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.
It Happened In Monterey
Xavier Cugat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somewhere along the Rio Grande
Sadly I'm reminiscing, madly again I'm kissing
Someone along the Rio Grande
It happened in Monterey, a long time ago
I met her in Monterey, in old Mexico
Stars and steel guitars
Broke somebody's heart
And I'm afraid that it was mine
It happened in Monterey
Without thinking twice
I left her and threw away the key to paradise
My indiscreet heart, longs for the sweetheart
That I left in old Monterey
Making believe I'm merry
In ev'ry glass of sherry
I see the sparkle of her eye
And when I hear the cello
Tender and sweet and mellow
I hear the music of her sigh
It happened in Monterey, a long time ago
I met her in Monterey, in old Mexico
Stars and steel guitars
And luscious lips, as red as wine
Broke somebody's heart
And I'm afraid that it was mine
It happened in Monterey
Without thinking twice
I left her and threw away the key to paradise
My indiscreet heart, longs for the sweetheart
The song “It Happened in Monterey” by Xavier Cugat is a classic romantic ballad that tells the sorrowful story of a man who reminisces about a lost love that he left behind in Mexico many years ago. In his imagination, he finds solace along the Rio Grande, but his memories of the woman he left behind are too powerful to ignore. The song begins with the man sadly reminiscing about his lost love, who he kissed madly along the Rio Grande. He then recounts how he met her in Monterey, Mexico, describing the setting as a place with stars, steel guitars, and luscious lips as red as wine.
The man sadly reveals that he broke somebody’s heart in Monterey, and he fears that it was his own heart that he shattered. He left his sweetheart in Monterey without thinking twice and threw away the key to their paradise. The man admits that his indiscreet heart still longs for the love he left behind many years ago. The song concludes with the man making believe that he’s merry and finding glimpses of his former love in every glass of sherry he drinks and every tender cello melody he hears.
Overall, “It Happened in Monterey” is a classic love song that tells the bittersweet story of a lost love that haunts the singer to this day. The lyrics reveal the deep pain and regret that the man feels for leaving his sweetheart behind, and his longing for her is palpable throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
In my imagination, I'm finding consolation
I'm trying to cope with my heartbreak by imagining a different reality.
Somewhere along the Rio Grande
I envision myself in a fantasy location where I can escape from reality.
Sadly I'm reminiscing, madly again I'm kissing
I'm remembering the time I shared a passionate kiss with someone I loved.
Someone along the Rio Grande
I wish I could be with this special someone again, even if just in my mind.
It happened in Monterey, a long time ago
I recall a special moment from my past that still haunts me today.
I met her in Monterey, in old Mexico
I fell in love with someone I met in the beautiful town of Monterey, Mexico.
Stars and steel guitars
The ambiance that night was magical, with heavenly music and instruments.
And luscious lips, as red as wine
Her smile, illuminated by the stars, was as captivating as the wine we tasted.
Broke somebody's heart
I fear that I was the one who caused her heartbreak and pain.
And I'm afraid that it was mine
I also suffered immensely from the separation, and I miss her every day.
Without thinking twice
I acted impulsively, without considering the consequences of my actions.
I left her and threw away the key to paradise
I let go of someone who made me feel alive and experienced something that can never be replicated again.
My indiscreet heart, longs for the sweetheart
My heart aches for her every night, knowing that I'll never see her again.
That I left in old Monterey
I'm consumed with regret and nostalgia for the love that I lost in the town of Monterey.
Making believe I'm merry
I pretend to be happy, but internally, I'm filled with sadness and despair.
In ev'ry glass of sherry
Whenever I drink, I'm trying to quell the pain of the lost love I experienced.
I see the sparkle of her eye
I can still see her eyes sparkling with joy, even though she's not physically present.
And when I hear the cello
The sound of the cello resonates with me, bringing back memories of her voice.
Tender and sweet and mellow
Her voice was tender and soothing, filling me with joy and contentment.
I hear the music of her sigh
Even if I can't hear her voice anymore, I can still hear her sighs, filled with happiness and love.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILLY ROSE, MABEL WAYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sasimoorthy6541
Nice classical music :)