Gasolina

"Gasolina" (English: Gasoline), is a reggaetón song written by Daddy Yankee and Eddie Dee for Daddy Yankee's 2004 album Barrio Fino. It features Glory, who sings the line "dame más gasolina". The song was released as the album's lead single in late 2004 and became a hit, peaking inside the top ten on some of the charts it entered.

Background

"Gasolina" became a worldwide hit, letting Daddy Yankee gain popularity among Latino mainstream music fans as well, becoming a hit in Puerto Rico, the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean, the United States, Canada, Europe. "Gasolina" is one of the songs attributed with opening the door for reggaetón. The song stayed true to reggaetón’s musical stylings of synthesized beats yet had a catchy chorus.

Formats and track listings

Australian CD single^[1]

1. "Gasolina" - 3:15
2. "Machete" - 3:04
3. "Gasolina" (Remix) featuring N.O.R.E., Gemstar and Big Mato - 4:54
4. "Gasolina" (Music Video) - 2:58

Belgium CD single^[2]

1. "Gasolina" (3:12)
2. "Like You" (3:22)

UK 12-inch vinyl^[3]

• A1: "Gasolina"
• A2: "Gasolina (Remix)" (Featuring Big Mato, Gem Star and N.O.R.E.)
• B1: "Gasolina (Instrumental)"

Credits and personnel

• Lead vocals: Daddy Yankee
• Additional vocals: Glory
• Producers: Luny Tunes

Chart positions

Uses in the media and live performances

• During his performance at the 2005 Premios Lo Nuestro, Daddy Yankee came into the show in a red Lamborghini, which was pulled down from the roof of American Airlines Arena in Miami, while singing Gasolina.^[23] This moment was voted as the best moment of the show by online voters at Univisión's website.^[23]
• The song was featured in the 2006 comedy film, The Benchwarmers and was also featured in Fast Food Nation.
• The song is used as a warm-up song by the New York Mets pitcher Johan Santana and Texas Rangers closer Neftali Feliz, as well as Julio Lugo's walk up music
• The song was used in a TV ad campaign for the 2006 Citroën C2 Deejay, which ran through the spring and summer of 2005.^[24]
• At a campaign stop for Republican presidential nominee John McCain, Daddy Yankee endorsed McCain and performed this song live for students at Phoenix's Central High. A New York Times blogger has questioned if McCain and his campaign understood the song's double-entendres.^[25]
• The song is used in a portion of the Universal Studios Studio Tour (Hollywood).

Cover versions

Papa A.P. version

Salvadoran singer Papa A.P. released a cover version of Gasolina in Europe in 2005. It caused some controversy for being released there prior to Daddy Yankee's version, which had been released the previous year in the U.S.. It was the first single from his second album, Assesina.

Papa A.P. said that he initially refused to release the single before Daddy Yankee but was convinced to do so by his producers.^[26] He said about his version : "I do not regret that choice because even if it's not my title, everyone has very well accepted my version, even in the hood of New York". He claims his producers "came to an arrangement" with Daddy Yankee's producers. One week after the recording, his producer proposed shooting a music video, which was eventually shot in Tunisia.^[27]

His first European hit,^[28] the song reached the top ten in France, and also charted elsewhere around Europe.

Track listings

CD single

1. "Gasolina" (radio mix) – 3:13
2. "Gasolina" (bikes club mix) – 4:45
3. "La noche" – 3:30

CD maxi

1. "Gasolina" (radio dy bikes) – 3:15
2. "Gasolina" (club dy bikes) – 4:46
3. "La noche" – 3:30
4. "Gasolina" (video)

CD maxi - Finland

1. "Gasolina" (radio mix bikes) – 3:14
2. "Gasolina" (club mix bikes) – 4:45

12" maxi

1. "Gasolina" – 3:13
2. "Gasolina" (club mix) – 4:44
3. "Gasolina" (bikes club mix) – 4:45
4. "La Noche" – 3:30

Certifications

Charts

Other versions and remixes

• The song was remixed in late 2004 by Dj Buddha, featuring Pitbull and N.O.R.E., and was also a smash hit. Later, Lil Jon mixed his own vocals to the remix, which is featured on the Crunk Juice remix CD.
• This song was also recorded by La Fabrica and released in Europe before the song's official release by Daddy Yankee. La Fabrica's version peaked at number 3 in Greece before the original "Gasolina" was released.^[35]
• The song was featured in Sivaji:The Boss

References

External links

• Daddy Yankee's official site