American pop music hits that are not sung in English.

“Informer”? :smiley:

However, the (mostly English) cover version of “Der Kommissar”, by the British group After the Fire, made it to #5 in the U.S.

The Singing Nuns - “Dominique” (1963)

Desi Arnaz, “Babalu”

Nat King Cole, “Quizas, Quizas, Quizas”.

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.

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.

Tequila:slight_smile:

Sadeness”, by Enigma, reached 5th place on the U.S. charts.

OK, now I’m having an early-90’s flashback.

“La vie en rose” by Edith Piaf. Sung in French. Single released in 1947, reached 23 in the USA Top 40, as per Wikipedia.

Neun und neunzig Luftballon, to be precise.

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).

Jose Feliciano – “Feliz Navidad”

Then, of course, there’s “Mah-Na-Mah-Na”…

Except for those two words, that song is entirely in English.

Louie Louie. :wink:

**Autobahn**by Kraftwerk.

I first thought of Tour de France, but it looks like that never charted in the US.

Not quite…there’s also ‘Prospero Año, felicidad’ in there as well :slight_smile:

Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk by Meco. I believe there’s a stirring solo by R2D2 in there somewhere.

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.

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

Of all the jokes in all the world, and you had to steal mine…

It’s not all in French, but *Michelle *by the Beatles…