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Monday Coffee Break: Foreign Phrases

Posted at 9:07 AM on June 28, 2010 by Steve Seel (26 Comments)
Filed under: 9:30 Coffee Break

(Updated below)

Are there any foreign phrases that you first learned through a song? That's what we're looking for today for the 9:30 Coffee Break. Make your suggestions here on the blog, or through the submission form. Merci boucoup!

Update: We aim to please, and so it was hard to avoid the final two very, very popular suggestions.

1) Talking Heads, "Psycho Killer"
2) The Beatles, "Michelle"
3) Nat King Cole, "Besame Mucho"
4) LaBelle, "Lady Marmalade"
5) Styx, "Mr. Roboto"

Comments (26)

"Crescent City" by Lucinda Williams or Emmylou Harris

It taught me the Cajun phrase "Tu le ton bon temps," meaning "All the good times."

Posted by Cat | June 28, 2010 9:16 AM

Nena -- 99 Luftballons
ELO -- Hold on Tight
Flight of the Conchords -- Foux Du Fafa

Posted by Cole | June 28, 2010 9:17 AM

After the Fire - Der Kommissar --> Alles klar

Posted by Oj | June 28, 2010 9:19 AM

Beck "Loser"

Posted by Mike 2600 | June 28, 2010 9:19 AM

Bek-Loser

Soy un perdedor

Posted by Tyler | June 28, 2010 9:21 AM

Lady Marmalade -- voulez vous couches avec moi? or however you spell it

que onda guero - beck

and from your tweet I assume you've already got Michelle...

umm... Que Sera Sera - lots of those
Quien Sera - Michael Buble
C'est La Vie - so many options

Posted by Jenna | June 28, 2010 9:21 AM

Labelle - Lady Marmalade
Nat King Cole - Besame Mucho
Madonna - Who's That Girl
Girardo - Rico Suave (I DARE ya to play that one! LOL!)

Posted by Jen | June 28, 2010 9:22 AM

Loser - Beck
and Luftballoons as Cole said.

Posted by Will T | June 28, 2010 9:22 AM

voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir!

Posted by Nick Larsen | June 28, 2010 9:22 AM

"Lady Marmalade" - Labelle

(Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir?)

Posted by IndyR | June 28, 2010 9:23 AM

Lady Marmalade ... who didn't learn that bit of French from Labelle.

Posted by dtguy | June 28, 2010 9:23 AM

Third World Man / Steely Dan

"Elero del terzo mondo" = "He's a third world man"

Really nice song too...

Posted by Elroy | June 28, 2010 9:23 AM

I second Que Sera Sera or as Coach on Cheers called it: Que So What So What

Posted by phyghy | June 28, 2010 9:24 AM

The very first one was by Doris Day, "Que Sera Sera", if you can find that one and have the guts to play it!

Posted by kNoizey | June 28, 2010 9:24 AM

" Foux De Fa Fa" Flight of the Concords

Posted by tjkrafty | June 28, 2010 9:25 AM

La Bamba?

Posted by Tom | June 28, 2010 9:25 AM

respiration by black star, the woman's voice peppering the track with "escuchela la ciudad respirando"

Posted by betsy | June 28, 2010 9:26 AM

"American Tune" Simon and Garfunkl (bon vivant)

"My Louise" - NIEL! (mon cherie)

"living la vida loca"

"Pass the Dutchie" - Musical Youth (!)

Posted by Jon | June 28, 2010 9:26 AM

Michelle and Sun King by The Beatles!

And of course, Mr Roboto.

Posted by DM | June 28, 2010 9:28 AM

Apres Moi - Regina Spektor

Posted by Clint | June 28, 2010 9:28 AM

Je Suis Desolee by Mark Knopfler

Posted by lisa | June 28, 2010 9:28 AM

Viva Las Vegas - Sex Pistols
Extra Savoir Faire - TMBG
Mon Sheri - Stevie Wonder

Posted by loran | June 28, 2010 9:29 AM

yeah Mr. Roboto

Posted by Clint | June 28, 2010 9:30 AM

Michael Jackson's Wanna be startin somethin...
Ma Ma Sa, Ma Ma Coo Sa
Ma Ma Se, Ma Ma Sa,
Ma Ma Coo Sa

Posted by Amber | June 28, 2010 9:34 AM

And The Clash introduced me to arabic with Rock the Casbah.

Hooray for playing Michelle! =)

Posted by DM | June 28, 2010 9:40 AM

A big fat ditto on Apres Moi - Regina Spektor!!!

Posted by Allison | June 28, 2010 9:51 AM

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