Bongo Bong

"Bongo Bong" is the first solo single by Manu Chao, from his debut album, Clandestino. It is a remake of "King of Bongo", a track from Manu Chao's previous band, Mano Negra. The title and lyrics are taken from the 1939 jazz song "King of Bongo Bong" by Black American trumpeter Roy Eldridge. It also uses the background music from Black Uhuru's song "Bull ina di Pen", from their 1984 album, Anthem. The song is part of a medley with "Je ne t'aime plus" on Clandestino. Moreover, the music has been reused for other songs, such as "Mr. Bobby", which was first released on this single before being re-recorded for Chao's second album, Próxima Estación: Esperanza, and "Homens", from the same record.

"Bongo Bong"
Single by Manu Chao
from the album Clandestino
B-side
  • "Je ne t'aime plus"
  • "Mr. Bobby"
  • "Bienvenido a Tijuana"
Released1999
GenreReggae[1]
Length2:38
Songwriter(s)Manu Chao
Producer(s)Manu Chao & Renaud Letang
Manu Chao singles chronology
"Bongo Bong"
(1999)		 "Clandestino"
(2000)
Music video
"Bongo Bong" on YouTube

In 2006, a cover version by Robbie Williams, combining "Bongo Bong" and "Je ne t'aime plus" in one track, appeared on his album Rudebox and was released as a single of its own in 2007. German singer Lou Bega covered the song on his 2021 album, 90s Cruiser. It has also been remixed by breakbeat artists Cut & Run, drum and bass duo Ed Solo, Deekline, the band Noisia, and German singer Max Raabe.

Chart positions

Weekly charts
Chart (1999–2000) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[2] 4
France (SNEP)[3] 40
Germany (Official German Charts)[4] 7
Italy (Musica e dischi)[5] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[6] 27
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[7] 42
Poland (LP3)[8] 25
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9] 45
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[10] 15

Year-end charts
Chart (2000) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 38
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 57
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 97

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[14] Platinum 50,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Track listing
  1. "Bongo Bong"
  2. "Je ne t'aime plus"
  3. "Mr. Bobby"
  4. "Bienvenido a Tijuana"

References
  1. Buckley, Peter (1999). The Rough Guide to Rock (2nd ed.). Rough Guides. ISBN 978-1-8582-8457-6. Stand-out tracks on this constantly surprising album include "Bongo Bong", an English-language lightweight reggae, the title track itself and the unstoppably danceable "Luna Y Sol".
  2. "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong - Je ne t'aime plus" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  3. "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong - Je ne t'aime plus" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  4. "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong - Je ne t'aime plus" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  5. "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 48. 27 November 1999. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510.
  6. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 24, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  7. "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong - Je ne t'aime plus" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  8. "BONGO BONG – Manu Chao" (in Polish). LP3. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013.
  9. "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong - Je ne t'aime plus". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  10. "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong - Je ne t'aime plus". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  11. "Jahreshitparade 2000". Austriancharts.at. (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  12. "Jahrescharts – 2000". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.
  13. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2000". Hitparade.ch. (in German). Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  14. "Italian single certifications – Manu Chao – Bongo Bong" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 11 September 2023. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Bongo Bong" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
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