# Foreign language songs that charted in English speaking countries **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 23, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783 "2018-09-23T14:41:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/1 "2018-09-23T14:41:09Z")
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](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C35DrtPlUbc)**, 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? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/2 "2018-09-23T14:59:05Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/3 "2018-09-23T15:05:04Z")
“Dominique” by the Singing Nun (all in Friench) “Bei Mir Bist Du Schön” by the Andrews Sisters (some Yiddish). ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/4 "2018-09-23T15:06:12Z")
Rammstein’s [Du Hast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3q8Od5qJio) 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](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0) hit number 1 in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and Canada, and #2 in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Sandwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@Sandwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandwood)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/5 "2018-09-23T15:09:32Z")
Falco’s [Rock Me Amadeus](https://youtu.be/cVikZ8Oe_XA) was a number one hit single in both the UK and the US. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/6 "2018-09-23T15:09:32Z")
No one else mentioned “Despacito”? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/7 "2018-09-23T15:26:46Z")
Mocedades’ “Eres tú” charted #9 in the US in 1974. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/8 "2018-09-23T15:45:33Z")
[Dragonstea Den Tei](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragostea_Din_Tei). ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/9 "2018-09-23T15:51:57Z")
Also, [Michelle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_(song)), [Que Serra Serra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Que_Sera,_Sera_(Whatever_Will_Be,_Will_Be)), [Mr. Roboto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Roboto). ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/10 "2018-09-23T15:57:56Z")
From Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > “Oye Como Va” is a song written by Latin jazz and mambo musician Tito Puente in 1963. Mexican-American rock group Santana’s rendition further popularized the song, which reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 11 on the Billboard Easy Listening survey, and number 32 on the R&B chart. ---
**Author:** ![blob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blob/32/489_2.png) [@blob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blob)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/11 "2018-09-23T15:58:24Z")
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. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2018, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/12 "2018-09-23T16:00:20Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > 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. Actually, it’s the German version that charted here (up to #2). I don’t see the English one charting at all. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2018, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/13 "2018-09-23T16:05:40Z")
[Cite for the above](http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/spotlight-0303-2011.aspx) > [@](#): > > “99 Red Balloons” was released in 1984 and took off in both England and America. During that era of MTV, it was common to see both the German and English language versions of the music video in heavy rotation in the U.S., although only the German version charted (hitting #2 on the singles chart). In the U.K., it was the English version that topped the charts for three weeks. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/14 "2018-09-23T16:11:55Z")
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.) ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/15 "2018-09-23T16:16:17Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > “Bei Mir Bist Du Schön” by the Andrews Sisters (some Yiddish). “At my place, you’re beautiful” 🙂 [departs singing “Please let me explön…”] ---
**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:** [September 23, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/16 "2018-09-23T16:20:27Z")
I remember [Una Plamoma Blanca](https://youtu.be/YoQLowFKgpQ) 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](https://youtu.be/8dQUyCkxVI4) 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. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/17 "2018-09-23T16:22:01Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > PSY’s [Gangnam Style](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0) hit number 1 in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and Canada, and #2 in the US. 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.” ---
**Author:** ![blob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blob/32/489_2.png) [@blob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blob)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/18 "2018-09-23T16:22:28Z")
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) ---
**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:** [September 23, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/19 "2018-09-23T16:28:59Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Also, [Michelle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_(song)), [Que Serra Serra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Que_Sera,_Sera_(Whatever_Will_Be,_Will_Be)), [Mr. Roboto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Roboto). If songs like these are foreign language then all bets are off! ---
**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:** [September 23, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783/20 "2018-09-23T16:30:18Z")
> [@blob](#): > > 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) Oh, good one. I didn’t realize _Ça plane pour moi_ charted in the US; looks like it hit #47. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-language-songs-that-charted-in-english-speaking-countries/821783.md?page=2)