Marcia Baila

"Marcia Baïla" is a 1984 song recorded by the French duo Les Rita Mitsouko. It was the third single from their first album, Rita Mitsouko, and was released in April of that year. Dedicated to a dancer with the band who died in 1981, this song was a big hit both in France and abroad and can be considered as being one of the band's signature songs.

"Marcia Baïla"
Single by Les Rita Mitsouko
from the album Rita Mitsouko
B-side"Jalousie"
ReleasedApril 1984
RecordedFrance, 1984
GenrePop
Length5:34
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)Catherine Ringer
Frédéric Chichin
Producer(s)Conny Plank
Rita Mitsouko
Les Rita Mitsouko singles chronology
"Restez avec moi"
(1984)		 "Marcia Baïla"
(1984)		 "Andy"
(1986)
Music video
"Marcia Baila" on YouTube

Background and writing

The song was composed by both members of the group, Catherine Ringer and Fred Chichin. It is a tribute to Argentine dancer and choreographer Marcia Moretto, who participated in the band's tours before her death from breast cancer in 1983 at the age of 36. With this song, the group enjoyed extensive media coverage; indeed, "the music video for the single [was] a success which result[ed] in repeated and enthusiastic broadcastings on the television, the extravagance of the group express[ing] itself as well in concerts as during its cathodic performances."[1] Philippe Gautier directed the vibrant and widely viewed music video that accompanies the song, and gathered in a global concept representative of the arts of its time, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler for the costumes and graffiti painters from the Figuration libre movement as well as Xavier Veilhan for the set design. Despite its Spanish title, the lyrics are in French.

Chart performance

In France, the song had a long chart trajectory, remaining on the Top 50 charts for 29 weeks. It debuted at #33 on April 27, 1985, and climbed regularly until it peaked at #2 for three consecutive weeks, but by note and curiosity, it was blocked by the song "Live is Life" by "Opus". In all, it spent 17 weeks in the Top Ten.[2]
The song was Rita Mitsouko's first big hit and propelled them to considerable fame.

In the media and cover versions

The song can be heard in several films, including The Witnesses (produced by André Téchiné, 2007), La Tête de maman (Carine Tardieu, 2007), Le Pornographe (Bertrand Bonello, 2001), Belle Maman (Gabriel Aghion, 1999) and Sans toit ni loi (Agnès Varda, 1985).

The song is also a PAL region exclusive for Just Dance 3.

In 1997, the song was covered in Spanish by Los Del Sol. Gloria Lasso covered the song under the title "Baïlando con Marcia". In 1998, Ricky Martin covered the song on his album Vuelve, on which it features as the 11th track.[3] Christer Björkman also made a version of the song, released as a single in 2002. The French band Nouvelle Vague covered this song for their fourth album Couleurs sur Paris, released in 2010.

Track listings
7" single
  1. "Marcia Baïla" — 4:30
  2. "Jalousie" — 3:40
12" maxi
  1. "Marcia Baïla" — 5:34
  2. "Jalousie" — 3:40
  3. "Marcia Baïla" (Instrumental) — 6:15
U.K. 12" single [4]
  1. "Marcia Baïla (Extended Version)" — 7:21
  2. "Marcia Baïla (Extended French Version)" — 5:55
  3. "Marcia Baïla (7" English Version)" — 4:30
U.S. Sire Records 12" maxi [5]
  1. "Marcia Baïla (English Version)" — 7:21
  2. "Marcia Baïla (French Version)" — 5:55
  3. "Jalousie" — 3:40
  4. "Marcia Baïla (Single Version)" — 4:09
  5. "Marcia Baïla (Instrumental)" — 6:15
Canada 12" maxi[6]
  1. "Marcia Baïla (Extended Version)" — 7:21
  2. "Andy (7" French Version)" — 4:15
  3. "Marcia Baïla (Extended French Version)" — 5:10
  4. "Andy (Extended French Version)" — 5:15

Remixes
Produced by Conny Plank and Les Rita Mitsouko
  • Album Version — 5:35
  • 7" Version — 4:30
  • Extended French Version/French Version — 5:55 (remixed by Dominique Blanc-Francard)
  • Instrumental — 6:15 (remixed by Dominique Blanc-Francard)
  • Re album version (1990) (remixed by Tony Visconti and Les Rita Mitsouko)
Produced by Ivan Ivan
  • Extended Version/English Version — 7:21
  • 7" English Version — 4:30
  • Single Version — 4:09

Charts
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Eurochart Hot 100 13
French SNEP Singles Chart[2] 2
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[7] 27

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
France (SNEP)[8] Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Elia Habib, Muz hit. tubes, p. 45 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)
  2. "Marcia Baïla", French Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved November 14, 2008)
  3. Vuelve, track listing and charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved November 14, 2008)
  4. Rita Mitsouko* - Marcia Baila (12") at Discogs (Retrieved January 24, 2009)
  5. Rita Mitsouko* - Marcia Baila (12") at Discogs (Retrieved January 24, 2009)
  6. Rita Mitsouko* - Marcia Baila (12") at Discogs (Retrieved January 24, 2009)
  7. "Allmusic - Billboard singles – Les Rita Mitsouko". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  8. "French single certifications – Rita Mitsouko – Marcia Baila" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 5 August 2022. Select RITA MITSOUKO and click OK. 
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