, 4 March 1925 – 3 November 2006 in Perpignan) was a French orchestra leader, specializing in light music. Mauriat grew up in Marseilles and began leading his own band during the Second World War. In the 1950s he became musical director to at least two well-known French singers, Charles Aznavour and Maurice Chevalier, touring with them respectively. Mauriat composed the music for several French soundtracks (also released on Bel-Air) including Un Taxi Pour Tobrouk (1961), Horace 62 (1962) and Faites Sauter La Banque (1964). Many of Mauriat's recordings are recompositions of other composers' songs and music. Mauriat relied heavily on strings and synthesiser to create interesting music. The arrangements are usually very bright and busy with sensible use of the percussive section to deliver a grand style of performance. In his 70s and 80s live concerts, Mauriat often used singers to provide backing for numbers such as Penelope, Love is Blue and the World Melody section he arranged for his 1980 and 1982 concerts.

Last Tango in Paris
Paul Mauriat Lyrics

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We don't exist
We are nothing but shadow and mist
In the mirror we look as we pass
No reflection's revealed in the glass
Don't you know that the blood in your vein is as lifeless as yesterday's rain?
It's a game where we come to conceal the confusion we feel
But as long as we're nameless our bodies are blameless
You cried when we kissedIt was nothing but shadow and mist

Two illusions who touch in a trancemaking love not by choice but by chance
To a theme that we tore from the past to a tango we swore was the last
We are shadows who dance
We don't exist
We are nothing but shadow and mist
In the mirror we look as we pass
No reflection's revealed in the glass
Don't you know that the blood in your veinis as lifeless as yesterday's rain?
It's a game where we come to conceal the confusion we feel
But as long as we're nameless our bodies are blameless
You cried when we kissedIt was nothing but shadow and mist
Two illusions who touch in a trancemaking love not by choice but by chance
To a theme that we tore from the past to a tango we swore was the last

We are shadows who dance
We are shadows who dance

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Last Tango in Paris" by Paul Mauriat explore the idea of human existence as something fleeting and unclear, much like the experience of watching shadow and mist move across a surface. The singer suggests that in many ways, humans are like shadows and illusions, with no real substance of their own. This sense of emptiness is reflected in the absence of reflection in the mirror, highlighting the idea that what we see of ourselves on the surface is not necessarily who we are on the inside.

The lyrics also delve into the confusion and ambiguity of human relationships. The singer describes a moment of intimacy that feels almost accidental, as if two people are being swept along by forces beyond their control. The reference to a "tango" that was "the last" underscores the sense of finality and inevitability that often seems to accompany relationships that are doomed to fail. Despite the passion and intensity of the moment, it ultimately feels like little more than a brief and ultimately meaningless encounter.

Overall, the lyrics to "Last Tango in Paris" convey a sense of fleetingness and ambiguity that is very much in keeping with the themes of the film from which the song takes its name. It is a song that captures the sense of uncertainty and confusion that often accompanies human experience, and hints at the deeper truths that lie beneath the surface of our everyday lives.

Line by Line Meaning

We don't exist
We lack true purpose or identity

We are nothing but shadow and mist
We are ephemeral and insubstantial

In the mirror we look as we pass
Our existence is fleeting and without substance

No reflection's revealed in the glass
Our presence is barely noticeable and leaves no lasting impact

Don't you know that the blood in your vein is as lifeless as yesterday's rain?
Our existence is mundane and lacks vitality

It's a game where we come to conceal the confusion we feel
We use superficial games and distractions to cover up our inner turmoil

But as long as we're nameless our bodies are blameless
Our anonymity protects us from accountability for our actions

You cried when we kissedIt was nothing but shadow and mist
Our emotions and experiences are fleeting and without substance

Two illusions who touch in a trancemaking love not by choice but by chance
Our love and relationships are based on superficial illusions and circumstantial events

To a theme that we tore from the past to a tango we swore was the last
We cling to past experiences and try to create finality in our transitory existence

We are shadows who dance
We are fleeting entities, living moment to moment and trying to find meaning

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GATO BARBIERI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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