Cugat was born Francisco de Asis Javier Cugat Mingall de Bru y Deulofeo in Girona, Spain. His family immigrated to Cuba when he was five. He trained as a classical violinist and played with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana.
Sometime between 1915 and 1918, Cugat moved to New York, where he played with a band called "The Gigolos" during the tango craze. Later, he went to work for the Los Angeles Times as a cartoonist (Cugat's caricatures were later nationally syndicated).
In the late 1920s, when sound began to be used in films, Cugat put together a tango band that had some success in early short musical films. By the early 1930s, he began appearing with his group in feature films. Cugat took his band to New York to open the new Waldorf Astoria Hotel and it became the hotel's resident group.
He shuttled between New York and Los Angeles for most of the next thirty years, alternating hotel and radio dates with movie appearances.
In 1940, he recorded the song Perfidia with singer Miguelito Valdés which became a big hit. Cugat followed trends closely, making records for the conga, the mambo, the cha-cha-cha, and the twist when each were in fashion.
His first marriage in 1952 was to singer, Abbe Lane, they performed together until they divorced in 1964. He married salsa dancer Charo on August 7, 1966; the two were the first couple to marry in the newly opened Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Cugat did not lose sleep over artistic compromises: "I would rather play
Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve."
Cugat died of heart failure at age 90 in Barcelona, in his native province of Catalonia, Spain.
Chiu Chiu
Xavier Cugat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Canta, canta tu cancion,
Mira que la vida es triste
Y tu cantar me alegra el corazon
Chiu, chiu, chiu, chiu,
Chiu, chiu, chiu, cha,
Canta, canta pajarito,
Con tu gorjeo, (con tu gorjeo),
Con tu trinar, (con tu trinar),
Despierta el alba,
La noche ya se va
Con tu gorjeo, (con tu gorjeo),
Con tu trinar, (con tu trinar),
Despierta el alba,
La noche ya se va
The lyrics to Xavier Cugat's "Chiu Chiu" speak of a little bird that sings a happy tune to bring joy to those who are feeling down. The song reminds us that life can be sad at times, but by listening to the sweet melody of the bird's singing, our hearts can be lifted. The chorus encourages the bird to continue singing and spreading cheer, as its notes brighten up people's moods. The verses further describe the bird's singing and its ability to awaken the dawn with its chirping as night comes to an end.
Overall, the song is a testament to the power of music to uplift the spirits and make life more enjoyable. The sweet, cheerful melody and the words of encouragement in the lyrics are a reminder to look for the brightness in life and to spread joy whenever possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Canta, canta pajarito,
Sing, sing little bird,
Canta, canta tu cancion,
Sing, sing your song,
Mira que la vida es triste
Look how sad life is
Y tu cantar me alegra el corazon
And your singing cheers up my heart
Chiu, chiu, chiu, chiu,
Chiu, chiu, chiu, chiu,
Chiu, chiu, chiu, cha,
Chiu, chiu, chiu, cha,
Canta, canta pajarito,
Sing, sing little bird,
Que tu cantar me alegra el corazon
Your singing cheers up my heart
Con tu gorjeo, (con tu gorjeo),
With your warble, (with your warble),
Con tu trinar, (con tu trinar),
With your trill, (with your trill),
Despierta el alba,
You awaken the dawn,
La noche ya se va
The night is already leaving
Despierta el alba,
You awaken the dawn,
La noche ya se va
The night is already leaving
Lyrics © Editora e Importadora Musical Fermata do Brasil Ltda.
Written by: NICANOR MOLINARE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pedro Xapata
Esta canción pertenece al folclore chileno. La letra y música es de Nicanor Molinare.
Jaime Salazar
No es del folclore tiene autor conocido
TheAloweWolf
Ooooh!!!!! I enjoyed this!!!!! it sounds so wonderful!!!!!!!!
Carol Nefedow
That dress is fabulous! She makes it move so well.
manhinhi
Nosotros somos dueños de fomentar, y preservar nuestro folklore el autor La entrega al pueblo ya no es para el y otros cantantes o grupos musicales de variada estilos le harían arreglos para cantarla así como está versión de Chiu Chiu en esta tremenda orquesta nosotros tenemos que acercarnos a los centros culturales para pedirlo por qué ahí está la subvención del gobierno las platas las pone el y las platas son de todos los chilenos así a perder el miedo y salgamos adelante con nuestro folklore y rescatemos nuestros pueblos que están siendo abandonados tiene que haber una ley que los proteja 06092018
juan monroy
Para lo que no saben: CHIU CHIU es un pueblito en la la II Zona de Chile, muy cerca de Calama y de la mina mas grande de cobre del mund: Chuquicamata.
Paula Barboza
esta canción pertenece al folklore de Chile, claro que se han hecho muchas versiones como está que no tiene mucho de la original, que no tiene nada de tropical
Pa3lo
Grande Chiu Chiu,, grande Calama, Grande Atacama Desert......
mrtigerucantfly
i've been looking for this song for like forever! is that really what its called? thx for uploading!! =)
ESK Jazz
chiu chiu yup