James Last (, ; born Hans Last; 17 April 1929 – 9 June 2015) was a German composer and big band leader of the James Last Orchestra. Initially a jazz bassist, his trademark "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom, with 65 of his albums reaching the charts in the UK alone. His composition "Happy Heart" became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark.

Last is reported to have sold an estimated 200 million records worldwide in his lifetime of which 80 million were sold by 1973 and won numerous awards including 200 gold and 14 platinum discs in Germany, the International MIDEM Prize at MIDEM in 1969, and West Germany's highest civilian award, the Bundesverdienstkreuz. His album This Is James Last remained a UK best-seller for 48 weeks, and his song "Games That Lovers Play" has been covered over a hundred times. where it became "the archetypal soundtrack of any German cellar bar party", He was the younger brother of Robert Last and Werner Last (aka Kai Warner). His father worked for the public utility of the city of Bremen and Last grew up in the suburb of Sebaldsbrück. He began studying the piano at age 10, although he could play simple tunes such as the folk song "Hänschen klein" when he was 9. His first music teacher felt he lacked any musical talent. Last started playing more actively with his second tutor and switched to the double bass as a teenager. His home city of Bremen was bombed heavily during World War II, and he ran messages to air defence command posts during the raids. He entered the Bückeburg Military Music School of the German Wehrmacht at the age of 14 and learned to play bass, piano and tuba.

After the end of the war, he joined Hans Günther Oesterreich's Radio Bremen Dance Orchestra. In 1948 he became the leader of the Last-Becker Ensemble, which performed for seven years. He was voted as the best bassist in the country in a German jazz poll for 1950, 1951 and 1952. he had relatively few hit singles. In the UK, his only chart singles were "The Seduction", a cover version of the theme from American Gigolo (1980) composed by Giorgio Moroder, and "Biscaya" from the album Biscaya. His single "Mornings at Seven" became a familiar tune in Britain after the BBC used it as the theme music for an ice skating program. Figures for record sales vary widely, between 100 million at that time by 2006 and 200 million records worldwide in his lifetime.

Personal life

Last married his first wife, Waltraud, in 1955; they had two children. After 42 years of marriage, Waltraud died in 1997. Two years later, Last married Christine Grundner from Bavaria. Last and Christine divided their time between homes in Florida and Hamburg.

Financial difficulties

Despite being the "most commercially successful bandleader" of the second half of the 20th century, He died less than three months later, on 9 June 2015 in Florida at the age of 86.

Writing in The Independent, Spencer Leigh suggested that Last's Non-Stop Dancing albums "paved the way for disco and dance mixes". Asked if he minded being labelled the "King of Corn", Last reportedly replied "No, because it is true."

Awards

List of awards:

  • With Compliments (1970)
  • Non Stop Dancing 11 (1970)
  • Käpt'n James bittet zum Tanz — Vol. 2 (1971)
  • In Scandinavia (1971)
  • Happyning (1971)
  • Non Stop Dancing 12 (1971)
  • Last of Old England (1971)
  • Beachparty 2 (1971)
  • Non Stop Dancing 1972 (1971) (Non Stop Dancing 13)
  • Polka Party (1971)
  • In Concert (1971)
  • Music from Across the Way (1971)
  • Voodoo Party (1971)
  • Wenn die Elisabeth mit... James Last (1972)
  • Non Stop Dancing 1972/2 (1972)
  • Love Must Be The Reason (1972)
  • Beachparty 3 (1972)
  • Russland zwischen Tag und Nacht (1972)
  • Polka Party II (1972)
  • Non Stop Dancing 1973 (1972)

| valign="top" |

  • Classics (1973)
  • Sing mit (1973)
  • Happy Hammond (1973)
  • Non Stop Dancing 1973/2 (1973)
  • Beachparty 4 (1973)
  • Weihnachten & James Last (1973)
  • Käpt'n James auf allen Meeren (1973)
  • Non Stop Dancing 1974 (1973)
  • Sing mit 2 (1974)
  • In Wien beim Wein (1974)
  • Non Stop Dancing 1974/2 (1974)
  • Beachparty 5 (1974)
  • Polka Party 3 (1974)
  • Violins in Love (1974)
  • Classics Up to Date 3 (1974)
  • Sing mit 3 (1975)
  • Non Stop Dancing 20 (jubilee-edition) (1975) ("Non Stop Dancing '65" new recording)
  • In the Mood for Trumpets (1975)
  • Well Kept Secret (1975)
  • Tulpen uit Amsterdam (1975)
  • Rock Me Gently (1975) (England & Canada only)
  • Beachparty 6 (1975)
  • Non Stop Dancing 1976 (1975)
  • Stars im Zeichen eines guten Sterns (1975)
  • Sing mit 4 (1976)
  • Freut Euch des Lebens (1976)
  • Happy Summer Night (1976)
  • Non Stop Dancing 1976/2 (1976)
  • Happy Marching (1976)
  • Classics Up to Date 4 (1976)
  • Non Stop Dancing 1977 (1976)
  • Sing mit 5 (1976)
  • James Last spielt Robert Stolz (1977)
  • Auf Last geht's los (1977)
  • Western Party and Square Dance (1977)
  • Russland Erinnerungen (1977)
  • Sing mit 6 – von Hamburg bis Mexico (1977)
  • Non Stop Dancing 78 – Folge 25 (1978)
  • Auf Last geht's los – Folge 2 (1978)
  • World Hits (1978)
  • Classics Up to Date 5 (1978)
  • New Non Stop Dancing '79 (1978)
  • Copacabana Happy Dancing (1979)
  • James Last and the Rolling Trinity (1979)
  • Non Stop Hansi (1979) (for his 50th birthday — not for sale)
  • Hereinspaziert zur Polka Party (1979)
  • Paintings (1979) (Japan only)
  • Ein festliches Konzert zur Weihnachtszeit (1979)
  • The Non Stop Dancing Sound of the 80's (1979)
  • Sing mit 7 – Die Party für das ganze Jahr (1980)
  • Romantische Träume (1980)
  • Seduction (1980)
  • Caribbean Nights (1980)
  • Non Stop Dancing '81 (1980)
  • Rosen aus dem Süden (1980)
  • Die schönsten Melodien der letzten 100 Jahre (1980)
  • Sing mit 8 ... und ab geht die Feuerwehr! (1981)
  • Ännchen von Tharau bittet zum Träumen (1981)
  • Tango (1981)
  • Hansimania (1981)
  • Non Stop Dancing '82 – Hits Around the World (1982)
  • Sing mit 9 – Lass' die Puppen tanzen (1982)
  • Jahrhundertmelodien (1982)
  • Biscaya (1982)
  • Nimm mich mit Käpt'n James auf die Reise (1982)
  • Paradiesvogel (1982)
  • Sing mit 10 – Wir wollen Spass! (1982)

| valign="top" |

  • Non Stop Dancing '83 – Party Power (1983)
  • Erinnerungen (1983)
  • James Last spielt die grössten Songs von The Beatles (1983)
  • The Rose of Tralee (1983)
  • Superlast (1983)
  • Classics Up to Date Vol.6 (1984)
  • James Last im Allgäu (In the Alps) (1984)
  • Paradiso (1984)
  • James Last at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin (1984)
  • James Last in Scotland (1984)
  • Non Stop Dancing '85 (1984)
  • Für alle! (Leave the Best to Last) (1985)
  • Viva Vivaldi (1985)
  • Swing mit (1985)
  • Deutsche Vita (1986)
  • In Ireland (1986)
  • Plus (James Last & Astrud Gilberto) (1986)
  • Alles hat ein Ende nur die Wurst hat zwei (1987)
  • James Last in Holland (1987)
  • James Last spielt Bach (1987)
  • Flute Fiesta (James Last & Berdien Stenberg) (1988)
  • Dance, Dance, Dance (1988)
  • James Last spielt Mozart (1988)
  • Happy Heart (1989)
  • Wir spielen wieder Polka (1989)
  • Lieder (James Last & René Kollo) (1989)
  • Classics By Moonlight (1990)
  • James Last in Holland 2 (1990)
  • Traummelodien (James Last & Richard Clayderman) (1990)
  • Pop Symphonies (1991)
  • Serenaden (James Last & Richard Clayderman) (1991)
  • Viva España (1992)
  • James Last in Holland 3 (1992)
  • Frieden (Peace) (1992)
  • James Last spielt Andrew Lloyd Webber (1993)
  • Christmas Eve (James Last & Engelbert Humperdinck) (1994)
  • Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (James Last & Milva) (1994)
  • In Harmony (James Last & Richard Clayderman) (1995)
  • Beach Party '95 (1995)
  • My Soul – Best of Motown (1995)
  • Classics from Russia (1996)
  • Macarena (1996)
  • Pop Symphonies 2 (1997)
  • Country Roads (1998)
  • James Last & Friends (1998)
  • Happy Birthday (1999)
  • Ocean Drive (2001)
  • James Last Plays ABBA (2001)
  • New Party Classics (2002)
  • Elements of James Last Vol.1 (2004)
  • They Call Me Hansi (2004)
  • America Album (2012) (Official release of the 1970 promo album) (used in a number of films)

Compilation albums (selection)

  • Fanfare (1967)
  • Does His Thing (Happy Music) (1970)
  • El Condor Pasa (1971)
  • In Concert 2 (1971)
  • Super Non-Stop Dancing (1972)
  • Olé (1973)
  • Stereo Spectacular (1973)
  • Il Y A Toujours Du Soleil (Golden Hearts) (James Last & Richard Clayderman) (1990)
  • Country Cousins (1992)
  • Best of Kapt'n James (1998)
  • Classics Up to Date 8 (1998)
  • Sólo Éxitos (Polydor 543 686-2 Venezuela 2001)
  • Die schönsten TV- und Filmmelodien (2006)
  • In Los Angeles (Well Kept Secret 1975) (2008)
  • Eighty Not Out (released as a 3-CD edition) (2010)
  • Gold Top 100 (Brunswick 5CD 533 240-1 DE 2011)
  • The Complete Collection (Universal 8CD 533 347-4 IT 2011)
  • Glanzlichter (Koch Universal 277 198-4 DE 2011)
  • Classic Christmas (Spectrum Music SPEC 2083 UK 2011)
  • Christmas With Romance (Universal 533 619-2 IT 2011)
  • Voodoo-Party / Well Kept Secret (Vocalion 2on1 CDSML 8477 UK 2011)
  • My Personal Favourites (Polydor 2CD 470 979-9 DE 2014)
  • Happy Summer Night / Rock Me Gently (Vocalion 2on1 CDLK 4539 UK 2014)
  • World Hits / Hair (Vocalion 2CD CDSML 8507 UK 2014)
  • Beachparty (Polydor 4CD 472 433-2 DE 2015)
  • Dancing à gogo (Polydor 4CD 472 544-1 DE 2015)
  • Silver Collection (RISA / Force10Music / Universal BUDCD 1400 (435 399–0) ZA 2015)
  • Ich find' Schlager toll (Polydor 536 934 4 DE 2016)

Chart positions

Albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+Chart positions for James Last's albums

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title

! scope="col" colspan="10"| Peak chart positions

|-

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| NO<br/>

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| SWE<br/>

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US<br/>

|-

!scope="row"|Piano à gogo

|<!-- NO --> 12

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Non Stop Dancing '67/2

|<!-- NO --> 11

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Non Stop Dancing '68

|<!-- NO --> 16

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Non Stop Dancing 10

|<!-- NO --> 10

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Beachparty

|<!-- NO --> 16

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Non Stop Dancing 11

|<!-- NO --> 20

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Classics Up To Date

|<!-- NO --> 21

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Classics Up To Date Vol. 2

|<!-- NO --> 18

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Beachparty 2

|<!-- NO --> 16

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Non Stop Dancing 1972

|<!-- NO --> 12

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Non Stop Dancing 1972 14

|<!-- NO --> 14

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Beachparty 3

|<!-- NO --> 12

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Beachparty 4

|<!-- NO --> 16

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Non Stop Dancing 2/1974

|<!-- NO --> 19

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|In Harmony

|<!-- NO --> 30

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|Music From Across The Way

| —

| —

|<!-- US --> 160

|-

!scope="row"|Russland Erinnerungen

| —

|<!-- SWE --> 43

| —

|-

!scope="row"|The Gentleman of Music

|<!-- NO --> 37

|<!-- SWE --> 19

| —

|}

Singles

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+Chart positions for James Last's singles

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title

! scope="col" colspan="10"| Peak chart positions

|-

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| UK<br/>

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US<br/>AC<br/>

| 2<br>

|-

!scope="row"|"Heart Of Gold"

| —

| —

| —

| 17<br>

|-

!scope="row"|"Washington Square" / "Proud Mary"

| —

|<!-- US AC --> 22

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|"Washington Square"

| —

|<!-- US AC --> 38

| —

| —

|-

!scope="row"|"Seduction (Love Theme)"

| <!-- UK --> 48

| —

| 32<br>

| 36<br>

|}

See also

  • James Last Orchestra

References

  • "Relentlessly happy - James Last at 85". Deutsche welle, 2014-04-16