The Macarena
If you're over 35 you might already be cringeing.
The “Macarena” is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río that became an international and cultural phenomenon in the mid-1990s.
Antonia Romero and Rafael Ruiz [Ed: Two very Spanish looking guys, it has to be said.] began performing together as Los del Río in 1966. There was no reason to assume the group would ever extend their cultural reach beyond the popular music of their native Spain. But everything changed during a chance meeting with the Venezuelan businessman Gustavo Cisneros. According to an interview with Vanity Fair in 2015, the two men saw a flamenco dancer by the name of Diana Patricia Cubillán. Her moves so impressed them that, on the spot, they set about writing the lyrics to the song that would ultimately become their biggest hit. For the purposes of the song, they named the protagonist “Macarena”, after Romero’s daughter, Esperanza Macarena. (As an aside, it may come as a shock to those who danced to the song at weddings and cruises to discover that the lyrics tell the tale of a promiscuous woman named Macarena who is unfaithful to her husband while he’s away in the army.)
Originally released in 1993, the song enjoyed modest success. Then a Bayside Boys remix, which added English lyrics and a dance beat to the original Spanish version, was instrumental in bringing the Macarena to the English-speaking audiences. This version topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 14 weeks in 1996, making it one of the longestrunning number-one hits in US chart history. The song also achieved No.1 status in multiple countries, including Australia, France, Germany and Italy. Watching the music video, with choreography by the lead dancer Mia Frye, will bring it all back. Watch it!
A significant aspect of the Macarena is the accompanying dance, which features a sequence of simple arm and hip movements that repeat throughout the song. The dance’s simplicity allowed people of all ages and backgrounds to participate, making it a unifying activity at social gatherings. The song’s infectious rhythm reinforced its popularity.
The cultural impact of the Macarena extends beyond its commercial success. It became a symbol of 1990s pop culture, featuring prominently in TV shows, movies and commercials. The Macarena was often performed at public events. In one notable instance, the song was played and danced to by delegates at the 1996 Democratic National Convention, highlighting its widespread appeal and recognition. There was a time when the Macarena was indeed impossible to escape. The New York Yankees set a record for the largest mass performance of the Macarena dance, with 50,000 people swivelling their hips in unison on 16 August 1996.
By 2022, and despite the perennial appeal (there are said to be more than 4,700 unique versions of Macarena in existence) and some nostalgic/ironic revival, antipathy for the song was so embedded in society that it was featured on a playlist used by New Zealand authorities to drive away anti-government protestors who had been refusing to budge.
Finally, amidst all of the parodies (and there are many) we found one that we thought we might bring to your attention. Check out “No More Corona!” below.
Story Idea: Nils Benson
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Every decade has its own guilty pleasure: Gangnam Style, line dancing (who knows the tunes), the Nutbush performed en masse, Wuthering Heights, etc. I think there is a genuine opportunity for a top class accordion band or glee club to record the worst horror of each decade and release it on vinyl for wedding DJs and serious collectors.