Songs In Another Language #MusicMovesMe #blogboost

It's Monday and you know what that means! It's time for Music!

Who are the #MusicMovesMe bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only,  please! Non-music posts are subject to removal or labeling as "No Music".)   First, there is XmasDolly.  Her chief co-conductor is Cathy of Curious as a Cathy. Her other co-conductors are Stacy of Stacy Uncorked, and me.

This month, our guest conductor is Songbird from Songbird's Crazy World, and she has declared "You Pick".  We get to pick what we choose, and (inspired by a song from last week's post)  I am picking songs in foreign languages that have become hits, or at least well known, here in the United States.  My ceriteria:  the songs can have some English, but most of the song must be in another language.  And, it could have become a hit in English, but I am going to feature the original foreign language version (with one exception).

First, from my childhood, a song called Volare.  Originally an Italian song, which was called "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blue. Here's the version from 1958, sung by Domenico Modugno, with a translation on the screen.  It's been covered by so many singers.

Now it's time for some dancing. Psy's Gagnam Style became a hit in 2012.  The majority of the song is in Korean but you are so busy dancing, no one cared.

A Cuban song, Guantanamera, became a hit in 1966 as sung by The Sandpipers.

From 1913, a Peruvian instrumental called El Condor Pasa was written.  From what I can tell this recording in 1963 by Los Incos may have introduced it to our country (maybe it was even before then).   I'm going to make an exception here and include both their version and the version better known today - a mini "battle of the bands".

In 1970, Simon and Garfunkel recorded the song with English lyrics.  Today, the song is considered a second Peruvian national anthem.

From 1963, Sukiyaki (Ue o Muite Arukō) sung by Kyu Sakamoto. 

In our country, the song was called "Sukiyaki" because that word was familiar to American, not because it had anything to do with the delicious food dish.   Sadly, Sakamoto died, at the age of 43, in the August 1985 crash of JAL flight 123, the worst (by number of dead) aviation accident in history.

From 1986 - Rock Me Amadeus - Falco.  Sure, there are some English words sprinkled here and there (and there was an English version of the song) but this song, sung in German, managed to make it to #1 on our Billboard charts.

Speaking of Falco, I can't resist including another of his hit songs, Der Kommissar, released in 1981.  It didn't chart that high in the United States, but a cover (sung by After the Fire in English) was a hit in 1983.

There are so many more but maybe I'll save them for another time.

BONUS - remember the song Yuve Yuve Yu by the Mongolian group The Hu I featured last week?  Here's another one of their songs called Wolf Totem, also in Mongolian using their throat singing technique.  It doesn't have a spectacular video but - oh, how I love this kind of singing.   In fact, I've nearly demolished my mouse as I've caught myself whacking my mouse against my desk keeping the rhythm.

Speaking of Yuve Yuve Yu - it's been released again, this time with a vocal by an English speaking rocker.  Personally I don't like it, but you may want to check it out and check it out for yourself.

And that is a wrap.

You know the drill - same time next week, same place, for Music Moves Me!