(Info from Preply https://preply.com/en/online/spanish-tutors)Spanish is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world, so much so that Spanish pop songs dominate radio airwaves worldwide, but don't you wish you could understand the lyrics?
The team at language learning platform Preply have given us the definitive list of the catchiest and most popular Spanish songs, and a translation of what they mean.
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Despacito - Luis Fonzi ft. Daddy Yankee (English: Extra Slowly)
Whether you like it or not, you've definitely heard this song. Back in 2017, Despacito smashed the charts across the world and gained over a billion YouTube views just 3 months after its release.
Translated to English, Despacito translates to Extra Slowly, or Very Slowly, with a connotation of a good vibe or feeling. The word is derived from the Spanish word for slow or slowly, which is despacio.
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Macarena - Los Del Rio (English: Macarena)
A staple school disco track with the iconic dance, Macarena is a Spanish folk song that originated in Seville, Spain. The recorded version was released in 1992 by Spanish pop duo Los Del Rio, and it was a number one hit worldwide.
The title doesn't exactly translate, as Macarena is a Spanish female name. The translated lyrics reveal the song is about a girl named Macarena who cheats on her boyfriend when he's drafted into the army. Maybe it's not the feel-good song we all assumed.
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Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin (English: Livin' The Crazy Life)
Released in 1999, Livin' La Vida Loca is a Latin pop song about an irresistible, particularly sinister, wild woman who lives on the edge, seducing others into her crazy world. It received critical acclaim from critics and is one of the most successful Spanish language songs of all time.
In English, the title translated to Livin' The Crazy Life, speaking about a girl who lives life to the fullest and brings others into her crazy world with the chorus translating to she'll push and pull you down, livin' the crazy life.
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La Bamba - Ritchie Valens (English: The Bamba)
La Bamba is a Mexican folk song, but the best known version is the US Top 40 hit by Ritchie Valens from 1958. The song is ranked as one of the greatest songs of all time on Rolling Stones list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The title translates to The Bamba, which is a Mexican style of foot tapping couple dancing which became popular in the USA and later around the world.
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Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano (English: Merry Christmas)
Feliz Navidad is a Spanish Christmas song written in 1970 by Jose Feliciano and has become a Christmas classic around the world every year since.
The title simply translates to Merry Christmas, but this is the perfect song to learn Spanish with verses in Spanish then repeated in English. If you want to wish someone a Merry Christmas from the bottom of your heart in Spanish, this is perfect for you.
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Las Ketchup - Asereje (The Ketchup Song) (Translation: Let's Be Heretical)
Asereje, known as The Ketchup Song internationally, is a song that you couldn't escape in the 2000s. It was the debut single from the Spanish pop group Las Ketchup and became an international hit upon release in 2002.
The original song was in Spanish but there's also a version with both English and Spanish versions. The original Spanish title translates roughly to Let's Be Heretical, although a lot of the lyrics in the chorus are nonsensical. However, the dual language version is a great way to learn Spanish through the verses.
