Remembered for his highly-commercial approach to pop music, Xavier Cugat (b… Read Full Bio ↴Remembered for his highly-commercial approach to pop music, Xavier Cugat (born: Francisco De Asis Javier Cugat Mingall De Cru Y Deulofeo) made an even greater mark as one of the pioneers of Latin-American dance music. During his eight decade long career, Cugat helped to popularize the tango, the cha-cha, the mambo and the rhumba. His hits included "El Manicero" in the 1930s, "Perfida" in 1940 and the original recording of "Babalu" in 1944. Members of Cugat's band included Desi Arnaz, Miguelito Valdes, Tito Rodriguez, Luis Del Campo, Yma Sumac and his third (of four) wife, Abbe Lane. Cugat used the success of his musical career as a springboard for a movie career that included appearances in such films as Gay Madrid (1930), You Were Never Lovelier (1942), Bathing Beauty (1945), Weekend At The Waldorf (1945), Holiday In Mexico (1946), On An Island With You (1948), A Date With Judy (1948), Chicago Syndicate (1955) and Desire Diabolique (1959). A native of Genoa, Spain, Cugat emigrated with his family to Cuba in 1905. Trained as a classical violinist, he played with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana at the age of twelve. Emigrating to the United States, sometime between 1915 and 1918, he quickly found work accompanying an opera singer. At the height of the tango craze, in 1918, Cugat joined a popular dance band, The Gigolos. His involvement with the group, however, was brief. As the popularity of the tango faded, he took a job as a cartoonist for The Los Angeles Times. Cugat returned to music in 1920, forming his own group, The Latin American Band. Although they played regularly at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles and supplied the soundtracks for several musical shorts, the group had its greatest success after moving to New York and became the houseband for the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Despite being criticized for their middle-of-the-road approach, Cugat remained committed to his commercial-minded sound. He later explained, "I would rather play 'Chiquita Banana' and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve". Cugat and his orchestra remained at the hotel for sixteen years. Beautiful women were consistently featured in Cugat's band. After helping Rita Hayworth to launch her career, he appeared in her film, You Were Never Lovelier. Cugat's recordings of the 1950s featured the singing of his third wife, Abbe Lane. In the mid-1960s, he featured his fourth wife, Charo, who he billed as a "folksinger". Upon his retirement in 1970, Cugat returned to Spain. He died in Barcelona on October 27, 1990. His band, which was led by Tito Puente following his retirement, continues to perform under the direction of dancer, musician and vocalist Ada Cavallo.

Papa Loves Mambo
Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Uh
Uh

Papa loves mambo
Mama loves mambo
Look at 'em sway with it, gettin' so gay with it
Shoutin' "olé" with it, wow
Uh

Papa loves mambo (papa loves mambo)
Mama loves mambo (mama loves mambo)
Papa does great with it, swings like a gate with it
He loses weight with it, now

He goes to, she goes fro
He goes fast, she goes slow
He goes left an' she goes right
Papa's lookin' for mama but mama is nowhere in sight
Uh

Papa loves mambo
Mama loves mambo
Havin' their fling again, younger than spring again
Feelin' that zing again, wow
Uh

Papa loves mambo (papa loves mambo)
Mama loves mambo (mama loves mambo)
Don't let her rumba and don't let her samba
'Cause papa loves mama tonight
Uh

(Papa loves mambo)
(Mama loves mambo)

(Papa loves mambo)
(Mama loves mambo)

He goes to, she goes fro
He goes fast, she goes slow
He goes left an' she goes right
Papa's lookin' for mama but mama is nowhere in sight
Uh

Papa loves mambo (papa loves mambo)
Mama loves mambo (mama loves mambo)
Havin' their fling again, younger than spring again
Feelin' that zing again, wow
Uh

(Papa loves mambo) mambo papa
(Mama loves mambo) mambo mama
Don't let her rumba and don't let her samba

'Cause papa, loves a mambo tonight
Uh

Overall Meaning

The song "Papa Loves Mambo" by Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra is a vibrant and upbeat tune that celebrates the love for dancing. The lyrics depict Papa and Mama enjoying themselves as they dance the mambo. The song suggests that dancing not only makes you happy but also helps you lose weight, feel young and energized. The use of "olé" emphasizes the Latin roots of the song and adds a playful and fun touch.

The song represents the music and entertainment scene of the mid-20th century when mambo was at the height of its popularity. The upbeat groove and horn accompaniment reflect the lively mood of the time, and the style itself represented a fusion of African, European and Latin music. The song has been used for several films and TV shows such as "Dirty Dancing" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" and is still enjoyed worldwide today.

Fact 1: "Papa Loves Mambo" was written in 1954 by Al Hoffman, Dick Manning, and Bix Reichner.
Fact 2: The song was first recorded by Perry Como in 1954.
Fact 3: The original was recorded in a milder tempo, but Cugat's version gave the song a more upbeat and Latin-inspired feel.
Fact 4: The song received a Grammy nomination in 1955 for Best Rhythm and Blues Performance.
Fact 5: Xavier Cugat was a renowned bandleader, violinist, and actor who led one of America's most popular Latin orchestras in the 1940s and 1950s.
Fact 6: After World War II, mambo became a popular dance in North America and Europe.
Fact 7: The song was one of Cugat's biggest hits, spending 25 weeks on the Billboard charts and reaching #4 in 1954.
Fact 8: The song was also used as background music for a commercial for the "Go Duster" cleaning product.
Fact 9: The song has been covered by several other artists such as Dean Martin, The Mills Brothers, and Barry Manilow, among others.
Fact 10: In 1957, Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra performed "Papa Loves Mambo" on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Chords (Key of Bb):
Intro: Bb
Verse: Bb, Eb, F7, Bb
Chorus: Bb, Eb, F7, Bb

Line by Line Meaning

Papa loves mambo
Father loves the style of dance known as the Mambo.

Mama loves mambo
Mother loves the style of dance known as the Mambo.

Look at 'em sway with it, gettin' so gay with it Shoutin' "olé" with it, wow
They are dancing and having fun with the Mambo, cheering with excitement.

Papa does great with it, swings like a gate with it He loses weight with it, now
Father is very skilled at the Mambo and moves in rhythm with it, even losing some weight from doing it.

He goes to, she goes fro He goes fast, she goes slow He goes left an' she goes right Papa's lookin' for mama but mama is nowhere in sight
Father and Mother dance separately, moving at different speeds and directions, making it difficult for Father to see where Mother is.

Havin' their fling again, younger than spring again Feelin' that zing again, wow
They are having a great time dancing the Mambo and feeling youthful and invigorated again.

Don't let her rumba and don't let her samba 'Cause papa loves mama tonight
Don't let Mother dance any other style tonight because Father only wants to dance the Mambo with her tonight.

Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Al Hoffman, Bix Reichner, Dick Manning

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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