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

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WhoresonWells@lemmy.basedcount.com
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asklemmy@lemmy.world
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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.

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grannyweatherwax@feddit.nl
52 points
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Gangnam style ? Non, je ne regrette rein ?

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Angry Hippy@slrpnk.net
49 points

Rock Me Amadeus - Falco

La Bamba - Los Lobos

Macarena - Los Del Rio

Despacito - Luis Fonsi / Daddy Yankee

99 Luftballons - Nena

Sadeness, part 1 - Enigma

Volaré - Domenico Modungo

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WhoresonWells@lemmy.basedcount.comOP
13 points

La Bamba and 99 Luftballons were on my list, others should have been.

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Screwthehole@lemmy.world
14 points

Du hast

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Jagger2097@lemmy.world
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Du hast nicht

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iZom@feddit.uk
6 points

Does Auld Lang Syne count?

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WhoresonWells@lemmy.basedcount.comOP
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I think so. Some Scottish words are co-intelligible with English, but the song as a whole isn’t.

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EbenezerScrew@lemmy.world
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90s kid so Mocedades - Eres Tú will always have a sweet spot in my heart!

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no banana@lemmy.world
10 points

Caramelldansen

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