# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/41 "2012-02-22T20:11:45Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > 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 Or Bobby Vinton’s “My Melody of Love,” sung partly in Polish. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/42 "2012-02-22T20:38:01Z")
No, I will not let you all forget… [Rico Suave](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx64_N4AA04) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/43 "2012-02-22T21:13:06Z")
O-Zone “Dragostea Din Tei” – better known as the [Numa Numa Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHky57VKWTY). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/44 "2012-02-22T21:29:11Z")
[We No Speak Americano.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_No_Speak_Americano) Despite the spanglish (ital-glish?) title, it’s almost totally in Italian, as it’s a recent remix of a 1950s Italian hit, [Tu Vuò Fà L’Americano](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_Vu%C3%B2_F%C3%A0_L%27Americano). ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/45 "2012-02-22T21:47:54Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Did the German version even chart in America? (Or Canada, the UK, or Australia, for that matter?) (It’s Luftballon, btw, just to nitpick.) > [@astorian](#): > > Yes, the German version charted in the USA and reached #2 on the Billboard charts. Nena recorded an English version called “99 Red Balloons,” but while that version reached #1 in England, it never cracked the American charts. The 45 RPM record I bought at the time had both versions, one on each side. (I don’t remember which was “A” and which was “B” though.) And to fit in with **astorian’s** reporting, I remember the German version getting more air play. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/46 "2012-02-22T21:50:46Z")
[Soul Makossa](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2jYjUiulMQ) by Manu Dbango. ---
**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, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/47 "2012-02-22T22:24:36Z")
Is the OP concerned only with songs which are entirely non-English? Because there are lots of pop music hits which are partly or primarily in English with some verses or the chorus in a foreign language. “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby, Stills & Nash comes to mind – as its name suggests, it’s a suite of four parts, with the final part sung in Spanish; it charted at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100. If even briefer foreign-language sections are permitted, then I could submit Beck’s “Loser”: the first line of the chorus is in Spanish, and there’s some German chatter at the end. The song got to #10 on the same chart. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/48 "2012-02-23T00:46:58Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Is the OP concerned only with songs which are entirely non-English? Because there are lots of pop music hits which are partly or primarily in English with some verses or the chorus in a foreign language. “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby, Stills & Nash comes to mind – as its name suggests, it’s a suite of four parts, with the final part sung in Spanish; it charted at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100. If even briefer foreign-language sections are permitted, then I could submit Beck’s “Loser”: the first line of the chorus is in Spanish, and there’s some German chatter at the end. The song got to #10 on the same chart. “Vera Cruz” and “Hula Hula Boys” by Warren Zevon meet that criteria, as does “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads. (Spanish, Hawaiian, and French, respectively) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/49 "2012-02-23T00:55:42Z")
“You Were the One” by Billy Joel is about half French. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/50 "2012-02-23T00:59:34Z")
Michelle - The Beatles ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/51 "2012-02-23T02:16:38Z")
> [@Lunar\_Saltlick](#): > > 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. Maybe it stopped at that position at some point during its chart lifespan, but its actual peak position in Billboard (which is the chart mentioned in Wiki, using a NY Times article as a source) was #58. The album containing the song did also include a track called “69 Année Erotique (69 The Erotic Year).” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/52 "2012-02-23T04:10:11Z")
\*The Witch Doctor \*(partially in English): “Oo ee, oo ah ah Ting tang walla walla, bing bang Oo ee, oo ah ah Ting tang walla walla, bing bang.” And \*Mairzy Doats \*(quasi-English): “Mairzy doats and dozy doats And liddle lamzy divey. A kiddley divey too, Wouldn’t you?” And the Beatles did (among others) \*She Loves You \*and _I Want to Hold Your Hand_ in German. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/53 "2012-02-23T05:03:37Z")
Worth a mention is Pink Martini, an American ensemble that frequently performs in other languages. I’m not sure they ever charted in the US, but songs like “Sympathique” and “Dond’estas Yolanda” got some serious chart action abroad, and were sung in French and Spanish, respectively. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/54 "2012-02-23T15:11:41Z")
I’d forgotten this, but back in 1975, the Captain and Tennille had a huge hit with Neil Sedaka’s “Love Will Keep Us Together.” After it became a hit, Toni Tennille went back to the studio and re-recorded her vocals in Spanish. The song was re-released under the title “Por Amor Viviremos,” and reached #49 on the Billboard charts. ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/55 "2012-02-23T19:32:16Z")
It looks like [Chanson D’Amour](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanson_D%27Amour) charted 3 different times by different artists. (rrra-tata-tata) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/56 "2012-02-23T19:58:44Z")
> [@cantara](#): > > It looks like [Chanson D’Amour](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanson_D%27Amour) charted 3 different times by different artists. (rrra-tata-tata) I’d never heard of it until it was covered on _Are You Being Served?_ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/57 "2012-02-23T20:18:45Z")
Although it doesn’t quite qualify, [Prisencolinensinainciusol](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcUi6UEQh00) deserves an honorable mention. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/58 "2012-02-23T20:45:39Z")
“Sunday Girl” by _Blondie_ (and, I think, also their “Denis, Denis”) has a verse in French. In Britain, _Steeleye Span_ had an Xmas hit with “[Gaudete](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaudete),” which was sung completely in Latin, and _a capella_. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/59 "2012-02-24T00:02:48Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > “Sunday Girl” by _Blondie_ (and, I think, also their “Denis, Denis”) has a verse in French. So does Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mikeargo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@mikeargo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikeargo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582/60 "2012-02-24T00:22:06Z")
Electric Light Orchestra’s “Hold on Tight to Your Dreams” has a verse in French. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pop-music-hits-that-are-not-sung-in-english/613582.md?page=4)