Favourite non-English songs

[64Guitars]

I've been listening to some collections of sixties music and came across several great songs that were sung in a language other than English but were big hits in English-speaking countries. I thought it might make an interesting thread. If anyone can think of any more, please post them.


Kyu Sakamoto - "Sukiyaki" [1961 Japan; 1963 US & UK]
The original title was "Ue o Muite Arukō" which means "I Look Up As I Walk".
I always liked this one. The translated lyrics are interesting too. They're kinda sad, yet the music sounds so happy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C35DrtPlUbc


The Sandpipers - "Guantanamera"  (woman from Guantánamo) [1966]
"One ton of mayo. I need one ton of mayo."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm1anurhbeg


Mocedades - "Eres tú"  (It's You) [1973]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw3tefjW2qg


The Singing Nun - "Dominique" [1963]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIn7YzoXlzE


Nena - "99 Luftballons"  (99 Balloons)  [1983 West Germany; 1984 UK]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lur-SGl3uw8


Domenico Modugno - "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" (In the Sky, Painted Blue (to Fly)) [1958]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4IjJav7xbg


Ritchie Valens - "La Bamba" [1958]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp6j5HJ-Cok


Falco - "Der Kommissar"  (The Commissioner) [1981]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpoNY5hXM2k

Falco - "Rock Me Amadeus" [1985 Germany; 1986 worldwide]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY-W4nUTtZI


This one rocks!
Niagara - "J'ai vu"  (I Saw) [1990]


Enigma - "Sadeness (Part 1)" [1990]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfRAiTtOVEY

[64Guitars]

Everything is Everything - "Witchi Tai To" [1969]
Native American. Based on a peyote song.
Reached #14 on the Toronto CHUM Chart in February 1969.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg9LT4qR_Dw

[Oldrottenhead]

oh dear


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v98HEQvtpgo

[steelguitar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO_dTwr34Uo

Porque te vas, Jeanet.
Song in the movie Cría Cuervos of Carlos Saura (1976). Composed by José Luis Perales (1974)
I love this tune!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLxrrE6wC5I

[steelguitar]

 As said in wikipedia, "Its lyrics show a simple but catchy structure, and it is primarily sung in Spanish but on the chorus French is also spoken"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs6Y4kZ8qtw

Manu Chao, Me gustas tu, in Próxima Estación: Esperanza (2001)

[steelguitar]

A beautyfull russian song...
I learned in school the russian with this song ;-)
Подмосковные Вечера, (Podmoskovnie Vetchera) composed in 1955 by Vassili Soloviov-Sedoï (music) et Mikhaïl Matoussovski (lyrics)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KairmsARpyo

[64Guitars]

Thanks for the posts, Jean-Sébastien. They are good songs but I don't recognize the first three you posted. The idea of this topic is to find non-English songs that had some success in English-speaking countries. I don't think those first three had any success in English-speaking countries. Or did they? I could be wrong.

I do recognize the last one though. It was released as an instrumental by Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen in 1962 under the title "Midnight in Moscow" and had worldwide success. It reached #2 on the US Billboard charts and also on the UK singles chart.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SD6qQWxMrM

[steelguitar]

Thanks for the posts, Jean-Sébastien. They are good songs but I don't recognize the first three you posted. The idea of this topic is to find non-English songs that had some success in English-speaking countries. I don't think those first three had any success in English-speaking countries. Or did they? I could be wrong.

I do recognize the last one though. It was released as an instrumental by Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen in 1962 under the title "Midnight in Moscow" and had worldwide success. It reached #2 on the US Billboard charts and also on the UK singles chart.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SD6qQWxMrM

Ok! Sorry, A misunderstanding coming from me!
Read too much rapidly and did not notice "that had some success in English-speaking countries"  

Me gustas tu : a succes in Spain, Italy, France, Romania, Belgium

Weekly charts[edit]
Chart (2001)   Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[1]   29
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)   11
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)    8
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)   3
France (SNEP)   2
Italy (FIMI)   1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)   28
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)   35
Poland (Polish Singles Chart)   13
Romania (Romanian Top 100)   2
Spain (PROMUSICAE)   1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)   51
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)   11
US Billboard Latin Pop Airplay   27


Porque te vas : Listas de popularidad[editar · editar código]

Chart (1975 - 76- 77)   Máxima
Posición
Alemania Singles Chart   1
Austria Singles Chart   13
EE. UU. Billboard Hot Latin Tracks   1
España Singles Chart   1
Europa Hitchart Top50   24
Francia Singles Chart   1
Finlandia Billboard Hits Of The World   6
Holanda Singles Chart   85
México Billboard Hits Of The World   11
Portugal Billboard Hits Of The World   6
Suiza Singles Chart   4

Chart (2008)   Máxima
Posición
U.S Billboard Latin Pop Songs   28
Chart (2010)   Máxima
Posición
Rolling Stone España (200 mejores)   43
Referencias[editar · editar código]

[bruno]

That Singing Nun is used in American Horror Story - we have been watching that, and it scare the living daylights out of me when it came on :-)

[bruno]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIBeYoP9Wi0