Taco was born to a Dutch couple in Jakarta (On a side note, Indonesia was once a Dutch colony). Prior to his worldwide hit with Puttin' on the Ritz, he fronted a Berlin-based band called Taco's Bizz. Their niche was performing Depression-era oldies in a more contemporary style, and soon Taco was courted by record labels to release a solo single. Puttin' on the Ritz gained so much attention that an entire album was funded by RCA Records. Both the album and the single were hits in Europe, and thanks to a popular MTV video for Puttin' on the Ritz, the single and the album became hits in America as well, selling over 500,000 copies of Taco's 1982 debut album After Eight.
A follow-up album, Let's Face The Music, was recorded in 1984 for RCA, but it failed to recreate Taco's initial success, and he vanished from the American market immediately thereafter. Taco continued to record, however, focusing mostly on the German market with albums Swing Classics/In The Mood Of Glenn Miller in 1985 and Tell Me That You Like It in 1986 for Polydor. In 1987 he recorded the self-titled album Taco. In 1989 he briefly flirted with contemporary dance music by releasing a pair of singles, Love Touch and Got To Be Your Lover, that were blatantly styled after the high energy disco sound popularized by Stock Aitken Waterman. Afterwards he repositioned himself as a swing/soul singer. He has collaborated with Geff Harrison of Kin Ping Meh fame.
He currently resides in Germany, occasionally performing in Berlin and recording.
He has been referenced on the TV show The Simpsons. Episode BABF19, "Behind the Laughter", features Willie Nelson saying, "Thank you, Taco, for that loving tribute to Falco", as well as the end of the tribute itself. Recently, Taco was referenced in an episode of The Venture Bros. in describing Klaus Nomi's tuxedo attire.
Puttin' On The Ritz
Taco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why don't you go where fashion sits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Different types of wear all day coat pants
With stripes and cut away coats for perfect fits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper
Super-duper
Come lets mix where Rockerfellers
Walk with sticks or umbrellas in their mits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Have you seen the well to do
Up and down Park Avenue
On that famous thorough fare
With their noses in the air
High hats and narrow collars
White spats and lots of dollars
Spending every dime
For a wonderful time
If you're blue and you don't know where to go to
Why don't you go where fashion sits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Different types of wear all day coat pants
With stripes and cut away coats for perfect fits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Dressed up like a million dollar trooper
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper
Super-duper
Come lets mix where Rockerfellers
Walk with sticks or umbrellas in their mits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Dressed up like a million dollar trooper
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper
Super-duper
If you're blue and you don't know where to go to
Why don't you go where fashion sits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Puttin' on the Ritz
Puttin' on the Ritz
Puttin' on the Ritz
Down, down
Up, down
Get your kicks
Got the Ritz
Dine and wine but not till nine
The time is right for us tonight
We can move
Move to the rhythm
We can
Move
Dance to the rhythm
I want you to move
Puttin' on the Ritz by Taco is a song that encourages those feeling out of place or down to go to where fashion is and dress up to fit in. The song paints a picture of the wealthy class, the Rockefellers, with their unique attire, including high hats, narrow collars, and white spats, walking around with their noses in the air. The singer encourages listeners to join in and dress up in different types of wear like cut-away coats, coat pants, and stripes, to put on the Ritz.
The lyrics depict a time that is bygone, where the wealthy would get dressed up to dine and wine, and the time had to be right. It encourages mixing with the elites and enjoying a wonderful time. The singer highlights his desire to dance to the rhythm with the listener and move with the times.
The song has a clear message of escapism in dressing up as a millionaire for a night, portraying how the wealthy class lived their lives during the 1920s/30s. It has captured the essence of that era, highlighting the indulgence and the importance of dressing up. It glamorizes the wealthy class, and the song has been reworked several times since its initial release, characterizing the changing times and preferences of the fashion industry.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're blue and you don't know where to go to
If you're feeling down and lost
Why don't you go where fashion sits
Why not go where fashionable people gather
Puttin' on the Ritz
Dressing up and putting on a show
Different types of wear all day coat pants
Various clothing styles, including all day coats and pants
With stripes and cut away coats for perfect fits
Clothing with stripes and cut away coats tailored to fit perfectly
Dressed up like a million dollar trooper
Dressed elegantly like a wealthy military officer
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper
Attempting to resemble famed actor Gary Cooper
Super-duper
Very impressive or excellent
Come lets mix where Rockerfellers
Let's socialize where affluent people mingle
Walk with sticks or umbrellas in their mits
Carrying walking sticks or umbrellas
Have you seen the well to do
Have you observed the affluent
Up and down Park Avenue
Traversing through the prestigious Park Avenue area
On that famous thorough fare
On the well-known street
With their noses in the air
Behaving arrogantly
High hats and narrow collars
Wearing top hats and tight-fitting collars
White spats and lots of dollars
Wearing white spats and having lots of money
Spending every dime
Splurging all their money
For a wonderful time
In pursuit of a great experience
Down, down
Upbeat rhythm of the song
Up, down
Upbeat rhythm of the song
Get your kicks
Have a good time
Got the Ritz
Feeling confident and glamorous
Dine and wine but not till nine
Enjoying food and beverages before 9 pm
The time is right for us tonight
The evening is ideal for our plans
We can move
We can dance
Move to the rhythm
Dance to the beat
Dance to the rhythm
Dance to the beat
I want you to move
I want you to dance with me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ForB4
Lyrics:
If you're blue, and you don't know where to go to
Why don't you go where fashion sits?
Puttin' on the Ritz
Different types who wear a day coat
Pants with stripes and cutaway coat, perfect fits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Dressed up like a million-dollar trouper
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper (super duper)
Come, let's mix where Rockefellers
Walk with sticks or umbrellas in their mitts
Puttin' on the Ritz
Have you seen the well-to-do
Up and down Park Avenue?
On that famous thoroughfare
With their noses in the air
High hats and Arrow collars
White spats and lots of dollars
Spending every dime for a wonderful time
If you're blue, and you don't know where to go to
Why don't you go where fashion sits?
Puttin' on the Ritz
Different types who wear a day coat
Pants with stripes and cutaway coat, perfect fits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Dressed up like a million-dollar trouper
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper (super duper)
Come, let's mix where Rockefellers
Walk with sticks or umbrellas in their mitts
Puttin' on the Ritz
Dressed up like a million-dollar trouper
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper (super duper)
If you're blue, and you don't know where to go to
Why don't you go where fashion sits?
Puttin' on the Ritz
Puttin' on the Ritz
Puttin' on the Ritz
Puttin' on the Ritz
Downtown, uptown
Get your kicks at the Ritz
Dine and wine, but not 'til nine
The time is right for us tonight
We can move
Move to the rhythm
We can
Move
Move
I want you to move
@hipstertrash2293
This dude is like a fusion between Tim Curry's Frank N Furter (Rocky Horror) and Tim Curry's characters in Clue and Home Alone 2. Tim Curry levels unparallelled by mere mortals.
@MissShembre
I noticed that too!
@grabble7605
*Tim Curry's character in The Worst Witch
https://youtu.be/PUhuPn8_d0Q?t=56
@hipstertrash2293
@Grabble Tim Curry is a legend... and a character in Legend (1985)
@redzgaming6880
Don't forget when he was Stalin in Red Alert 2
@SUPERMAN3309
More like the joker.
@KCB05_Cosplays
This song will never get old!
Taco's appearance gives off heavy Tim Curry vibes!
@waynegoodman4787
My wife and I were just thinking the same thing about him looking like and vibing like Tim
@goldilox369
I've always felt that way. It's a real thing.
@MegaDchamp
Agreed.