Gasper Nali - A Bale Ndikuwuzeni
Not just my favorite foreign language song, but also a top 10.
Not foreign language (per se for an English speaker), but somewhat also ironically on my top 10 list is Brushy One String - Chicken in the Corn.
this post was submitted on 29 Jun 2026
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Ça Plane Pour Moi by Plastic Bertrand
99 Luftballons by Nena
Both songs were massive hits in Australia when I was a kid and they both are still in high rotation on my playlist.
Interestingly, the English version of 99 Luftballons hardly charted here at all.
Plastic Bertrand's song was huge due to appearing on the soundtrack of the National Lampoon's European Vacation movie starring Chevy Chase and Beverley D'Angelo.
Ça Plane Pour Moi by Plastic Bertrand
Covered by Sonic Youth.
Also the Presidents of the United States of America
The intro to Ghost in the Shell
Which version? There are quite a variety, and it seems like they all have stellar intro songs.
Presumably they mean the SAC intro song, "Inner Universe", which has lyrics in English, Russian, and Latin.
Probably the most standout in terms of linguistic complexity.
RIP Origa.
Yeah, that's the one that stands out the most to me. I had no idea Origa had died. :'(
Sorry to be the one that told you, but yeah, ... like a decade ago.
Of course!
The funniest part is that the viral part of that song isn't in any language, it's just scatting.
- Italian: Adriano Cellentiano - Azzuro
- Hebrew: Nagila Hava
- Japanese: Fredrik - Oddloop
- Korean: 윤수일 - 아파트 (Apartment)
- Chinese: Xiao Feng Feng - Learn To Meow (小潘潘 - 學貓叫)
- Finish: Loituma "Ievan polkka"
- Portuguese: Koma - Lambada
- Swedish: Victor Lyksel - Svag
- Polish: Big Cyc - Makumba
- German: Helge Schneider - Katzenklo
- Chech: Ivan Mladek - Jozin z Bazin
Adriano Celentano
Prisencolinensinainciusol, alright!
Thoughts on 'Dopilsya' by Sektor Gaza?
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Plastic love by Mariya Takeuchi, or covers of modern songs in dead languages like running up that hill in old english
I have a couple Rammstein songs on my playlist, does that count? Namely Du Hast and Deutschland.
2 of my favourite songs in my native language are ba. - tai ne žmogus and Rokas Yan, Monika Liu, Vaidas Baumila - gegužis :3
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I speak Spanish and French. La Femme and Thievery Corporation both have a lot of easily accessible songs in various other languages.
For French music specifically, I love L'Impératrice and Vendredi Sur Mer. Always a fan of the classics like Edith Piaf or Marie LaForêt . A recent discovery was Camille Yembe who is my new obsession.
MI favorita canción enteramente en español es la versión de La Llorona por Natalia LaFourcade.
This fun song by The Limiñanas uses both
Years ago there was a song that always played for the ads on the Chinese phones. I tracked it down and the English translation of the title is "I caught a cold in that corner" by Fiona Fung. I don't really consider it foreign language since it sounds mostly non-lexical.
I also have to give Cruel Angel Thesis an honorable mention.
Mundo paralelo!
Mon Cheri by Sofi Tukker x Amadou & Marian
A Terrorista Visszatér by HétköznaPICSAlódások
I like a lot of Brazilian music, so I'd pick something Portuguese. 'Tropicalia', by Caetano Veloso, 'Parabolicamara' by Gilberto Gil, or 'Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser', by Milton Nascimento are all fantastic.
I really like Su!cide by Ren, as my non native language song /s
In all seriousness, "Zeinen ederra izango den" from ZETAK, a current Basque group. It was made during covid, to remember the activities we did before, and what pleasure will be to again go out and enjoy it together. I don't expect you to take upon yourself learning Basque, but I hope you can enjoy the song at least haha.
- Columba aspexit by Hildegard von Bingen
- Armenia by Einstürzende Neubauten
- O Fortuna by Carl Orff
Skandal im Sperrbezirk by The Spider Murphy Gang and Du Bist Gut Genug by Kitschkrieg, Blumengarten and Shirin David just to give everyone a horrible earworm.
Mandinka (Guinea) - Yeke Yeke by Mory Kante, either the Afro Acid mix or the Hardfloor remix
French - Here I Am (Rutabaga mix) - Lexicon Avenue
Spanish - Llorando - Rebeka del Rio. Spanish language cover of Roy Orbison's 'Crying'. Video includes minor spoiler for Mulholland Drive.
Greek - Efige Efige - Stelios Kazantzidis
Malawi (sorry, I don't know exactly what language this is in - EDIT: possibly Chichewa) - A Bale Ndikuwuzeni - Gasper Nali
Songhai (Mali) - Soubour - Songhoy Blues
French (Burkina Faso) - Taximen - Amadou Balake
Cancion Bonita by El Micha
Hasta que salga el sol by Don Omar
Limbo by Daddy Yankee
Bota niña by Bad Gyal
Ca plane pour moi by Plastic Bertrand.
And
Negro y Azul: The Ballad of Heisenberg, by Los Cuates de Sinaloa.
Song - Artist Kung i baren - Magnus Uggla Come give me love - Ted Gärdestad (yes, the song is Swedish but the title is English) Anything that angine de poitrine makes. But alien language might not be what you meant. Neuer wind - Van Canto
Wodka by Pidzama Porno. It’s in polish, I love it!
Sólstafir - Fjara Reading the lyrics in my native tongue only makes this song even more beautiful.
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My favorite songs change every other week but right now it's probably Sanjam by Sixth June. The song is in Serbian.
Paktofonika - Mechaniczna pomarańcza
Manel — Teresa Rampell
Ana Maradun (warning: DARE propaganda) and Daani Shauqun by Mosa Alomairah (couldn't find English lyrics for the latter, which is a shame because they're really pretty). This guy in general is really talented, though as with all Arabic acapella the choice of songs can be pretty bad sometimes. This is also his post-reset persona; he also has some bangers from his radical Islamist phase.
It's not my favorite music, but a friend of mine recently passed away and I can't get this music out of my head because we played it at his goodbye party when he went to live in another city. It's in Portuguese and a music about goodbyes: Matanza - Tempo Ruim some rough translation below for those who don't speak Portuguese:
Raise up your glasses for those about to leave
Long will be the road to follow
Nothing will be like it used to be, nothing will be easy for you
Don't do the same that your father did
Don't bring weapons where you're going
So many I've seen paying to see, they didn't had time to regret it.
Nothing you shouldn't already know, there's nothing you can't have.
I wish the road always comes to you, and that the wind be ever in your favor. I wish you always have a beer on your hand and that you have your great love by your side.
I say goodbye to all of you, many here I will not see again.
Besides the winter and bad weather I don't know what awaits me
But it doesn't matter what it might be if some day I have someone to say:
I wish the road always comes to you, and that the wind be ever in your favor. I wish you always have a beer on your hand and that you have your great love by your side.
Japanese: Olivia Lufkin - Stars Shining Out
Spanish: Bruthal 6 - Todo en mis Manos
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