Versions in other languages

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I know that the Beatles and Aqua did em, but they are like the first and second greatest pop group of the world ever so they would...

Anyway, who else has done it (and in what languages)?

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Everyone should btw — it's an announcement of conviction in yr self-worth.

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

The Spice Girls. I was downloading a track a few weeks back and only when I started listening to it did I realize it was a Spanish language version.

― Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

yay! but let's take this out beyond global pop wannabes cz they will all be aware enough of their excellence to risk it — i wanna know abt metal and indie and rap and _________ which gets translated

(cf the great rock'n'roll swindle!!)

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm pretty sure that Kylie Minogue did a German version of "Your Disco Needs You" but every time I try to download it, my computer crashes. It's like my golden fleece.

xpost...there are a lot of people who do versions that are not the original artist. You've never heard pain until you've heard the Russian version of "Stan". The best foreign-language-cover I've ever heard was by this Japanese Elvis impersonator. He sounded like Elvis, obv., sang in Japanese, obv....but was doing a cover of "Come As You Are"????

― Ally-zay (mlescaut), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I was in Berlin weekend before last and MTV had a German versh of Year 3000 by Busted. I assume their public school education allowed them to switch languages easily. *reads Mark S post* Oh right. Erm, Ian Brown, Cypress Hill. And 'New Hampshire's All Right If You Like Fighting' by the great and underrated Scissorfight. And Wat Tyler did a song about Peter Stringfellow in English, and then in Arabic on the very next track, apropos of nothing.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:32 (twenty-two years ago)

yay busted!! they comed third after aqua and the beatles

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:33 (twenty-two years ago)

blimey the alphabet was ahead of me there also

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:34 (twenty-two years ago)

The 12" version of Eighth Wonder's "I'm Not Scared" (it's the cracking single 'they' made with the Pet Shop Boys) has "J'Ai Pas Peur" on it, which is breathy French vocals from our Patse. The Teardrop Explodes re-did "Treason" as "Traison".

Champion Doug Veitch had a habit of singing a verse in English then repeating it in French, see "Lumire Urban (City Lights)" and "One Black Night".

Did Blondie do "Sunday Girl" in French or was it just part of the ordinary actual song?

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Stereo Total has " L' Amour À 3" and "Love With the 3 of Us". Possibly some others I can't remember.

Kraftwerk has english and german language version albums.

― Brian Miller, Friday, 22 August 2003 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

There are two versions of it...the French middle part is not on the version that's on Parallel Lines, but I'm not sure why it exists that way. (other than the fact that it's better with the middle part in French, the lyrics are horrible and she's singing them half assed and it sounds better in another language)

― Ally-zay (mlescaut), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes. It's a tremendous thing though isn't it?

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Bowie did Heroes in German and English
I think Nena did the same with 99 (Red)LuftBalloons

Hans Wenzel's entire last record that I keep saying is the best record of the year - was recorded in German and in English.

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Pourquoi Es-Tu Devenir Si Raisonable? or whatever it was called.

This is something pop acts are generally very good at and other acts less good, for whatever reason.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course it is a tremendous thing, Hopkins. If you come back to NYC I'll karaoke it for you in my terrible French.

― Ally-zay (mlescaut), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh tATu have versions of several of their songs in Russian.

― Ally-zay (mlescaut), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:54 (twenty-two years ago)

And also Turbonegro do "I Got Erection" in both Norweigian and English.

― Ally-zay (mlescaut), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:54 (twenty-two years ago)

see i really love this entire "rerecorded in another language" thing, i think if properly studied it will reveal the secret actual templar canon, no?

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

other acts are less good bcz pop is better than "other" obv

when skidmore and i do our "not gonna get us" tatu-oke duet we will do it in russian, then old father trife can squeeze out the sun and so to bed, world

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Not only did Kraftwerk do English & German versions of their later albums, but they also did some songs in French ("Mini Calculateur," for one) and I think there was a Spanish version of the Electric Cafe LP.

― Kent Burt (lingereffect), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

mark s is so otm about the secret actual canon. I mean there is not one bad act mentioned so far. ABBA did lots of their songs in multiple languages! Also Madonna does her songs now in BRITISH English!

― Ally-zay (mlescaut), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Shakira did "Whatever, Wherever" in Spanish and English and the Spanish version is awesome - but she's world music anyway.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Enrique Iglesias's "Escape" comes in Spanish and English as well! So does "Hero" though.

― Ally-zay (mlescaut), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:07 (twenty-two years ago)

"Cartman's Mom Is A Big Fat Bitch"

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

some socal ska-punk band whose name escapes me right now (it's too damn early) released spanish and english versions of one of their albums (the spanish one first, too)

― tylero, Friday, 22 August 2003 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Voodoo Glowskulls. Very much a SoCal thing, but I have the time for them more than most (not for the music, more that they exist).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)

There's a bunch of '60's pop tunes by Anglophone artists which were also recorded in German versions -- may have had something to do with the large number of US servicemen there, IIRP.

Ones I've heard are Johnny Cash's "I Walk The Line", Gene Pitney's "Town Without Pity", Petula Clark's "Downtown", and the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go".

Peter Gabriel recorded a version of his entire 3rd album (the "melting face" one) as "Ein Deutsches Album". Very cool to hear songs like "Intruder" in German, and it's a slightly different mix from the English version as well.

Didn't Sting also do a Spanish version of one of his albums?

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

the dream is over

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Kraftwerk also had a Japanese "Pocket Calculator" on the flip side of the English.

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Bowie's German version of "Heroes" ("Helden") I prefer over the English version.

Didn't the Alarm unsolicitedly release versions of some of their albums entirely Welsh?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Serge Gainsbourg did some English versions of his songs ("Comic Strip", for one). I think Falco also had an "English version" that was still in German.

(Are nationalities capitalized when used as adjectives? This rule changes in different languages.)

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Serge Gainsbourg did some English versions of his songs ("Comic Strip", for one). The Sugarcubes also had an Icelandic version of one of their albums. I think Falco also had an "English version" that was still in German.

(Are nationalities capitalized when used as adjectives? This rule changes in different languages.)

― Maxwell von Bismarck (maxwell von bismarck), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:50 (twenty-two years ago)

The Cat's Miaow had that EP of 4 earlier favourites rerecorded in French with new arrangements, seemingly just for kicks. Unless they were indeed chasing that elusive and lucrative French market?!?!

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Hearing "Andy" by Les Rita Mitsouko in English was one of the biggest disappointments of my life... Really not very much as good at all.

Also: Sean Paul - "Punkie en Espanol"

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:26 (twenty-two years ago)

if my full alphabet-templar-canon theory is correct, the alarm just pulled ahead of aqua didn't they?

*has no problem with this*

― mark s (mark s), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:33 (twenty-two years ago)

(not to spoil mark's - or anyone's - fun or anything, but should we not discount non-anglophones that sing in English plus their native tongue only? esp. if the English version only exists in order to "crack" certain markets)

(lots of counter-arguments to the above, i know)

― zebedee (zebedee), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:58 (twenty-two years ago)

counter argument #1: ABBA hardly ever sang in Swedish

― zebedee (zebedee), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

They Might Be Giants did a version of "Number 3" in Greek.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Friday, 22 August 2003 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

counter argument #2: tiziano ferro (italian originals & french & spanish versions; identical videos for all three!)

― zebedee (zebedee), Friday, 22 August 2003 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Rammstein had some tracks translated to english.

There are french versions for Chris Cornell's "Can't change me" and Belly's "Judas My Heart".

The Sting album that NomDePlume referred is called "Nada Como El Sol", and has Spanish and Portuguese versions of the songs on "Nothing Like The Sun".

― JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Friday, 22 August 2003 16:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Blur did 'La Comedie' (To The End) in French with Francoise Hardy

Pulp did 'Les Roys De Fournis' (spelling's probably off, there, it translates to King of Mice or Rats or such) but never did an English version. Jarvis also mumbles some bad French on the otherwise-English Manon.

― Alexis (Alexis), Friday, 22 August 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

David Lee Roth!!

Diamond Dave did a version his first post-Van Halen solo album Eat 'Em & Smile in Spanish!

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 22 August 2003 16:41 (twenty-two years ago)

in france i saw a french-language beta band video on tv, i didn't recognize the song from 'hot shots ii' or anywhere and i'm a huge fan so i think maybe it was some kind of french exclusive so i don't know if that counts

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Friday, 22 August 2003 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Puffy had a version of "Public Enemy No. 1" in Spanish, as well as an alternate version of the video that had him waving a Puerto Rican flag from a float in the PR Day Parade!

Also, Union 13 covered Rancid's "Roots Radical" in Spanish, and there were/are on Rancid's label.

― Tom Breihan (Tom Breihan), Friday, 22 August 2003 17:00 (twenty-two years ago)

i have a cd-single where Right Said Fred does "I'm too sexy" in spanish.

― JasonD (JasonD), Friday, 22 August 2003 17:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Tony Basil did a Spanish "Mickey". [looks to check] Argh! Some bastid must have stolen my TB CD the last time I DJed!

― Alan Connor (Alan Connor), Friday, 22 August 2003 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree the Les Rita Mitsouko english re-recordings are a step down from the originals. She sounds nowhere near as deranged.

I sure wish they could have an english hit so they could play the states, next time they tour I'm seriously considering flying to Montreal just to see them.

― jl (Jon L), Friday, 22 August 2003 18:18 (twenty-two years ago)

The first three songs on Old Time Relijun's La Sirena de Pecera are translations.

― kieran, Friday, 22 August 2003 23:21 (twenty-two years ago)

The b-side to Céline Dion's 'All By Myself' is a Spanish version of the same. I assume she also does French versions of some songs as well. Do not ask me how I know this.

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 23 August 2003 00:01 (twenty-two years ago)

? and the Mysterians (kinda obvious, this) released a Spanish version of "96 Tears."

― Uncle (Methuselah), Saturday, 23 August 2003 02:19 (twenty-two years ago)

The Strokes NEED to record all the b-sides to their next album in German. This would make them the best band ever.

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Saturday, 23 August 2003 03:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Petula Clark did versions of lots of her songs in French. (She also did lots of songs only in French.)

― Angus Gordon (angusg), Saturday, 23 August 2003 05:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Diamond Dave did a version his first post-Van Halen solo album Eat 'Em & Smile in Spanish!

I used to own that on cassette and it was every bit as funny as you imagine it would be.

― Andrew Frye (paul cox), Saturday, 23 August 2003 06:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco Del Muttuo Soccorso both rerecorded some of their albums with English lyrics, I think.

And I know some pop-stars of recent years rerecorded some albums (or at least songs) in Spanish or something like that. Don't know any names though!

― Øystein Holm-Olsen (Øystein H-O), Saturday, 23 August 2003 07:01 (twenty-two years ago)

no one bothers to do songs in 'strane. we like your languages better anyway.

― gaz (gaz), Saturday, 23 August 2003 07:18 (twenty-two years ago)

have some obscure motown compilation that has italian versions of the way you do the things you do by the temptations and you can't hurry love by the supremes.

and, the other way around, there are loads of european bands who, after some succes in their own country in their own language, try to break internationally. Kent from Sweden, for instance, Om Du Var Här became If You Were Here etc. Unun and Botnledja (sp?, they were known as Silt internationally, and were Damon from Blur's favourite band for a while) from Iceland. There are probably countless others. Did Tocotronic ever re-record some of their 'hits' in English??

― (jg) ((jg)), Saturday, 23 August 2003 07:58 (twenty-two years ago)

The Stranglers do Sweden in Swedish.

― Keith Watson (kmw), Saturday, 23 August 2003 13:58 (twenty-two years ago)

blonde redhead's melody citronique e.p. has foriegn language versions of a few songs from the certain damaged lemons album.

― j.a.e., Saturday, 23 August 2003 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Placebo did a French language version of "Burger Queen". It hides the feebleness of the lyrics, which is nice.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 23 August 2003 22:31 (twenty-two years ago)

French versions of Placebo's "Burger queen", Linoleum's "On a tuesday", Ash's "Candy" exist.

― Sami (Sami), Saturday, 23 August 2003 22:36 (twenty-two years ago)

At the same time for Placebo, Dom :)

― Sami (Sami), Saturday, 23 August 2003 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Takako Minekawa did 'Spin Spider Spin' in French as 'Etoufee'.

Beck did 'Jackass' in Spanish as 'Burro'.

― Barima (Barima), Saturday, 23 August 2003 22:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm currently listening to a CD called 'Cover the World', which is a collection of pop covers done by world music artists.

And every Mexican band has changed the lyrics and covered every 60s hit, including "Whiter Shade of Pale" but I think that's a Southern California thing that I know that. They play them on the radio, so I have no idea what bands they are because they don't always say.

― Orbit (Orbit), Saturday, 23 August 2003 23:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Calexico did "Ballad of cabble hogue" in french, also did Jeanette with "Porque te vas" it became "Pourquoi tu vis ?".

― Sami (Sami), Sunday, 24 August 2003 00:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Not to do this to death, but Bowie did a French version of Heroes as well.

― bflaska, Sunday, 24 August 2003 00:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Canadian 60's garage band The Haunted covered "purple haze" as "vapeur mauve" in '67. They were from Montreal, so no suprise really.

― chad (chad), Sunday, 24 August 2003 03:09 (twenty-two years ago)

J-pop group Puffy(amiyumi) rerecorded their first two singles in Cantonese for the Chinese market.

― JS Williams (js williams), Sunday, 24 August 2003 09:08 (twenty-two years ago)

also: evry pop market has local versions of foreign songs done by locals. my cantonese speaking mate is astonished that songs they know by heart are actually elvis originals...

― gaz (gaz), Sunday, 24 August 2003 09:23 (twenty-two years ago)

punkie in spanish is wicked. all songs should hav a spanish version. they're sexier.

― im a g, Sunday, 24 August 2003 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Nobody heard the French version of Robbie Williams "Supreme"?

― Siegbran (eofor), Sunday, 24 August 2003 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Cornershop did a cover of The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" but translated the lyrics into Punjabi.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Sunday, 24 August 2003 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

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