Macarena
"Macarena" is a song by Spanish pop duo Los del Río, originally recorded for their 1993 album A mí me gusta. A dance remix by the electropop group Fangoria was a success in Spain, and a soundalike cover version by Los del Mar became popular in Canada.[2] Another remix by Miami-based producers the Bayside Boys, who added a section with English lyrics and expanded its popularity, initially peaked at No. 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in late 1995.[2]
For other uses, see Macarena (disambiguation).The Bayside Boys mix enjoyed a significant revival the following year when it re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 1 for 14 weeks between August and November 1996. Its resurgence was aided by a dance craze that became a cultural phenomenon throughout the latter half of 1996 and early 1997. The song got the group ranked the "No. 1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of All Time" by VH1 in 2002. In 2012, it was ranked No. 7 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. It also ranked at No. 7 on Billboard's All Time Latin Songs list.[3][4] In 2023, Billboard ranked "Macarena" number 500 in their list of Best Pop Songs of All Time.[1]
Music video[edit]
The music video for the reworked Bayside Boys-remix of "Macarena" was directed by Vincent Calvet.[29] It starred Mia Frye, who was also the choreographer, and features ten different women singing and dancing with Los del Río against a white background. In contrast to the scantily-clad women, Los del Río is dressed in suits.
When the music video for the Bayside Boys Remix was filmed, Mia Frye choreographed a greatly simplified version of the Macarena dance that already existed at the time. Frye and director Calvet drew inspiration from video footage from clubs in Mexico that showed large crowds of people dancing the original, more complex, Macarena.[30]
According to Los del Rio, the dance originated from the interaction between the band and the audience at concerts. It started with some improvised arm movements from the singers during an instrumental part of the song. Some people in the audience then began to imitate similar dance moves. In the interplay between the band and the audience, an early form of Macarena dance gradually emerged over the course of several concerts because stories about the Macarena dance spread among the band's fans by word of mouth.[31]
"Macarena Christmas"[edit]
Critical reception[edit]
Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Just when you thought this was just a version of their worldwide smash with a couple of jingle bells added, this seasonal single erupts into a cheerful medley of Joy to the World, Jingle Bells and Silent Night. For all those who are looking for an uncomplicated Christmas."[122]
"Macarena"
- 1995
- 1996 (international)
1995
3:49
Lime Inc.
- Rafael Ruiz Perdigones
- Antonio Romero Monge
- SWK
Los del Mar
13 November 2019
2019
2:11
- Michael Stevenson
- Rafael Ruiz Perdigones
- Antonio Romero Monge
- Pliznaya
Pliznaya
Other remixes, covers and parodies[edit]
MC Rage parody[edit]
MC Rage released the single "Fuck Macarena" in November 1996. It is a hardcore techno parody of Los del Río's "Macarena" and mocks the original version's lyrics, as do the dancers in the music video. MC Rage sings vulgar mocking lyrics as an outburst against the huge success of "Macarena". It peaked at No. 7 on the Dutch Top 40 on 27 December 1996, and at No. 8 on the Dutch Mega Top 100 on 25 January 1997.[186][187] The song has a music video featuring gabber ravers dancing hakken.
The GrooveGrass Boyz version[edit]
In 1997, The GrooveGrass Boyz recorded a country music version of the "Macarena", with rewritten lyrics.[188] This rendition peaked at No. 70 on the Hot Country Songs charts and No. 7 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. This version was released on Imprint Records and sold over 80,000 copies.[189]
Jay-5 version[edit]
Reggae and dancehall artist Jay-5 released the album "The Dancehall Macarena" on VP Records in 2015, featuring the song, 'Dancehall Macarena,'[190] an upbeat fusion of dancehall moves, inspired by the infectious ’90s classic.[191]
The single, 'Dancehall Macarena' is the first official Jamaican dancehall line dance.[192] and gained over 1.6 million views on YouTube.[193]
The success of "Dancehall Macarena" inspired a popular reggaeton version in 2016, "Dancehall Macarena Remix," by Colombian reggaeton artist, Japanese featuring Jay-5.
Gente de Zona version[edit]
In 2016, Cuban duo Gente de Zona teamed up with Los del Río released a new joint version of the song, with new lyrics.[194]
Physics parody regarding the holographic principle[edit]
At the Strings 1998 conference in Santa Barbara about string theory, shortly after the publication of the paper "Anti De Sitter Space And Holography" by Edward Witten, Jeffrey A. Harvey composed a parody song "The Maldecena" about the Holographic principle.[195][196]