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.
I Yi Yi Yi Yi I Like You Very Much
Xavier Cugat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi
There's a girl in Rio de Janeiro
Who sings in a cafe
With a smile that's so entrancing
So sweet, so cute, so gay
When you go to Rio de Janeiro
When she sings an American love song
In a South American way
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, I like you very much
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, I think you're grand
Why, why, why is it that when I feel your touch
My heart starts to beat, to beat the band
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, like you to hold me tight
You are too, too, too, too, too, divine
If you want to be in someone's arms tonight
Just be sure the arms you're in are mine
Oh, I like your lips and I like your eyes
Would you like my hips to hips-notize you
Si, Si, Si, Si, Si, Si, see the moon above
Way, way, way, way, way, up in the blue
Si, Si, Si, senor I think I fall in love and when I fall
I think I fall for you
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Si, Si, Si, Si
I, Yi, Yi, Yi can see, see that you're for me
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, I like you very much
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, I think you're grand
Why, why, why is it that when I feel your touch
My heart starts to beat, to beat the band
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, like you to hold me tight
You are too, too, too, too, too, divine
If you want to be in someone's arms tonight
Just be sure the arms you're in are mine
Oh, I like your lips and I like your eyes
Would you like my hips to hips-notize you
Si, Si, Si, Si, Si, Si, see the moon above
Way, way, way, way, way, up in the blue
Si, Si, Si, senor I think I fall in love and when I fall
I think I fall for you
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Si, Si, Si, Si
"I Yi Yi Yi Yi, I Like You Very Much" is a song by Xavier Cugat that speaks about a girl in Brazil who sings American love songs, leaving her audience entranced by her enchanting smile and her charming voice. The song expresses the singer's admiration for her in a fun and playful way, with repetitive and catchy lyrics that make you want to dance. The phrase "I Yi Yi Yi Yi" is a rhythmic and repetitive way of expressing excitement, joy, and admiration for the girl.
The song is a perfect example of a playful, catchy, and danceable Latin American music style called "cha-cha," which originated in Cuba in the late 1940s and quickly spread to other Latin American countries. The song's upbeat tempo, a fusion of Cuban and Brazilian rhythms, creates an irresistible urge to dance. The call and response pattern of the lyrics between Cugat and his backup singers makes the song even more playful and inviting.
Overall, "I Yi Yi Yi Yi, I Like You Very Much" is a lighthearted song that celebrates the joy of falling in love with someone, especially someone who sings love songs so sweetly. Its repetitive lyrics and catchy rhythm make it a party favorite and a classic of Latin American music.
Line by Line Meaning
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi
The song begins with a repeated line, meant to establish and convey the singer's intense excitement and enthusiasm.
There's a girl in Rio de Janeiro
The singer describes a specific person who catches his attention and affection, highlighting her location and occupation as a singer.
Who sings in a cafe
The singer identifies the girl's occupation and setting, painting a picture of her voice filling a comfortable, informal space.
With a smile that's so entrancing
The singer comments on the girl's facial expression, emphasizing how it captivates and delights him.
So sweet, so cute, so gay
The singer uses a series of adjectives to further describe the girl's appearance and demeanor, using language that evokes charm and lightheartedness.
When you go to Rio de Janeiro
The singer issues a directive to the listener, connecting their experience of the city with the girl he's enamored with.
Say you'll enjoy your stay
The singer encourages the listener to take pleasure in their time in Rio, perhaps hoping that they will share his sense of satisfaction and delight.
When she sings an American love song
The singer anticipates a specific moment when the girl will perform a type of song he specifically enjoys, linking his taste in music with his infatuation with her.
In a South American way
The singer describes a unique manner in which the girl performs the song, perhaps suggesting that this element further contributes to her appeal.
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, I like you very much
The singer uses the repeated phrase from the beginning of the song to express his intense attraction to the girl, using the repetition to emphasize his feelings.
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, I think you're grand
The singer chooses an old-fashioned, almost comically exaggerated word to express his admiration for the girl, further emphasizing his genuine fondness.
Why, why, why is it that when I feel your touch
The singer poses a rhetorical question, acknowledging the way the girl affects him emotionally and physically.
My heart starts to beat, to beat the band
The singer uses a colorful metaphor to describe the intensity of his physical and emotional response to the girl's touch.
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, like you to hold me tight
The singer expresses a desire for physical intimacy with the girl, underscoring his romantic interest in her.
You are too, too, too, too, too, divine
The singer uses a hyperbolic phrase to describe the girl as a kind of goddess, elevating her to an unattainable level.
If you want to be in someone's arms tonight
The singer offers a suggestive invitation, hinting at his own willingness to be intimate with the girl.
Just be sure the arms you're in are mine
The singer imposes a condition on the invitation he just issued, emphasizing his possessiveness and desire for exclusivity.
Oh, I like your lips and I like your eyes
The singer appraises specific physical features of the girl he's interested in, again emphasizing his attraction to her.
Would you like my hips to hips-notize you
The singer employs a playful, flirtatious pun on the word 'hypnotize,' using it to suggest a specific type of intimacy with the girl.
Si, Si, Si, Si, Si, Si, see the moon above
The singer transitions to Spanish, evoking a romantic and exotic environment while continuing to praise the girl he's interested in.
Way, way, way, way, way, up in the blue
The singer describes the moon poetically, adding to the sense of romanticism and beauty he's attempting to conjure.
Si, Si, Si, senor I think I fall in love and when I fall
The singer acknowledges that he has feelings of love for the girl, again employing Spanish words to further create a specific and romantic atmosphere.
I think I fall for you
The singer comes full circle, using the repeated phrase from the beginning of the song to express his love for the girl he's been singing about.
I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Si, Si, Si, Si
The singer repeats the phrase once more, combining both the English and Spanish versions to emphasize the sense of excitement and intensity he feels.
I, Yi, Yi, Yi can see, see that you're for me
The singer concludes the song with a confident assertion that the girl he's been describing belongs with him, using the repetition to drive home the point.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Warren, Mack Gordon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John
on Oye Negra
His first wif, Carmen Castillo was his greatest vocalist.