What songs from foreign languages are most successful among English speakers?

WhoresonWells@lemmy.basedcount.com to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 47 points –

I thought of a few examples, but want some more. Don't count songs with nonsense lyrics or instrumentals without lyrics. Don't count bilingual songs (unless neither of them is English, or if the English portions are commonly omitted). Don't count songs primarily popular among immigrant populations or others fluent in that language.

Basically, songs an American monoglot could sing along with, but couldn't translate.

36

Dragostea din tei

For those who don’t recognize the title it’s also known as the Numa Numa song.

Dragostea Din Tei for sure. Such a fundamental part of my fourth grade experience, only rediscovered almost a decade later during Zoom school.

Yuve Yuve Yu by Mongolian band The Hu

The Hu

Anyone who has played Jedi: Fallen Order or Jedi: Survivor will recognize The Hu from the intro song in Fallen Order. In Survivor they have 3 songs on the jukebox as the band The Agasar (one of which is Sugaan Essena, the song from Fallen Order).

Schnappi, das kleine krokodil was quite popular in Australia in the early 00's.

Prisencolinensinainciusol makes me laugh.

I mean it was a song by an Italian that at the time didn't speak English trying to make a song that to Italians would sound like it was in english.

  • O Fortuna by Carl Orff. Actually, the entire Carmina Burana has some real bangers
  • Lots of stuff by Enya

90s kid so Mocedades - Eres Tú will always have a sweet spot in my heart!

IN-GRID - Tu Es Foutu and also by her In Tango Alizée - J'en ai marre or J'ai pas vingt ans or Moi Lolita