A year has passed. In that time, 96 entries have been made, so it’s only fitting to write a summary. We won’t, because that’s what everyone does, but we’ll treat you to a more party-themed post. On New Year’s Eve, many people party to all kinds of music. I’m not a big fan of Latin music myself, neither salsa, nor ranchero, nor reggaeton, so this post will not be about Latin New Year’s Eve songs, but about songs and artists that you wouldn’t even think to speak Spanish or have a Spanish language album.
Since very few people in Latin America speak English, American and European music has not really taken root. In Peru, don’t often ask who Metallica, Justin Bieber, Rihanna or Adele are, as their songs will never be played on any bus. Yet every now and then you hear familiar tunes, and I’m not talking about the Colombian Shakira or Juanes, who have made a name for themselves in Europe, but about European or American artists who have discovered that the Latin market is huge. Indeed, there are more than a few world-famous songwriters who have released Spanish-language songs or albums in their careers, many of them very surprising…
CHRISTINA AGUILERA
Ms Aguilera’s inclusion on the list is not so surprising in terms of her name, but few people know that all the songs on the New York-born lady’s second album, Mi Reflejo, released before she was a world star, were recorded in Spanish. The not so ugly Christina in this clip is not yet 20 years old, enjoy!
MADONNA
La Isla Bonita – you would think. You’d be wrong to think that one of Madonna’s most famous hits has been translated into Spanish. It’s better that they didn’t, because the song is a mess, as far as the title is concerned. The “beautiful island” is Amergris Caye in Belize, where the official language is English and not Spanish. In contrast, special scenes were filmed for the Spanish version of one of his most successful ballads. Here’s You’ll See in Spanish, entitled Verás.
MICHAEL JACKSON
After the queen of pop comes the king of pop. Michael Jackson didn’t speak a word of Spanish, and his attempts didn’t leave much of a mark in Latin. When we were looking for a surprise song, we came across this wonder, sung as a duet with Siedah Garrett. If you ask me, I Just Can’t Stop Loving You sounds better in English…
SCORPIONS
Scorpions are a German band who release their albums in English. They’re not bad businessmen either, as evidenced by the fact that they sang their song Wind Of Change in Spanish. This song is sometimes played on Latin radio stations, but it is interesting that it is not in Spanish but in English.
BON JOVI
Talking about rock, here’s a great classic that you can hear every day in Latin America. Bon Jovi are probably the most successful rock band of our time, so it’s no coincidence that they have targeted the Latin market. They have probably had the biggest success of all with Como Yo Nadie Te Ha Amado, even though Giovanni Bongiovi is also a non-Spanish speaker. Buoyed by the song’s success, not only was Bed Of Roses recorded in Spanish, but Bon Jovi’s 1997 solo album Destination Anywhere, a special Latin-market edition, also included a Spanish-language song, Miro a Tu Ventana.
PHIL COLLINS
The Genesis singer embarked on a solo career in the 1990s. After his success, a film soundtrack was expected, and in 1998 the singer, who is now almost completely deaf, bagged it. Two songs from the Walt Disney cartoon Tarzan became famous, and it’s only fitting that the big hits should be in Spanish. So Phil Collins sang the entire soundtrack in Spanish, with a surprisingly good accent.
ROXETTE
The Swedish rock band was the most passionate about the Latin market. They didn’t mess around, they treated romantic rock lovers to a real best off with Baladas en Español. Although none of them are as popular as Bon Jovi’s cover of This Ain’t Love Song, Roxette can still be heard in Spanish in Latin clubs from time to time. So you don’t have to search through the songs one by one, here’s the full album from start to finish:
EROS RAMAZOTTI
The Italian singer, like Roxette, has not been stingy either, with his album Todo Historias featuring a full album of Spanish-language songs. Understandably, Latinos are less bothered by Italian than by English, so the singer’s Italian compositions are also played on the radio, not just these songs. As with Roxette, we bring you the full album for Ramazotti. Have fun with it!
MARIAH CAREY
Perhaps the busiest diva of the 1990s is not to be left off the list. The song Hero, which was a hit in 1993, although not exactly loved by the singer, was translated by a Spanish musician called Jorge Luis Piloto. Mariah Carey sang the song, which was later released on albums in Mexico and Argentina. I, like the singer, don’t like the song, but if you want to hear how it sounds in Spanish, enjoy!
TONY BRAXTON
I’ve heard the Grammy-winning song Un-break My Heart in Spanish many times on buses, but I always thought it was a simple cover. Then I randomly googled the female artist on youtube and saw the song Regresa A Mi (Return to Me). I clicked on the link and, miraculously, the ballad that everyone knows so well, which has been featured on singles in the US and the UK, came up.