Name songs that were a hit in the US that are entirely not in English

[LI SNOWBIRD]

I'll start
The Singing Nun - Dominique https://youtu.be/EO7cD6qmydo

[Marvic 1]

How about - La Bamba -
.......... I'm not a Sailor, I'm a Captain...

[Ecuadog]

Nel Blu, Dipinto di Blu

[New Englander]

Sukiyaki, sung by Kyu Sakamoto

Sukiyaki (Ue o Muite Arukou) - Kyu Sakamoto (English Translation and Lyrics) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C35DrtPlUbc)

[LiverpoolWalrus]

Komm Gibb Mir Deine Hand / Sie Liebt Dich, the Beatles
Sukiyaki, Kyu Sakomoto
Pata Pata, Miriam Makeba

...come right to mind

[LiverpoolWalrus]

Then there's this gem, which wasn't released in the US, but was performed by a band that is/was huge in the US, and deserves special mention in my humble opinion:

Rolling Stones(italian version)As tears go by... - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG8y5x11IA8)

[Jayhawk]

ma belle amie

Tee-Set

TEE-SET - MA BELLE AMIE - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bioah3q7JOk)

[LiverpoolWalrus]

ma belle amie

Tee-Set

TEE-SET - MA BELLE AMIE - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bioah3q7JOk)

If we're going to include songs partly in a foreign language like Ma Belle Amie, then I'll throw in the Beatles' Michelle

[LiverpoolWalrus]

99 Luftballoons, Nena

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Some songs that weren't "entirely" not in English but were focused on something not in English

Michelle - the Beatles (French + English)
Kyrie Eleison - Mr. Mister (Latin + English)
Volare - Dean Martin (English + Italian)
In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel (English + Wolof)
Mea Culpa - Enigma (French, English, and Latin)

[Jayhawk]

If we're going to include songs partly in a foreign language like Ma Belle Amie...........

That was the request, you know?

:rolleyes:

[LiverpoolWalrus]

That was the request, you know?

:rolleyes:

I thought I read "...that are entirely not in English." And the example OP started with was a song entirely in French.

Hmmm. Now that I think of it, it could be ambiguous. Songs that are entirely not in English to me means the whole song is not in English. But if it's interpreted as "songs that are not entirely in English," then Ma Belle Amie and songs like OBB's In Your Eyes are valid. But for what it's worth, the question was phrased "entirely not in English."

Perhaps OP will clarify.

[Marvic 1]

How about - La Bamba -
.......... I'm not a Sailor, I'm a Captain...

It's been 3 hours and I'm still humming La Bamba.......... ........... HELP!:MOJE_whot:

[Buckeyephan]

Wooden Heart by Elvis
My Melody of Love by Bobby Vinton

[mamamia54]

Pepino the Italian Mouse - Lou Monte

[Boomer]

“C’est si bon” (Eartha Kitt)

[MFronsee]

Macarena
La Bamba

[matandch]

Another partial:
Hold on Tight by ELO

[Sandy and Ed]

Mas que nada by Jorge Ben made popular by Sergio Mendez

[MandoMan]

Besame Mucho.

[SuzyQtoo]

Oye Como Va
Voulez vous coucher avec moi

[collector0915]

Remember These? "Guantanamera" The Sandpipers ('66)

"Eres Tu" Mocedades ('74)

[runkcrun]

I'll go with "entirely not" meaning some English, some foreign words...

Michelle - The Beatles, first came to mind, which has already been mentioned.
Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) - Doris Day
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi - Lady Marmalade, Christina Aguilera, Patti LaBelle
Livin' la Vida Loca - and others by Ricky Martin

[beckyallen]

Feliz Navidad

[SeanieDee]

Eres Tu, mid-70's group from Spain called Mocedades

[drgoofy]

Lady Marmalade - Patti Labelle and the Nightbirds

[CFrance]

Frère Jacque

[Scorpyo]

I can’t remember all the lyrics to this song. There were so many. I think they were all in Spanish. The song - Tequila

[Blinky1973]

La Bamba Richie Valens who was taken away at 17

[pcacace]

Time to Say Goodbye (diet w Sarah Brightman)

[Buckeyephan]

The Prayer - Celine Dion/Andrea Bocelli and many others

[fdpaq0580]

Der Kommissar and the German version of Rock me, Amadeus. Sung by Falco

[Scorpyo]

Cuando Calienta el Sol. Sung by Vikki Carr, Connie Frances. Englebert, Ray Charles singers, Trini Lopez and more. The exact same music as Love Me With All Your Heart but completely different lyrics. I liked it so much I learned to sing it in Spanish.

[MacScuba]

Hips don’t lie

[bragones]

Una Paloma Blanca
Domo Arigato Mr Roboto
Psyco Killer

[MacScuba]

Rico Suave‘ – Gerardo

[Barryb46]

I'll start
The Singing Nun - Dominique https://youtu.be/EO7cD6qmydo

Cae SeraSera - Doris Day

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Ma cherie amor - Stevie Wonder
this one is famous in English, but the original was (and still is) a Russian Folksong. I grew up hearing the Russian, before I ever learned to talk:

Theodore Bikel & Geula Gill - Dorogoy Dalnoyu (Russian Folksong) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOrfe4pckJI)

[coppadad]

Seaman by Lolita
Lolita - Sailor, Your Home Is The Sea (U.S. hit version 1960) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8MjverT64)

[EnglishJW]

There are many wonderful songs in other languages that are used by dancers - all different types of dancers. Here is but one - a rumba or bolero. Son By Four - Donde esta tu amor ♥ - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lcbhvFOOHQ)

[fdpaq0580]

(Hope I get close on the spelling)
Les Bicycklettes du Belsize by Mireille Mathieu

[EnglishJW]

Here is an older one most of us are likely to remember: Astrud Gilberto-One note samba - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDzWWmscbt8)

[fdpaq0580]

Written in 1924 and sung by Sofie Tucker, Tom Jones and lots, lots more in many languages. My Yiddisha Mame.
There's an oldie for ya.

[Michael A. David]

By Wayne Newton.

[fdpaq0580]

I thought I read "...that are entirely not in English." And the example OP started with was a song entirely in French.

Hmmm. Now that I think of it, it could be ambiguous. Songs that are entirely not in English to me means the whole song is not in English. But if it's interpreted as "songs that are not entirely in English," then Ma Belle Amie and songs like OBB's In Your Eyes are valid. But for what it's worth, the question was phrased "entirely not in English."

Perhaps OP will clarify.

However you interpret it, got to admit it is a fun mental game. Reaching back into the shadowy, cobwebs filled corners of the mind to hunt down long un-remembered musical treasures from your past that celebrate different cultures is, in my opinion, fun.
Thanks to LI Snowbird for getting us started.

[DavidK]

How about Baby Elephant Walk by Henry Mancini? It is not entirely in English, just the title, no words at all.

[kathy1516]

Sukiyaki in 1963 by H. Nakamura

[kathy1516]

Quando Quando Quando by Engelbert Humperdinck

[Rosie1950]

All I know of love
Barbara Streisand and Josh Groban

If u never heard this song well worth a listen

[Scorpyo]

Les Feuilles Mortes (literally “The Dead Leaves“). The French version of Autumn Leaves.

[SouthJerseyGirl]

Good try on the phonetic spelling. It is Danke Schoen.

[Linda in St. James]

My Sweet Lord by George Harrison

Voulez Vous by ABBA

Iko Iko by the Dixie Cups and others

[bobdelange]

How about "Que Sera?

[mjpuleo]

Volare - by various - Lou Monte, Bobby Rydell, etc.

[bobdelange]

How about a little cancion called ?Que sera?" It made the top of the charts back then.

[Scorpyo]

Good try on the phonetic spelling. It is Danke Schoen.
Bitte. Give them kredits four twying.

[llmcdaniel]

I agree with Sukiyaki. We used to put my little brother down for his nap with this song in mid-1960’s. Still love the song.❤️

[MacScuba]

Una Paloma Blanca
Domo Arigato Mr Roboto
Psyco Killer

Shazbot, Nanu nanu.

[Barborv]

Despacito song by Justin Beeber,Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee
Los Del Rio- "Macarena",
Falco- " Rock me Amadeus
Lolita- sailor(Your home at sea)
The sandpipers- Guantanamera
Mocedades-Eres Tu(Touch the wind)

[Chi-Town]

Louie Louie


The Kingsmen - Louie Louie - YouTube (https://youtu.be/1RZJ4ESU52U)

[larcha]

If you frequented the squares back when ... how about La Macarena ( Full Spanish Version with Lyrics ...)

[Aspillaga60@yahoo.com]

Besame mucho 😊

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Shazbot, Nanu nanu.

These songs are so ten bleems ago. Wake up and drive the grembo pasati.

[Pilodent]

Al di la by Dominico Modino and Dean Martin.

[Clarinet]

The girl from Ipanema

[Boomer]

However you interpret it, got to admit it is a fun mental game. Reaching back into the shadowy, cobwebs filled corners of the mind to hunt down long un-remembered musical treasures from your past that celebrate different cultures is, in my opinion, fun.
Thanks to LI Snowbird for getting us started.


I agree with you. This is fun.

I woke up this morning with “Guantanamera” playing in my head. I guess my brain works on this while I am asleep.

[fdpaq0580]

I agree with you. This is fun.

I woke up this morning with “Guantanamera” playing in my head. I guess my brain works on this while I am asleep.

Love that song. Many more years ago than I care to remember, a friend gave me a cassette copy of an album by Los Lobos. It was mariachi music and the rendition of Guantanama on that album was the best I've ever heard.
I don't Utube much, but I'll bet you could find it there.
Now I've got it stuck in MY head. Thanks a lot.

[dillywho]

Guess I'm probably the only CW fan on here.

Freddy Fender
Before The Next Teardrop Falls
Cielito Lindo
Vaya Con Dios