Interesting topic. Came up with this on google;
1 JE T'AIME... MOI NON PLUS JANE BIRKIN AND SERGE GAINSBOURG 1969
2 THE KETCHUP SONG (ASEREJE) LAS KETCHUP 2002
3 WE NO SPEAK AMERICANO YOLANDA BE COOL VS D CUP 2010
4 GUANTANAMERA SANDPIPERS 1966
5 DRAGOSTEA DIN TEI O-ZONE 2004
6 MACARENA LOS DEL RIO 1996
7 LAMBADA KAOMA 1989
8 CHANSON D'AMOUR MANHATTAN TRANSFER 1977
9 TOUR DE FRANCE KRAFTWERK 1983
10 BEGIN THE BEGUINE (VOLVER A EMPEZAR) JULIO IGLESIAS 1981
top 10 foriegn language songs in the UK.
Here's the same list for the US:
1. Macarena - Los Del Rio #1 1994
2. La Bamba - Los Lobos #1 1987
3. Rock Me Amadeus - Falco #1 1985
4. Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto #1 1963
5. Dominique - Singing Nun #1 1963
6. Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu - Domenico Modungo #1 1958
7. Gangnam Style - Psy #2 2012
8. 99 Luftballons - Nena #2 1982
9. Sadness Pt 1 - Enigma #5 1991
10. Sailor - Lolita #5 1960
That's Song - Artist #Peak Chart Position Year
edit: it's interesting that both the original Macarena and the Bayside Boys Mix (which added some english lyrics) hit #1 in the US.. while everywhere else, only the remix charted.
In the mid 80s there was a few top 20 hits from Europe with songs like Joe La Taxi, Voyage Vovage and im Nin'alu Think that's how you spell it but those song hardly get played on the radio anymore.
Roxette was from Europe and had a number of good top 20 hits in the early 90s and sang in English.
In the mid 80s there was a few top 20 hits from Europe with songs like Joe La Taxi, Voyage Vovage and im Nin'alu Think that's how you spell it but those song hardly get played on the radio anymore.
Roxette was from Europe and had a number of good top 20 hits in the early 90s and sang in English.
Darren
Yes I remember that! By Ofra Haza I think and the song was in Hebrew.
Again from memory, a hit in late spring 1988, along with Joe Le Taxi and Voyage Voyage! It is quite strange how those three hits came along at once.... And then, not much at all!
Yes I remember that! By Ofra Haza I think and the song was in Hebrew.
Again from memory, a hit in late spring 1988, along with Joe Le Taxi and Voyage Voyage! It is quite strange how those three hits came along at once.... And then, not much at all!
That Ofra Haza track was sampled in the Coldcut remix of Eric B & Rakim's 'Paid In Full' which was a hit in 1987.
I preferred 'Voyage Voyage' to 'Joe le Taxi' personally. There are lots of French pop hits from the 80s that I can remember, but I couldn't tell you who they were by or what they were called. It comes with the territory: DXing in the 80s!
Interesting topic. Came up with this on google;
1 JE T'AIME... MOI NON PLUS JANE BIRKIN AND SERGE GAINSBOURG 1969
2 THE KETCHUP SONG (ASEREJE) LAS KETCHUP 2002
3 WE NO SPEAK AMERICANO YOLANDA BE COOL VS D CUP 2010
4 GUANTANAMERA SANDPIPERS 1966
5 DRAGOSTEA DIN TEI O-ZONE 2004
6 MACARENA LOS DEL RIO 1996
7 LAMBADA KAOMA 1989
8 CHANSON D'AMOUR MANHATTAN TRANSFER 1977
9 TOUR DE FRANCE KRAFTWERK 1983
10 BEGIN THE BEGUINE (VOLVER A EMPEZAR) JULIO IGLESIAS 1981
top 10 foriegn language songs in the UK.
Ironically, wonder if Asereje would have been so popular had it been in english? I recall the video had the spanish words so kids could sing along to it?
Also Russiand TATU were at No1 so long some stations started playing the Ya Soshla S Uma version rather than All The Things She Said for a bit of variety.
Was 99 Luftballons released in german before the english release here?
Also recall "Voyage Voyage" (Marlene Farmer/Kate Ryan/Desireless) was a hit after being played on the BBC's Travel Show, and Kate Ryan must have charted with Libertine (which again, was on the video channels in French - Kate's Belgian of course!) - and maybe even Ella Elle L'a (videos again).
Always find it funny The Ketchup Song gets included on these lists because it has hardly any Spanish in it. The verses are mostly English and the chorus is complete gibberish.
I'll never forget hearing Fela Kuti played on Kiss FM one lunchtime while it was still a pirate.
With that in mind I did a comparemyraodio search for Fela and found that 6Music played him just twice in the past month. Which is a lot less than he deserves.
What did amaze me is that Radio 1 played his son Femi Kuti once in the past 30 days (and 6 Music played him twice). So that's five plays for some classic Afrobeat in the past month, though I suspect none of it them was during daytimes.
I'll never forget hearing Fela Kuti played on Kiss FM one lunchtime while it was still a pirate.
With that in mind I did a comparemyraodio search for Fela and found that 6Music played him just twice in the past month. Which is a lot less than he deserves.
What did amaze me is that Radio 1 played his son Femi Kuti once in the past 30 days (and 6 Music played him twice). So that's five plays for some classic Afrobeat in the past month, though I suspect none of it them was during daytimes.
The comment about the rules on french language songs on radio in france has reminded me of a good april fool a few years ago when a station down here said that they now had to play a quota of foreign language music becasue of the EU. There were foreign versions of well known songs including Robbie Williams as well as a childrens song that was number 1 across europe at the time. And je t'aime got played too!
The comment about the rules on french language songs on radio in france has reminded me of a good april fool a few years ago when a station down here said that they now had to play a quota of foreign language music becasue of the EU. There were foreign versions of well known songs including Robbie Williams as well as a childrens song that was number 1 across europe at the time. And je t'aime got played too!
The comment about the rules on french language songs on radio in france has reminded me of a good april fool a few years ago when a station down here said that they now had to play a quota of foreign language music becasue of the EU. There were foreign versions of well known songs including Robbie Williams as well as a childrens song that was number 1 across europe at the time. And je t'aime got played too!
It can only improve stations like Heart and Smooth Radio!
Genevieve Tudor's Sunday Folk on Radio Shropshire, Radio Stoke (DAB only) and Radio Hereford & Worcester for 2 hours at 6pm on Sundays sometimes plays foreign language folk and world music tracks.
But if you really want a great round the world listen it has to be World on 3 at 11pm Friday nights. However I wish it was on earlier or in the daytime and not scheduled for the late night graveyard slot.
There is not much else in England. However, RTE in Ireland plays more on programs such as An Ghealach Ghorm on Saturday nights for 3 hours.
Genevieve Tudor's Sunday Folk on Radio Shropshire, Radio Stoke (DAB only) and Radio Hereford & Worcester for 2 hours at 6pm on Sundays sometimes plays foreign language folk and world music tracks.
We used to have some very good world music programmes in London. GLR had a show on Sunday afternoons presented by Jo Shinner (whatever happened to her?). But the godfather of world music was Charlie Gillett, who spent time at both the BBC and Capital, playing everything from cajun rock to African pop (as well as discovering Dire Straits).
Gillett's influence was incredible when you think about it. He'd play a song in Arabic by a Sudanese singer one weekend and a few weeks later the same singer would play a sold-out gig with Londoners dancing in the aisles. London's airwaves haven't been the same since he died.
He played World Music on Capital? Wow, what a long way that station has come (in the wrong direction!!)
Someone mentioned Sadeness Part I by Enigma earlier in the thread, which has lyrics in Latin and French. If I remember correctly, Charlie Gillett was told to play it by Capital as it was a more commercial "world music" song than his usual playlist. He disagreed and though he did play it, that was one of the reasons he left the station, to be replaced by a more conventional pop show.
Interesting topic. Came up with this on google;
1 JE T'AIME... MOI NON PLUS JANE BIRKIN AND SERGE GAINSBOURG 1969
2 THE KETCHUP SONG (ASEREJE) LAS KETCHUP 2002
3 WE NO SPEAK AMERICANO YOLANDA BE COOL VS D CUP 2010
4 GUANTANAMERA SANDPIPERS 1966
5 DRAGOSTEA DIN TEI O-ZONE 2004
6 MACARENA LOS DEL RIO 1996
7 LAMBADA KAOMA 1989
8 CHANSON D'AMOUR MANHATTAN TRANSFER 1977
9 TOUR DE FRANCE KRAFTWERK 1983
10 BEGIN THE BEGUINE (VOLVER A EMPEZAR) JULIO IGLESIAS 1981
top 10 foriegn language songs in the UK.
Ironically, wonder if Asereje would have been so popular had it been in english? I recall the video had the spanish words so kids could sing along to it?
Also Russiand TATU were at No1 so long some stations started playing the Ya Soshla S Uma version rather than All The Things She Said for a bit of variety.
Was 99 Luftballons released in german before the english release here?
Also recall "Voyage Voyage" (Marlene Farmer/Kate Ryan/Desireless) was a hit after being played on the BBC's Travel Show, and Kate Ryan must have charted with Libertine (which again, was on the video channels in French - Kate's Belgian of course!) - and maybe even Ella Elle L'a (videos again).
No Plastic Bertrand? Both sides are superb!
Probably the best foreign language song ever. Fortunately I had a Mauritian flatmate who translated it for me.
Comments
Here's the same list for the US:
1. Macarena - Los Del Rio #1 1994
2. La Bamba - Los Lobos #1 1987
3. Rock Me Amadeus - Falco #1 1985
4. Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto #1 1963
5. Dominique - Singing Nun #1 1963
6. Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu - Domenico Modungo #1 1958
7. Gangnam Style - Psy #2 2012
8. 99 Luftballons - Nena #2 1982
9. Sadness Pt 1 - Enigma #5 1991
10. Sailor - Lolita #5 1960
That's Song - Artist #Peak Chart Position Year
edit: it's interesting that both the original Macarena and the Bayside Boys Mix (which added some english lyrics) hit #1 in the US.. while everywhere else, only the remix charted.
Roxette was from Europe and had a number of good top 20 hits in the early 90s and sang in English.
Darren
Yes I remember that! By Ofra Haza I think and the song was in Hebrew.
Again from memory, a hit in late spring 1988, along with Joe Le Taxi and Voyage Voyage!
I listen to Chante France, totally French playlist. Mostly older hits, some new ones.
90.9 in Paris, online and on Astra 19.2.
Great station!
That Ofra Haza track was sampled in the Coldcut remix of Eric B & Rakim's 'Paid In Full' which was a hit in 1987.
I preferred 'Voyage Voyage' to 'Joe le Taxi' personally. There are lots of French pop hits from the 80s that I can remember, but I couldn't tell you who they were by or what they were called. It comes with the territory: DXing in the 80s!
Always find it funny The Ketchup Song gets included on these lists because it has hardly any Spanish in it. The verses are mostly English and the chorus is complete gibberish.
With that in mind I did a comparemyraodio search for Fela and found that 6Music played him just twice in the past month. Which is a lot less than he deserves.
What did amaze me is that Radio 1 played his son Femi Kuti once in the past 30 days (and 6 Music played him twice). So that's five plays for some classic Afrobeat in the past month, though I suspect none of it them was during daytimes.
That had quite a lot of lyrics in English anyway.
The original of Jai ho, without a puusy cat doll in sight, is my favourite non English hit of recent years. ..
Fela Kuti was played yesterday on Ratcliffe and Maconie, click on the song title and it tells you the show.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/6514cffa-fbe0-4965-ad88-e998ead8a82a
That's good to know. I've often heard Fela, Seun or Femi Kuti on French stations during the daytime but not on UK radio (apart from pirates).
Don't give those idiots in Brussels ideas!
It can only improve stations like Heart and Smooth Radio!
Genevieve Tudor's Sunday Folk on Radio Shropshire, Radio Stoke (DAB only) and Radio Hereford & Worcester for 2 hours at 6pm on Sundays sometimes plays foreign language folk and world music tracks.
But if you really want a great round the world listen it has to be World on 3 at 11pm Friday nights. However I wish it was on earlier or in the daytime and not scheduled for the late night graveyard slot.
There is not much else in England. However, RTE in Ireland plays more on programs such as An Ghealach Ghorm on Saturday nights for 3 hours.
We used to have some very good world music programmes in London. GLR had a show on Sunday afternoons presented by Jo Shinner (whatever happened to her?). But the godfather of world music was Charlie Gillett, who spent time at both the BBC and Capital, playing everything from cajun rock to African pop (as well as discovering Dire Straits).
Gillett's influence was incredible when you think about it. He'd play a song in Arabic by a Sudanese singer one weekend and a few weeks later the same singer would play a sold-out gig with Londoners dancing in the aisles. London's airwaves haven't been the same since he died.
Someone mentioned Sadeness Part I by Enigma earlier in the thread, which has lyrics in Latin and French. If I remember correctly, Charlie Gillett was told to play it by Capital as it was a more commercial "world music" song than his usual playlist. He disagreed and though he did play it, that was one of the reasons he left the station, to be replaced by a more conventional pop show.
No Plastic Bertrand? Both sides are superb!
Probably the best foreign language song ever. Fortunately I had a Mauritian flatmate who translated it for me.