Xavier Cugat (January 1, 1900 - October 27, 1990) was a Spanish-Cuban bandl… Read Full Bio ↴Xavier Cugat (January 1, 1900 - October 27, 1990) was a Spanish-Cuban bandleader whom many consider to have had more to do with the infusion of Latin music into United States popular music than any other musician. Perez Prado followed in Cugat's footsteps.

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.

Cuban Mambo
Xavier Cugat Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by Xavier Cugat:

Amor Amor, amor, amor This word so sweet, that I repeat, means…
Baia Oh! Baia-yah When twilight is deep in the sky, Baia-yah! Som…
Begin The Beguine When they begin the beguine It brings back the sound…
Brasil Brazil, where hearts were entertaining June, We stood beneat…
Brazil Brazil, where hearts were entertaining June, We stood benea…
Brazil (Aquarela do brasil) Brazil (Aquarela Do Brasil) Xavier Cugat Brazil, where h…
Chattanooga Choo Choo Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo? Track twen…
Chica Chica Boom Chic Come on and sing the Chica Chica Boom Chic That crazy…
Chica, Chica, Boom, Chic I have to turn the fan on The heat is getting…

Chiquita Banana I′m Chiquita banana and I've come to say Bananas have to…
Chiu Chiu Canta, canta pajarito, Canta, canta tu cancion, Mira que la …
Come back to Sorrento When the swallows come back to Capistrano That's the day you…
Cuban Love Song I love you that's what my heart is saying While every…
De La Boda The shadow of your smile When you have gone Will color all…
I Yi Yi Yi Yi I Like You Very Much I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I,…
I'm Old Fashioned I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Isle of Capri 't was on the Isle of Capri that I found…
It Happened In Monterey In my imagination, I'm finding consolation Somewhere along t…
It Might As Well Be Spring I'm as restless as a willow in a windstorm I'm as…
Jalousie Oh how wrong can you be? Oh to fall in love Was…
Johnson Rag Johnson Flood Mississippi Mud Black Bottom I got 'em Lindy …
La Paloma Yo soy la paloma errante Que vengo aquí Yo soy del hermoso…
La Sombra De Tu Sonrisa The shadow of your smile When you have gone Will color all…
Lady in Red Say! Have you ever met the girl Who's the toast of…
Mambo Nº 5 Ladies and gentleman this is Mambo no 5 One, two, three,…
Miami Beach Rhumba I started out to go to Cuba Soon I was at…
Miami Beach Rumba I started out to go to Cuba Soon I was at…
Misirlou Desert shadows creep across purple sands. Natives kneel in p…
Moon Over Naples Blue Spanish eyes Teardrops are falling from your Spanish ey…
My Man It's cost me a lot But there's one thing that I've…
My Shawl My shawl, pretty lady, try it on you, By my shawl,…
Old-Fashioned I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I…
Over the Rainbow Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There's a land that…
Quiereme Mucho Love me a lot Sweet love of mine How loving you are I…
Rim and Coca-Cola If you ever go to Trinidad They make you feel…
Rum And Coca-Cola If you ever go down Trinidad They make you feel so…
Spanish Eyes Blue Spanish eyes Teardrops are falling from your Spanish ey…
Stars In Your Eyes I see stars in your eyes when my lips beg…
Temptation You came, I was alone I should have known you were…
Tequila I was at the bar with my drinkin team, It was…
The Brand New Cha Cha Cha Something new has just come through to us from Cuba. It's…
The Green Leaves of Summer A time to be reapin', a time to be sowin'. The…
The Isle of Capri 't was on the Isle of Capri that I found…
The Lady In Red Say! Have you ever met the girl Who's the toast of…
The Shadow of Your Smile The shadow of your smile When you have gone Will color all…
Thunderball He always runs while others walk He acts while other men…
Tico Tico The places that we live and the living that we…
Very Very Satisfied I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I,…
When The Swallows / Come Back To Capistrano When the swallows come back to Capistrano That's the day yo…
When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano When the swallows come back to Capistrano That's the day you…
You Belong to My Heart You belong to my heart Now and forever And our love had…

Yours I see stars in your eyes when my lips beg…

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TRACKS