The Ketchup Song

Album: Las Ketchup (2002)
Charted: 1 54
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Songfacts®:

  • The group is made up of Pilar, Lola, and Lucia Munoz - three sisters from the Andalusia region of Spain. They took their name in honor of their father, a flamenco guitarist known as "El Tomate."
  • "The Ketchup Song" was a huge international hit. It was #1 in several countries, but took a while to break in America, where it was first played on New York City dance station WKTU. Within 24 hours, it became the most-requested song on the station.
  • The lyrics are based on snippets of the 1979 Sugar Hill Gang song "Rapper's Delight."
  • The lyrics are in Spanish, but it is Spanish gibberish based on "Rapper's Delight." The version released in the US has some English gibberish mixed in.
  • The song is about a gypsy named Diego who is very concerned about how he is dressed and loves "Rapper's Delight." Since Diego doesn't understand the English lyrics, he makes up his own raps, which translates into the gibberish in the song.
  • The Spanish version is known as "Asereje," as in "I Said A Hip," which is a lyric in "Rapper's Delight."
  • Has it's own dance, involving a kind of hand-jive and lots of gyrations.
  • This has been compared to the "Macarena," which was also a huge international hit by an unknown group with it's own dance that became a staple of dance clubs, cruise ships, and weddings when it eventually hit the US.
  • In the US, this got a lot of airplay on Spanish stations as well as the TV show Sabado Gigante before getting much mainstream airplay. It was especially popular in South Florida, which has a large Hispanic population.
  • Ketchup, or catsup, originated in China in 1690 as a pickled fish sauce called "ke-tsiap." British sailors took Asian catsup or ketchup from Singapore to England but the British were unable to duplicate the recipe so they started substituting other ingredients, including ground mushrooms, walnuts, and cucumbers. Later the first recipe for "tomato catsup" appeared. (From the book Food for Thought: Extraordinary Little Chronicles of the World by Ed Pearce)
  • Despite the lyrics being Spanish gibberish, this was the best-selling single in France during the 2000s.

Comments: 19

  • Der Kaiser from Akron, OhioI agree with Paulus. Have had a crush since this song came out TO THIS DAY(Deontay Wilder)
  • Mary from Mexicopeople loose in translation the whole reason why church hated this song...
    They said "Asereje" is misspelled of "Haz hereje" ("h" is mute in spanish) whish means "Do heresy"
  • Michael from Johannesburg, South Africai really like this song. Makes u wanna dance
  • Donna from New Bern, NcThis song is the most horrible exuse for music ever
  • Jorge from Mexicali, MexicoYou haven't lived until you see a dance floor full of girls dancing to this one in perfect synch.
  • Eloise from London, EnglandI can't believe there's even a place to post comments about this song! It's catchy but meaningless, so what else is there to say?
  • Matt from Auckland, New ZealandThe song is definately a bit saucey. Ha!
  • Richard from Columbus, GaNow there's Der Steuer Song, sung to the tune of the Ketchup Song, parodying German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Had it not been for that, I would not have discovered the Ketchup Song. I do like the Ketchup Song, but I was hoping that it would be about ketchup. Oh well...
  • Keith Major from Bristol, EnglandThis song, in my opinion, is truly awful...
  • Casie from Denver, CoWell Im from USA and lived in Costa Rica and know spanish. HEY! ITS GOOD FOR A 13 YR OLD TO KNOW 5 LANGUAGES! Well yeah,they use to say this song was like the anthem of the devil or somethin but to me ot doesnt make sence. The song,alot of my friends say they think its stupid but it does stick to your head and everyone is like what the hell does it mean and I cant even memorize thoes parts,and their like Casie how do u know the lyrics so fast and well? Well I really dont know how easy it was to mamorize it but its a weird and catchy song but u know whatever.
  • Antonio from Brugge, BelgiumWhy "Las Ketchup"? Because their father (a popular flamenco musician)was called "El Tomate"... this is not a joke.
  • Diego from Panama, Otherwell, jason, havent u heard the gibberish played backwards? well, satan DID embarass himself with these chicks. just put it on the sound recorder and reverse it... its kinda sloppy but its there!!! lol
  • Jason from Monterrey, MexicoWell just to show that Scott was right, more words: Boring, waste of time, no imagination, the worst of pop exceses. I dont even think Satan would help these chics with more succes, he's probably embarrased of the subliminal wannabes these chic's are
  • Scott Baddwin from Edmonton, Englandthree words:ONE HIT WONDER
  • Azhar from Muscat, Otherwhat should i do if i want to listen a song...plz do reply...azharazmi@hotmail.com
  • Pete from Nowra, Australiagotta nice flavour to it....... tee hee
    flavour ya get it ..ketcup ,nice flavour
    sorry couldn't resist
  • Paulus from Tasmania, Australiathe dark-haired one with the pierced navel is the nicest looking one. :o)
  • Virnalisa from Santo Domingo, OtherLas ketchup ,there song isn't so bad it has a good beat to dance to but i'm afraid that there song is gonna end up just like the Macarena (a one hit wonder)
  • Cassandra from Cobram, Australiaketchup is catchy and cool
see more comments

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