| "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Los del Río | ||||
| from the album A mí me gusta and Fiesta Macarena | ||||
| Released | August 15, 1995 (U.S.) | |||
| Format | CD single, 7" | |||
| Recorded | 1995 | |||
| Genre | Dance-pop Latin pop Flamenco |
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| Length | 3:51 (Bayside Boys Mix) | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Writer(s) | Rafael Ruiz Perdigones, Antonio Romero Monge | |||
| Certification | 4x Platinum (RIAA) | |||
| Los del Río singles chronology | ||||
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"Macarena" is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a [[Macarena, Seville#Etymology of the toponym Macarena|woman of the same name]]. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. It was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.
The song uses a type of clave rhythm. The song ranks at #5 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. It also ranks at #1 on Billboard's All Time Latin Songs.[1][2] It is also Billboard's #1 dance song and one of five foreign language songs to hit #1 since 1995's modern rock era began.
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As a result of their lounge act, Los del Río were invited to tour South America in March 1992 and, while visiting Venezuela, they were invited to a private party held by the Venezuelan empresario Gustavo Cisneros. Many prominent Venezuelans were in attendance that night, including former president Carlos Andrés Pérez.
Cisneros had arranged for a local flamenco teacher, Diana Patricia Cubillán Herrera, to do a small performance for the guests, and Los Del Rio were pleasantly surprised by Cubillán's dance skills. Spontaneously, Antonio Romero Monge, one half of the Los del Río duo, recited the song's chorus-to-be on the spot, as an accolade to Cubillán, but naming her "Ma'dalena" (Magdalena): "Dale a tu cuerpo alegría, Ma'dalena, que tu cuerpo e' pa' darle alegría y cosa' güena'" ("Give your body some joy, Magdalene, 'cause your body is for giving joy and good things too"). In Andalusian culture labeling a woman "Magdalena" is to give her a faint association with Mary Magdalene's reportedly seedy past, and more accurately describes her as being sassy or sensuous.[3]
The song was originally recorded in 1992, and released in 1993 as a rumba. This was the first of six versions of the song that can be associated to Los Del Rio. Another version, a new flamenco rumba pop fusion theme with fully Spanish lyrics, attained significant success in Spain and Mexico. It also became popular in Puerto Rico because of its use as an unofficial campaign theme song for then-governor Pedro Rosselló, who was seeking reelection under the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico's ticket. Being the base for many cruise ships, visitors to the island were constantly exposed to the song during their stay in Puerto Rico. This may explain how the song spread to — and became a hit in — cities with sizable Latino communities in the United States, particularly Miami and New York City.
After being remixed by the Bayside Boys and having English lyrics written and added by Grammy nominated producer Carlos de Yarza, it became a worldwide hit in mid-1996. The single spent 14 weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, one of the longest runs atop the Hot 100 chart in history. During its heyday, the song was played frequently at professional athletic games, rallies, conventions, and other places. Many believe that a world record for group dancing was set in 1996, when a crowd of 50,000 people danced the Macarena in Yankee Stadium in New York City.
"Macarena" remained popular through 1996, but by the end of 1997, its popularity had diminished. The song broke records by remaining in the Hot 100 chart for 60 weeks. The Bayside Boys remix includes a sample from Yazoo (also known in the United States as Yaz) track Situation - the laughter of Yazoo vocalist Alison Moyet. In Addition, the chorus utilized female vocal samples utilized by The Farm in their song "Higher and Higher (Remix)" from their album, Spartacus. The female singer on the remix was hired by the Bayside Boys, and at her request was uncredited. The Bayside Boys toured the U.S. and the world, and featured singer Carla Vanessa, although she is not the voice on the remix itself.
In 1997, the song had sold 11 million copies. While having only a 25% take in royalties from the song, Romero and Ruiz became immensely wealthy. According to the BBC News Service, during the year 2003 alone — a full decade after the song's initial release — Romero and Ruiz made USD $250,000 in royalties[4]. Julio Iglesias is quoted as congratulating the duo personally: "My success singing in English from Miami is nothing compared to yours; coming out of Dos Hermanas with little international exposure elsewhere and selling these many records in Spanish takes two huge sets of cojones."[5]
In VH1's 2002 documentary 100 Greatest One-hit Wonders, "Macarena" was ranked as #1. "Macarena" was also ranked #1 on a different VH1 documentary, 40 Awesomely Bad No. 1 Songs. Most recently, in 2010, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio ranked the song at #10 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever while giving out an order: "First: Place your arm straight out in front of you at shoulder height, palm facing down. Then: Punch the DJ."[6]
On America's Best Dance Crew, it was danced to on the Whack Track Challenge, given to the Ringmasters.
This song is also very popular in Australian Schools, with the dance being taught in the school Physical Education Curriculum.
In the United Kingdom the song was released in June 1996 and peaked at number two on August 17, 1996.[7] It was kept off the number one spot by the Spice Girls song "Wannabe".[8]
The popular song was used as diversion dance song at the 1996 Democratic National Convention. When the convention was moving slowly or needed a change of pace the Macarena song was played over the whole convention floor and the delegates were encouraged to do the Macarena dance steps. According to Time Magazine, the song was played at the convention with intention to unify the delegates and get the party excited about the election. Vice President Al Gore, having a reputation for stiffness, said that when he did the Macarena "there's no visible movement." [9]
There are two different music videos. The most common music video, directed by Vincent Calvet, was created in 1996, featuring Los del Rio performing on a white backdrop. Ten women (including a then unknown Tracee Ellis Ross) are also seen dancing with the band. This version samples a line from The Graduate ("I am not trying to seduce you!") which was later removed due to possible copyright issues. The other, similar version of the music video was in black and white and was more instructional in that the women and men are clearly shown performing the specific dance moves.
| "Macarena Christmas" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Los del Río | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Format | CD single, 7", 12" | |||
| Recorded | 1996 | |||
| Genre | Latin Dance-pop |
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| Length | 4:04 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Writer(s) | Romero Monge, Rafael Ruiz | |||
| Los del Río singles chronology | ||||
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Due to the overwhelming success of the song, a Christmas version of the song was created for the 1996 Christmas Season. It involved the original song with short lines from classic Christmas carols (specifically incorporating: "Joy to the World," "Jingle Bells," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "White Christmas" and "Auld Lang Syne") in between the popular verses.
In the music video, the young female dancers wear Christmas colored attire but there are nine of them compared to the ten dancers in the original. For the sequence featuring a new routine (the one being commonly used today), eight of them are shown with one of them being switched with a ninth dancer at times throughout the chorus.[10]
| End of year chart (1996) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[11] | 1/98 |
| End of year chart (1997) | Position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[12] | 82 |
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| End of year chart (1996) | Position |
|---|---|
| ARIA[18] | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Dance Chart[19] | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[20] | 1 |
| Chart (1990-1999) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[21] | 2 |
| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 5 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 12 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 34 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 16 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 40 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 57 |
| Preceded by "The X-Files" by Mark Snow "Tic, Tic Tac" by Carrapicho |
French SNEP number-one single 15 June 1996 - 6 July 1996 3 August 1996 - 17 August 1996 |
Succeeded by "Tic, Tic Tac" by Carrapicho "Killing Me Softly" by The Fugees |
| Preceded by "You're Makin' Me High" / "Let It Flow" by Toni Braxton |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single 3 August 1996 - 2 November 1996 |
Succeeded by "No Diggity" by BLACKstreet featuring Dr. Dre |
| Preceded by "Because You Loved Me" / "The Power of the Dream" by Celine Dion |
Australian ARIA Charts number-one single 31 August 1996 - 25 October 1996 |
Succeeded by "Wannabe" by Spice Girls |
| Preceded by "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio featuring L.V. |
Billboard Hot 100 Single of the Year 1996 |
Succeeded by "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John |
| "Macarena" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Los del Mar | ||||
| from the album Macarena: The Hit Album | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Format | CD single, 7" | |||
| Recorded | 1995 | |||
| Genre | Latin Dance-pop |
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| Length | 3:49 | |||
| Los del Mar singles chronology | ||||
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The song was covered by Los del Mar featuring Pedro Castaño. Their version, which was very similar to the original and difficult to distinguish from it, was first released in 1995 and then again at the same time as the original in the United Kingdom and Australia. In the UK it only reached #43 in the charts, but remained charted for almost two months; however, the Los del Rio version peaked at number two. In Australia, the Los del Mar version was more successful and peaked at number two whilst the Los del Rio version was still at number one. In Canada, the Los del Mar version was quite popular on MuchMusic and top 40 radio in 1995, eclipsing the later popularity of the original.
Australian CD Single
In 1996, Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Chipettes covered the song, in both English and Spanish, for their album Club Chipmunk: The Dance Mixes. The English version remains one of their most popular and recognizable covers.
In 1997, The GrooveGrass Boyz recorded a country music version of the "Macarena", with re-written lyrics.[22] This rendition peaked at #70 on the Hot Country Songs charts and #7 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.
In 2008, Los del Río recorded a remix of the song in honor of the Macarena's 15th anniversary. The song, which was featured on their album Quinceañera Macarena, was produced by The Art of Sound and featured T Lopez and The D.E.Y. Recorded in both Spanish and later in English, the remake received moderate airplay on some Spanish music stations, such as WSKQ-FM, KVVZ, and WMEG.
The song and album were released in November 2008 by IMC records, who said "We totally reinvented the Macarena with the help of The Art of Sound boys in Miami and artists like El Chino DreadLion and Yeyo, but were lacking that feminine touch, and thanks to Cash Money Records we found that in T Lopez," IMC Records came across T Lopez when she was in Los Angeles recording at Candor Entertainment Studios.[23]
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