# American songs with foreign lines? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-songs-with-foreign-lines/298333 "2005-04-08T03:25:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-songs-with-foreign-lines/298333/81 "2005-04-11T14:13:28Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I don’t know about radio airplay, but it was an early staple on MTV. That explains why I hadn’t heard it until 2002. We didn’t get cable until 1984, 2 years after Falco released _Der Kommissar_ and long after they would have stopped playing it. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-songs-with-foreign-lines/298333/82 "2005-04-12T02:21:47Z")
> [@Sublight](#): > “The Hula Hula Boys” (Hawaiian, though may be fake) by Warren Zevon [/quote] Actually, the chorus is Hawaiian. Translated, it means “Sing the Chorus”. Heh. Actually, Zevon has tons of foreign language snippets in his songs. Some examples: **Turbulence** - singing in Russian. **Veracruz** - The bridge is in Spanish. **Leave my Monkey Alone** - African? **El Amor De Mi Vida** - Italian? **Laissez-Moi Tranquille** - French I think I’m missing a couple of others. ---
**Author:** ![marky33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@marky33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marky33)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-songs-with-foreign-lines/298333/83 "2005-04-12T10:02:29Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > Hmmm… none of these are American, however, gained some (though a couple are minor) popularity in the US: > > Pet Shop Boys - Se A Vida E (That’s the Way Life Is) (Spanish?) > Air - Sexy Boy (French) Air **are** French so I think that one fails the “foreign language” requirement. \*\*Faith No More’s \*\* Carahlo Voador contains the (Spanish?) lyric: Eô non posso dirigir E agora a pares Neô dedu indehado No neô naris Plus, Evidence, from the same album, \*\*King For A Day …, \*\* has a Spanish version: Si te quieres esconder Dobla tu cuerpo y ahi esta Las circunstancias se quedan atras Toda evidencia se sabra Hay que borrar Borrala Evidence Evidence Evidence Got a taste of evidence No quise ni sentir Vivir para mentir Confesaras la verdad No quise ni sentir Hablas por hablar Tu eres culpable Las manos arriba Sentiras la nada La nada Evidence Evidence Evidence Got a taste of evidence No quise ni sentir Vivir para mentir Confesaras la verdad No quise ni sentir ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-songs-with-foreign-lines/298333/84 "2005-04-12T10:16:41Z")
> [@marky33](#): > > \*\*Faith No More’s \*\* Carahlo Voador contains the (Spanish?) lyric: > > Eô non posso dirigir > E agora a pares > Neô dedu indehado > No neô naris Actually it’s Portuguese, and the correct lyrics are: Eu não posso dirigir E agora aparece Meu dedo interrado No meu nariz Which means: I can’t drive And now it seems My finger is Stuck up my nose Also, “Caralho Voador” means “Flying Scrotum”, but I think “Flying Asshat” is probably closer to it’s intended meaning. ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-songs-with-foreign-lines/298333/85 "2005-04-12T11:15:01Z")
James Taylor “Chanson Francaise” Billy Joel “C’etait toi” And a whole bunch of songs in Cajun French from New Orleans and vicinity, like “Laissez les bon temps roulez” (Let the good times roll). ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-songs-with-foreign-lines/298333/86 "2005-04-13T17:31:06Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Caress Me Down by Sublime > > No, I do not know the lyrics, but I’m sure they’re dirty. My spanish is pretty rusty but a few of the items i picked up from the song: Something about panties (chones) No chingo por dinero (I don’t f\*@k for money) cuz you know i’m a star. And other uses of Me Gusto (i like), and other things. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-songs-with-foreign-lines/298333/87 "2005-04-13T17:32:58Z")
> [@Iacob\_Matthew](#): > > _The Pixies_’ “Debaser” has an almost nonsense English French/Spanish mixture- > “I am un chien Andalusia” Actually this is because most of the song is inspired by the Salvadore Dali movie Un Chien Andelou (the Andelusian Dog). Hence the line “I’m slicing up eyeballs AH HA HA HA” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-songs-with-foreign-lines/298333.md?page=4)