Songs that became hits in America sung in a foreign language

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Jun 8, 2003.

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  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Songs that became hits in American sung in a foreign language

    Can you name some?

    El Watusi

    Stuff like that.

    The Singing Nun.

    Can you list some more?
     
  2. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    La Bamba...
     
  3. AudioGirl

    AudioGirl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    1. 99 LuftBallons
    2. Sukiyaki (sp?)
     
  4. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    "Duh, nuh, nuh,nuh,nuh,nuh,nuh - Tequilla!!!!"
     
  5. Roland Stone

    Roland Stone Offending Member

    How about all that French cooing at the end of Rod Stewart[/bn]'s "Tonight's the Night"?
     
  6. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    For all intents and purposes, Paralyzed by The Lonesome Stardust Cowboy sounds like it's somone speaking in tongues...
     
  7. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Quando Calinte El Sol? (Love Me With All Your Heart). Who sang that?
     
  8. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    Did Sie Liebt Dich und Komm Gib Mir Diene Hand do any charting here???
     
  9. AudioEnz

    AudioEnz Senior Member

    How about Downunder by Men At Work?

    Some of the references (Vegemite f'rinstance) must have seemed like a foreign language to most Americans.:D
     
  10. Jimbo

    Jimbo Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Zero/Zero Island
    Volare--Dominico Modungo
    Rock Me Amadeus--Falco
    Sailor--Lolita
    Oye Como Va--Santana
    Macarena--Los Del Rio
    Ca Plane Pour Moi--Plastique Bertrand
     
  11. Ed Bishop

    Ed Bishop Incredibly, I'm still here

    :rolleyes:

    Dr.Tim will do better, but for now:

    KYU SAKAMOTO: Sukiyaki

    THE SINGING NUN: Dominique

    RAY BARRETTO: El Watusi

    RITCHIE VALENS: La Bamba

    RENE & RENE: Lo Mucho Te Que Quiero

    JANE BIRKIN & SERGE GAINSBOURG: Je T'Aime(Moi Non Plus)

    DOMENICO MODUGNO: Volare(Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu)

    JOE CUBA, "El Pito" and "Bang, Bang"

    KINGSMEN, "Louie, Louie":D (sorry, had to add that)


    For now...

    ED:cool:
     
  12. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Experts, who sang that song "Sole Sole Sole" on Jubilee records and what language was it? I used to have the 45 but not any more.
     
  13. AudioGirl

    AudioGirl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Lady Marmalade by LaBelle... :)
     
  14. audio

    audio New Member

    Location:
    guyana
    "Michelle"-Beatles
     
  15. AudioGirl

    AudioGirl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    How 'bout "Jennifer Juniper" by Donovan? (at least partially).:p
     
  16. Jimbo

    Jimbo Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Zero/Zero Island
    Steve: According to Joel Whitburn's book, it was the duo of Siw Malmkvist and Umberto Marcato--she was Swedish, he was Italian. Hit #58 in 1964. Judging by the title, sounds Italian.
     
  17. Jimbo

    Jimbo Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Zero/Zero Island
    Autobahn--Kraftwerk
    My Melody of Love--Bobby Vinton (partly sung in Polish)
     
  18. Ed Bishop

    Ed Bishop Incredibly, I'm still here

    "Al-Di-La"--Emilio Pericoli

    Some Connnie Francis material

    "Sole Sole Sole"--Siw Malmkvist & Umberto Marcato (US version on CD, please, somebody?)

    Desmond Dekker & The Aces: Israelites (It's english, but you gotta get the patois groove right to get it)

    ED:cool:
     
  19. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    How about that Louis Prima song?
     
  20. Ed Bishop

    Ed Bishop Incredibly, I'm still here

    The former, yes; the latter, not released on 45.

    ED:cool:
     
  21. Jimbo

    Jimbo Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Zero/Zero Island
    Soul Makossa--Manu Dibango
    Pata Pata--Miriam Makeba
     
  22. Ed Bishop

    Ed Bishop Incredibly, I'm still here

    Agreed! Poor guy...and produced by T-Bone Burnett, even....BTW, that's the LEGENDARY Stardust Cowboy, Indy(how lonesome he is, who can say?) ;) :D Been said he's still around and active, too...

    ED:cool:
     
  23. billh

    billh Senior Member

    Location:
    Orange County, CA

    Wasn't it the Ray Charles Singers?
     
  24. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    I thought they sang it in English. There were two versions....
     
  25. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    That's a good one, Ed.

    I can't think of a complete foreign language song, other than a few previously mentioned.

    How about "Je N'Regret Rien" - Edith Piaf?

    I bet there were some foreign language hits between the wars, but my mind is blank.

    If we widen the net to songs with a verse in a foreign language (as some have already done), there is Elvis with his German wooden heart. And I guess it wasn't a hit in the USA, but Brian Ferry sings in French on "Song For Europe". Must be more.

    Looking at the other side, it would be hard to top Connie Francis ("Lipstick on Your Collar, Gonna Tell on You..."). Connie had a real affinity for foreign languages and topped the charts simultaneously in 9 different languages.

    Regards,
    Geoff
     
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