“Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Taco Lyrics Meaning
“Puttin’ on the Ritz” is a classic song that has withstood the test of time. Although its meaning and lyrics have been modified throughout the ages, the track is primarily about dressing fashionably. In other words,“puttin’ on the Ritz” is an old-school colloquial term which translates to wearing expensive, attractive clothes. Indeed “the Ritz” referred to in the title is the Ritz-Carlton Hotels, a chain of high-end hospitality establishments that have now been around for over 100 years.
This song also speaks of the empowering effect of going all out with your dress code. For instance, those who put on the Ritz are confident enough to walk the streets with “their noses in the air”. They also have the opportunity to mingle with high society, like the Rockefellers. This lifestyle is accentuated by having bankroll and not being afraid to ’spend every dime for a wonderful time’. Indeed if a person is feeling “blue”, his or her depression can be alleviated through high fashion.
To put it differently, “Puttin’ on the Ritz” more or less serves as a predecessor for songs which advocate being explosively dapper and carefree financially which dominate the music industry in the present day.
Facts about “Puttin’ On the Ritz”
- Taco didn’t write this song. As a matter of fact, the song was not even originally released by him.
- Who then wrote “Puttin’ On the Ritz”? We hear you ask! Well, the song was written by the iconic American songwriter Irving Berlin. Berlin wrote this classic in 1927.
- A number of versions of this song came out before Taco’s famous version. One such notable version was released in 1930 by American actor and singer Fred Astaire.
- Taco released his version in 1982. It went on to become the most successful version of all. It was a hit across the globe.
- Record producer David Parker produced Taco’s version of this song.
- Taco’s cover of this song can be found on his 1982 album titled After Eight.
- This song is Taco’s biggest hit to date.
- Berlin wrote this song before Taco was born. Taco, whose full name is Taco Ockerse, was born on July 21, 1955 in Jakarta, Indonesia. On the other hand, the song was birthed in 1929.
How did Taco’s “Puttin’ on the Ritz” perform on the charts?
It was massively successful. It reached number 1 in multiple countries, including Sweden. On the US Billboard Hot 100, it made it all the way to number 4. This feat made Irving Berlin (the writer of the song) the world’s oldest living songwriter to ever have a song enter the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Berlin was 95 years old at that time.
After “Puttin’ On the Ritz”, Taco was unable to achieve any other hit song in America. Actually, throughout his career, that was the only song of his that became a hit in the aforementioned country. Owing to this, it occupies a prominent spot in the list of one-hit wonders of the 1980s in the United States.
Did Taco shoot a music video for “Puttin’ on the Ritz”?
Yes, he did. However, that video was extremely controversial since it featured Caucasians in blackface. This led to the video being banned. Owing to the controversy and ban, Taco’s label RCA released a modified version of the video. Interestingly enough, that version still contained some blackface characters.
Which movies has “Puttin’ on the Ritz” appeared in?
It has appeared in such films as 1999’s Baby Geniuses and 2013’s The Call.
Did You Know?:
The first film to feature this song was a musical film titled Puttin’ On the Ritz. This film was released in 1930 and stars the likes of Joan Bennett and Harry Richman.
American singer and actor Harry Richman was the first person to perform this song. He did so in 1930. Since then, it has been covered by numerous artists, most notably Taco. For example, in 2013, English singer Robbie Williams also released his version of the song.
Frankenstein also sang and danced to this at the end of Mel Brook’s movie Young Frankenstein. Excellent rendition!