Foreign language songs that charted in English speaking countries

Cafe Society
#1

I mean charted at all, not just the hits. The one-hit wonders thread got me thinking about this. Since there probably aren’t a ton of songs that were completely in another language, let’s include songs that were only partially in, say, French, or even only included a line or two in another language. Include a link, if you think it’s appropriate.

A few obvious ones completely in another language:

La Bamba, both by Richie Valens and Los Lobos (#1 for both)
Oye Como Va, Santana (#13)

One that I mentioned in that other thread:

Sukiyaki, Kyu Sakamoto (a megahit all over the world)

An example of one that is mostly in another language (Portuguese) would be
The Girl From Ipanema, Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto (hit #5 on the US pop charts)

An example of a song that only had a couple of lines (French):

Lady Marmalade, Labelle (#1 in the US and Canada)

What have you?

#2

The English version of 99 Luftballoons charted in the US as 99 Red balloons. However, the original German version seems to have become way more popular ever since.

#3

“Dominique” by the Singing Nun (all in Friench)
“Bei Mir Bist Du Schön” by the Andrews Sisters (some Yiddish).

#4

Rammstein’s Du Hast hit #2 in Canada, #20 in the US, and cracked the top-100 in Australia. (There is a (mostly) English-language version - You Hate Me - but it’s the original German version that charted. You Hate Me was never released as a single, AFAIK.)

Jose Feliciano’s Feliz Navidad (no link, I’m not evil) charted in several English-speaking countries. (Managed to make #44 in the US last year, for some reason.)

PSY’s Gangnam Style hit number 1 in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and Canada, and #2 in the US.

#5

Falco’s Rock Me Amadeus was a number one hit single in both the UK and the US.

#6

No one else mentioned “Despacito”?

#7

Mocedades’ “Eres tú” charted #9 in the US in 1974.

#8

Dragonstea Den Tei.

#9

Also, Michelle, Que Serra Serra, Mr. Roboto.

#10

From Wikipedia:

#11

Je t’aime Jane Birkin
Volare Domenico Modugno
Plaisir D’Amour, can’t remember who by, it’s a french version of that song that Elvis did, Can’t help falling in love with you.

#12

Actually, it’s the German version that charted here (up to #2). I don’t see the English one charting at all.

#13

Cite for the above

#14

If we’re just including a line or two, then we have stuff like Abba’s “Voulez-vous,” and “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi” in a number of places, but, perhaps most famously in Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” (or one of the covers.)

#15

“At my place, you’re beautiful” :slight_smile:

[departs singing “Please let me explön…”]

#16

I remember Una Plamoma Blanca getting radio play on English radio when I was a kid. And this version. In Spanish. But after very little research, I have found out that the original song is in English, sung by a Dutch group.

Bamboleo made it to 6 in the urban charts, I think.

Many, many of the songs I remember as charting in Spanish are actually Spanglish. If you are looking for songs that mix English with a foreign language, the list is endless.

#17

Yeah, there was a period there of about a summer or so where you just couldn’t get away from Gangnam Style here in the US (especially if you went to weddings.) Can’t believe how quickly I forgot about it. PSY’s “Gentleman” also charted here (looks like it hit #5), but didn’t have the cultural impact of “Gangnam Style.”

#18

oh, and Ca plan pour moi by Plastic Bertrand (I don’t know how to do a cedilla on this keyboard, cedilla under the C)

#19

If songs like these are foreign language then all bets are off!

#20

Oh, good one. I didn’t realize Ça plane pour moi charted in the US; looks like it hit #47.