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.
Taco's Charleston
Taco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
???....
Yes sir, that's my baby
No sir, I don't mean maybe
Yes sir, that's my baby now
Yes now, we've decided
Yes now, you're invited now
Hey by the way, by the way
When we reach the preacher, I'll say
Yes sir, that's my baby
No sir, I don't mean maybe
Yes sir, that's my baby now
The song "Taco's Charleston" is an upbeat tune about a couple who have decided to make their relationship official. The catchy chorus repeats the words "Charleston, Charleston" which is a reference to a popular dance from the 1920s that originated in Charleston, South Carolina. The singer confidently declares that his partner is "his baby" and that there is no doubt about their commitment to each other.
The lyrics of the song suggest a celebratory atmosphere, with the couple no longer hiding their feelings for each other and inviting everyone to join in their happiness. The line "when we reach the preacher, I'll say" indicates that the couple is planning to get married, and the song may be an ode to the joy of finding true love and wanting to share that with the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Charleston, Charleston
Let's do the Charleston dance, a popular dance style from the 1920s
Yes sir, that's my baby
I am proud of the person I am with
No sir, I don't mean maybe
I am confident in my decision to be with this person
Yes sir, that's my baby now
I am committed to and happy with my current relationship status
Yes now, we've decided
We have come to a clear agreement
No no, we won't hide it
We will not keep our relationship a secret
Yes now, you're invited now
We want you to be a part of our relationship and invite you in
Hey by the way, by the way
Just so you know, while we're on the topic
When we reach the preacher, I'll say
When we decide to get married, I will confidently declare
Contributed by Nora D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.