Spanish Language Disco

**NickNack** · August 29th, 2003, 03:43 PM

Originally Written by Nano

And I remember the "Ceeee-lebremos ya" Spanish version! Sucked big time! :lol: Last year I found a sound snippet in CDNow. I also remember Erik Estrada "singing" it at the end of a C.H.I.P.S. episode... yeeech!!! :o
All Spanish disco versions sucked.

OK, so Nano wasn't thrilled with this type of music. I'm sure Erik Estrada singing would give anyone agita. That said, anybody else have an opinion? Personally, I liked "Celebremos", "Te Olvidare" (by France Joli) and I know I played some of the cover versions by Charanga '76. They all sounded good to me and the crowd seemed to like the 'change'. Anybody else?

And while we're close to the subject, is/was there such a thing as "Spanish Disco" out there, in they way we talk about 'Italo Disco'? Just curious. And if there was, refresh my brain on what I was playing. :oops:

**paul** · August 29th, 2003, 04:19 PM

Hey Nicky. You already know, I like "Te Olvidare." Celebremos was only slight better than Celebrate because I didn't hear that version nearly as much. I know there were several more spanish versions of english songs that I loved but I just kind remembetr them now :o

**Nano** · August 29th, 2003, 07:04 PM

Hey Nick, I just want to make clear I was talking about English artists making Spanish versions of their hits, disco or otherwise. It just sounds cheesy when we Latins really understand what these guys are sayin'! :P Something very usual with any popular music format, but when you hear the lyrics in another language (i.e. English in my case) you just don't pay attention to the words. The main attraction of black music was always the groove.
I had a similar reaction later to people like Jon Secada, or Madonna's Spanish version of "You'll see" (called "Verás"). Think about Julio Iglesias or Luis Miguel trying to sing in English and you'll get the idea. :roll:
I was intrigued, though, with records by people like Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa or Lou Reed. It was obvious something was happening there with the lyrics... I guess that in the end made me study the language.

**NickNack** · August 29th, 2003, 08:04 PM

Originally Written by Nano

Hey Nick, I just want to make clear I was talking about English artists making Spanish versions of their hits, disco or otherwise. It just sounds cheesy when we Latins really understand what these guys are sayin'! :P Something very usual with any popular music format, but when you hear the lyrics in another language (i.e. English in my case) you just don't pay attention to the words. The main attraction of black music was always the groove.
I had a similar reaction later to people like Jon Secada, or Madonna's Spanish version of "You'll see" (called "Verás"). Think about Julio Iglesias or Luis Miguel trying to sing in English and you'll get the idea. :roll:
I was intrigued, though, with records by people like Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa or Lou Reed. It was obvious something was happening there with the lyrics... I guess that in the end made me study the language.

Thanks, Nano. That's totally different from what I thought you meant and I can see where you're coming from. I don't speak Spanish so hearing it on vinyl didn't upset my ears. I only knew what they were singing about because of the English versions. I remember playing quite a few "foreign language" disco records because, as you say, the groove was tight. I really didn't care what they were saying. It was the way the music and in a lot of instances, the sound of the voices, made me feel. Example: The last cut on Saint Tropez's Belle Du Jour album, "When You Are Gone" is sung entirely in French. One of the sexiest things I've ever heard. Still play it today.

**peppertree5706** · August 30th, 2003, 06:20 PM

There was a song in Miami called, "Cuba." It was by a brothers group, Gibson sticks in my mind. I think all the lyrics were Spanish.

**NickNack** · August 30th, 2003, 07:32 PM

Originally Written by peppertree5706

There was a song in Miami called, "Cuba." It was by a brothers group, Gibson sticks in my mind. I think all the lyrics were Spanish.

I thought the hook of this song was in English: CUBA. GET ON UP AND SALSA! Either way, hot song.

Marcio** · August 31st, 2003, 12:56 AM

I can find mixed words on Blondie's "Heart of Glass" (mucho mistrust love's gone behind) and on a beautiful slow song by Ottawan called "Siesta For Two" (how about a siesta for two?).

marcio

**efunk_adelic** · August 31st, 2003, 01:57 AM

I like this song, but I know it was released in '86... Magazine 60 - Don Quichotte actually this group was French... singing this song in both spanish & english.. it's about 90% spanish.

**Nano** · September 2nd, 2003, 07:00 PM

My version of "Cuba" by the Gibson Brothers has only two lines in Spanish, that would be the chorus:

Cuba, quiero bailar la salsa
Cuba, quiero bailar la salsa

You dance to the music like nobody does
The first time I saw you I knew it was love

Cuba... etc.

Thanks Nick for your comments on the language issue... You absolutely got it, my friend.

**markydefad** · September 2nd, 2003, 07:08 PM

Am I the only person here who thinks that the Wally MacDonald mix of Antonia Rodriguez's "La Bamba" (sung in Spanish!!!) is a GREAT RECORD????? :roll:

I had this in my Top 10. Troc loved this record...it just builds and builds and erupts!!!! Others I fear consider it kitsch. :oops:

I LOVE IT!!!! :P :P :P

**BrunoRepublic** · September 2nd, 2003, 07:32 PM

Originally Written by markydefad

Am I the only person here who thinks that the Wally MacDonald mix of Antonia Rodriguez's "La Bamba" (sung in Spanish!!!) is a GREAT RECORD????? :roll:

JOL was telling me that this track flopped on its initial release. Wally came to the rescue, and it went on to become a monster hit.

Personally, my fave Spanish-language disco is a beyond-obscure Sal Disco Orch 7" single with Chulo/Un Largo Weekend that I picked up by chance. Delightful... I can only wonder if there was more where it came from. I have not been able to find anything else on or about this single or act.

**NickNack** · September 3rd, 2003, 02:10 PM

You know, I had a late '80's entry by a group (I think :oops: ) called Sueno Latino with a song of the same name. It's probably Italo disco but it was sure hot. Have to find this... :)

**BrunoRepublic** · September 3rd, 2003, 02:29 PM

Originally Written by NickNack

You know, I had a late '80's entry by a group (I think :oops: ) called Sueno Latino with a song of the same name. It's probably Italo disco but it was sure hot. Have to find this... :)

The basis of Sueno Latino's self-titled hit is actually from a classic piece of German electronic music. The basic rhythm is sampled from Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4, a 60-minute, direct to 2-track jam created with little more than an obscure hardware sequencer/drum machine, and guitar. Bernie has it in the vault.

**Bernie** · September 3rd, 2003, 02:34 PM

Originally Written by NickNack

You know, I had a late '80's entry by a group (I think :oops: ) called Sueno Latino with a song of the same name. It's probably Italo disco but it was sure hot. Have to find this... :)

Nicky,

Going through all my CDs and ripping selected titles to AAC (MP4) and just played this the other day. It begins with bird/animal noises in the rainforest and then uses the backing track of Manuel Göttsching's "E2-E4." It's on a ZYX comp called "Italo 2000." At under 4:00 minutes so I'd have to assume that it's edited, but it's very good indeed.