# American pop music hits that are not sung in English. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 22, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582 "2012-02-22T02:02:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/21 "2012-02-22T04:25:24Z")
“Informer”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/22 "2012-02-22T04:28:25Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Falco’s peak US chart positions according to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falco_%28musician%29#Singles): > > “Der Kommissar” #72 However, [the (mostly English) cover version of “Der Kommissar”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Kommissar_%28song%29#After_the_Fire_version), by the British group After the Fire, made it to #5 in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/23 "2012-02-22T04:38:47Z")
The Singing Nuns - “_[Dominique](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHhyyRByuJ0)_” (1963) ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/24 "2012-02-22T06:22:49Z")
Desi Arnaz, “Babalu” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rAV3bOJaQuY/hqdefault.jpg "Badass Babalu") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAV3bOJaQuY) Nat King Cole, “Quizas, Quizas, Quizas”. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/habWYM364RA/hqdefault.jpg "YouTube - Quizás Quizás Quizás - Nat King Cole") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=habWYM364RA) Desi Arnaz also recorded that last one - oddly enough, Cole’s version was all in Spanish, Arnaz’s version is in both English & Spanish. I like me some Desi Arnaz. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/25 "2012-02-22T06:46:33Z")
Shakira’s **La Tortura** hit #23 on the Hot 100. Not a chart-burner, but Trio’s **Da Da Da** had two surges of popularity: originally in 1982 (where it hit #33 on the Dance Music/Club Play singles chart) and in the mid-90s, when it became featured in Volkswagen commercials. Trio released a US-only album in 1997 called “Da Da Da” (I assume to capitalize on the resurgence in interest) which peaked at #118. I’m a bit surprised that there doesn’t seem to be any charting of the single, though, from that year. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/26 "2012-02-22T06:51:32Z")
“[Tequila](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequila_%28song%29)” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/27 "2012-02-22T07:35:49Z")
“[Sadeness](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFLRHPUWBI8)”, by Enigma, reached 5th place on the U.S. charts. OK, now I’m having an early-90’s flashback. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/28 "2012-02-22T09:09:19Z")
“La vie en rose” by Edith Piaf. Sung in French. Single released in 1947, reached 23 in the USA Top 40, as per Wikipedia. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/29 "2012-02-22T09:21:58Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > (It’s Luftballon, btw, just to nitpick.) Neun und neunzig Luftballon, to be precise. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/30 "2012-02-22T09:29:48Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Neun und neunzig Luftballon, to be precise. Neun und neunzig Luftballons - there’s more than one of them. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/31 "2012-02-22T10:22:24Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Neun und neunzig Luftballons - there’s more than one of them. If we’re going to pick nits in nits, then I should point out that the word is actually spelled _neunundneunzig_ (though the record title just used digits). ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/32 "2012-02-22T16:55:06Z")
Jose Feliciano – “Feliz Navidad” Then, of course, there’s “[Mah-Na-Mah-Na](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah_N%C3%A0_Mah_N%C3%A0)”… ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/33 "2012-02-22T17:00:19Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Jose Feliciano – “Feliz Navidad” Except for those two words, that song is entirely in English. _Louie Louie_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/34 "2012-02-22T17:28:41Z")
\*\*[Autobahn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahn_%28song%29)\*\*by Kraftwerk. I first thought of **[Tour de France](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_France_%28song%29)**, but it looks like that never charted in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/35 "2012-02-22T17:34:53Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Except for those two words, that song is entirely in English. Not quite…there’s also ‘Prospero Año, felicidad’ in there as well 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/36 "2012-02-22T17:56:10Z")
_Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk_ by Meco. I believe there’s a stirring solo by R2D2 in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/37 "2012-02-22T18:21:14Z")
I think it highly unlikely, but Wikipedia says that _Je t’aime, moi non plus_ reached number 69 on some US chart back in the sixties. I don’t think the song made much of a splash in the States… but wasn’t it used in a commercial or something? I didn’t live in the States that long, and I don’t really recall. You heard it in Canada fairly often – still hear it occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/38 "2012-02-22T18:21:53Z")
There are several songs that are sung mostly in English, but with a verse or phrase in another language, such as: Before the Next Teardrop Falls - Freddy Fender Lady Marmalade - Patti LaBelle ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/39 "2012-02-22T18:43:42Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > “Informer”? 😃 Of all the jokes in all the world, and you had to steal mine… ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/40 "2012-02-22T18:53:31Z")
It’s not all in French, but \*Michelle \*by the Beatles… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582.md?page=3)