Foreign Language Lyrics, Part Deux

Memories are made of this

Max Cossack renders a service by posting in his latest Notes from Upstream ladino speaker Eydie Gormé busting up Sabor a mi. Her performance recalls foreign language songs that people might not know or may have forgotten.

Eartha Kitt’s first language was not French but the American could hold her own with Edith Piaf. Should that be doubted, check out Eartha on “C’est si bon.” Gilbert Bécaud’s first language was French, so hear his rendition of “Je T’Appartiens,” covered as “Let It be Me” by the Everly Brothers, Jerry Butler and Betty Everett.

Down in Brazil, hear Joao Gilberto sing “The Girl From Ipanema” in his native Portuguese, with Astrud Gilberto on the English translation, backed by Stan Getz on tenor saxophone. In similar style, Brazilian chanteuse Flora Purim performs “Nana,” on the Rhythmstick album, backed by, among others, Bob Berg on tenor, Phil Woods on alto, and Dizzy Gillespie and Art Farmer on trumpet.

Many vocalists have covered “Volare” but as Dobie Gray said, the original is still the greatest. Here’s Domenico Modugno his own self on the Ed Sullivan show way back in 1958. As Dean Martin said, memories are made of this.

Domenico Modugno

In 1962 Ray Barretto released “El Watusi,” with extensive dialogue in Spanish. In 1963, Kyu Sakamoto scored a hit with “Sukiyaki,” in his native Japanese. Many years later it was covered by Eric Alexander and Vincent Herring, fine saxophonists on the current jazz scene. Also in 1963, American Keith Colley recorded “Enamorado” in Spanish. As father Guido Sarducci might say, Colley is no Julio Iglesias, Freddy Fender or even Richie Valens of “La Bamba” fame.

“Cubanacan” dates from the 1930s, and the singer is the Italian Alberto Rabagliati with the Lecuona Cuban Boys. The tune is a love poem to Cuba, and years later it showed up in a different context.

When Cuban Gen. Arnaldo Ochoa returned from combat in Angola, embattled Cubans were chalking up “8A” on walls all over the island. Sado-Stalinist Fidel Castro perceived a rival and staged a show trial for Ochoa, followed by his execution. You can witness the trial in the documentary 8A by Orlando Jimenez Leal. “Cubanacan” plays over the credits, backdropped by scenes of the island Castro fundamentally transformed into a gulag. See also Improper Conduct, by cinematographer Nestor Alemendros, who won an Oscar for Days of Heaven.