Hips Don't Lie

Album: Oral Fixation Vol. 2 (2006)
Charted: 1 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The title "Hips Don't Lie" comes from Shakira's in-studio mantra about how her band members need to watch her hips to determine where a song they're working on needs to go - if they're not moving, something is wrong. "I would tell them, 'Listen, hips don't lie. If they're not moving, this isn't working. If they shake, we're in good shape.'" Shakira then took her private joke with the band and put it in the context of the song, which is about "A woman dancing, her seductive powers through dance." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mahvash - Lahore, Pakistan
  • Wyclef Jean does the rap. This is based on his song "Dance Like This," which he recorded with Claudette Ortiz for the Dirty Dancing (Havana Nights) soundtrack in 2004. Jean explained to Live Daily why he remade it with Shakira: "God works in mysterious ways. I had to do a record for Shakira. They wanted me to remix 'La Tortura.' I was like, 'No. I have this record that I really think if Shakira comes in with me and we redo it, I really think it'll work.' I think it just missed in 2004 because it wasn't promoted right and probably the right artist wasn't on the record. I guess my instincts were right."
  • The intro comes from the song "Amores Como El Nuestro" by Jerry Rivera. The trumpet flourish was taken from the song "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" by Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz.
  • A "Fan-Only" version of the video was made, consisting of amateur footage of various fans dancing and singing to the song.
  • The costumes and characters in the video were inspired by the Barranquilla Carnival, a major celebration in Spain. British director Sophie Muller, who helmed the clip, is known for her collaborations with Gwen Stefani, Sarah McLachlan, Annie Lennox, and many others. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Donovan Berry - El Dorado, AR, for above 4
  • Wyclef's line, "Back like when Pac carried crates for Humpty Hump" refers to when Tupac Shakur was starting out his rap career as a member of Digital Underground and was mentored by their leader, Shock G, who was also known as "Humpty Hump."
  • According to Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, this song was the most-played pop song in a single week in American radio history. It was played 9,637 times in the week ending June 2, 2006, eclipsing the previous record held by Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" of 9,582 plays in a week.
  • This topped the charts in most countries and was the most successful song of 2006 worldwide. The only major nation where the song didn't reach a Top 20 position was in Sweden, where it peaked at #45.
  • This was the top-selling single in the world during the 2000s. Runner up was "Crazy In Love" by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z, followed by the Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps."
  • This was used on Ugly Betty in the 2006 episode "Queen For A Day," and Silicon Valley in the 2014 episode "Optimal Tip-To-Tip Efficiency." It was also featured in the 2008 romantic comedy 27 Dresses.
  • This earned Shakira and Wyclef Jean a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2007. They lost to Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder for their duet "For Once In My Life."
  • This was Shakira's first #1 hit on the Hot 100.
  • Shakira sang this at halftime of the 2020 Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. Doing away with acts like Maroon 5 and Coldplay, the NFL injected some Latin flavor into the show by having Shakira and Jennifer Lopez to perform.

Comments: 26

  • George from Vancouver, Canadacatchy dance song, sexy singer. . . Top 20 in every country but Sweden (no bork-bork in the lyrics); What mpore is needed? Like or do not like but skip the excuses. If you don't like it, that's your fair preference, not a reflection on the art here.
  • Brittany from Wolfeboro, NhI like this song! it plays at our high school dances and it is a really fun song to dance to!
  • Wade from Katy, TxThis is the first Latin-esque song I put on my iPod. I plan on looking into her more now.
  • Ekristheh from Halath, United StatesFrankly, I think it means exactly what she said it means. Besides, it's catchy as hell and she's beautiful. What's not to like?
  • Moji from Miami, Cashe asked and was given permission actually, jo-c. do some homework
  • Sha from Corona, NyFYI, Doonvan Berry, Barranquilla is Shakira's home city in Colombia. Her video is a partial reenactment of La Carnaval De Baranquilla, which takes place in early February in her coastal hometown.
  • Leila from Perth, Wa, Australiai personally think that this song is rubbish.. the lyrics are empty and the rap is pathetic.. but she does have one hot ass... she can shake those hunnies in my face anytime she likes.. and ill believe everything her hips give me...
  • Terry from Northampton, EnglandWho cares about the song.It's the ass i'm looking at.
  • Joel from Los Angeles, CaMy friend Jeremy loves this song. I got really sick of hearing it cause that's all he would play when we were hanging out.
  • Sarah from Tallahassee, Fli think that its a stupid song and i dont make any sense
  • Sunset from London, United StatesHIPS DON'T LIE sample AMORES COMO EL NUESTRO de JERRY RIVERA. SHAKIRA use it without permission. JERRY RIVERA says this fact, really upset, in a press conference in Lima, Peru. So IT'S TRUE.
    HIPS DON'T LIES is the MOST HORRIBLE SONG I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE, IS LIKE A BAD SALAD, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU FIND TOMATOS,RICE,CHILLY, KETCHUP ALL IN THE SAME PLACE!!!. I don't like SHAKIRA but I prefer her early work.
  • Amy from Monaghan, Irelandwhy do people not get the spanish bits??! its a cheesy chat up line..its just like saying my place or yours! anyway i know so many people hate this song but i LOVE it..the very start is enough to just make me want to dance, its instantly recognisable. and this is coming from someone who is normally into rock!
  • Dennis from Cedar Park, TxWhat PiBe iform lima is not true this song is an adaptation of DANCE LIKE THIS FROM THE NEW Dirty Dancing:havana nights...i hate how theres so many shakira fans that dont knoe a thing about her
  • Jazzz from FrankfurtI have no idea why people would like this song so much...it sucks. It sounds cheap, the lyrics are less intelligent than what my parrot has to say about life and love, and Shakira is just way below her potential. So I totally agree with Dennis from Texas. The spanish music she did years ago was way much better. Listen to "ojos asi" - now THAT'S a song that would make my hips move everytime I heard it back when I was in Lima, Peru, in 2000.
  • Alex from Gaithersburg, MdThis song is number 1 on Latin and Americian Top 40 Charts. It was the most playes song of the year. It even beat the Hollaback girl recored
  • Rik from Wenatchee, WaThe video spends too much time showing the rapper and not enough time showing Shakira.
  • Caitlin from Upper Township, NjI LOVE THIS SONG TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!! Everytime I hear it I just wanna get up and dance till I drop! I remeber this song was played at my cousin's wedding in May 06 and I was right in the middle of the floor dancing it up!
  • Dennis from Cedar Park, TxI have been a shakira fan for a long time. Since Pies Descalzos. Ive noticed shes trying to fit in more. But this isnt her real music. I hate it how americans love her cuz she can dance cuz shes HOT and cuz of the beat... shakira is known for her vocals, lyrics, music, and dance .... not cuz shes a belly dancin pop artist.Hips don't lie is good but its one of her worst songs it beats all the other pop songs out there. But her spanish songs are GREAT!!! Try reading the lyrics. Sometime... Shakira is my favorite singer and my favorite band is nirvana and they both have tremendous talent. I hope this advice will be taken when you are listening to a song like whered you go, whats left of me these boots are made for walikn or any of that other things. Thanks.
  • Dev from Somewhere, CoAs far as using jumbled up Spanish words, I believe they did this for a reason. The lyrics include "Make a man want to speak Spanish." Therefore, the man in question does not know Spanish fluently. These are some of the most common words/phrases in the language, and he's emphasizing that, while he does not know the language, he would try what little he knows to get the woman's attention.
  • Chauncey from Niagara Falls, NyYeah I thought Barranquilla was in reference to Colombia, not Spain? Anyhow, I'm a huge fan of Shakira, but I do have to agree that the lyrics "como se llama, bonita.." etc was rather stupid. The music video is very hott. Honestly, I think her little thing about her hips must shake to a song was a random excuse for the song. I think it was orginally just a fun song about her moving her hips and she had to invent an explaination afterwards. Overall I love the song (minus Wyclef's "rap!")
  • Pibe from Lima, PeruShe took the trupet from "Amores Como el Nuestro" ("Loves like ours") but she didn't pay or ask Jerry Rivera about it, so now she will have to face a trial... well done "musician"!
  • Jo-c from Lima, PeruAmores Como El Nuestro is a great song. About this one, Shakira had pretty good songs before she started caring about her dances more than her music. This song is ridiculous, at least the lyrics are. I can't stand Wyclef Jean's rap near the end.
  • Charlette from Budapest, HungaryThis song is okay, but the original version (Dance Like This) better.
  • George from Hell, PaUh, yeah, maybe they should have tried to form a more logical excerpt of Spanish then: "Como se llama, bonita, mi casa, su casa." Which means, "What is your name, pretty, my house, your house." It's like the jumbled a bunch of vocabulary words from the first chapter of Spanish I and didn't even bother to put them in a sensical order. Stupid mainstream music.
  • Emily from Abingdon, VaThe Carnival is from Colombia, but it is modeled after a traditional celebration in Spain.
  • Anna from Barcelona, SpainSorry, Donovan, but Barranquilla Carnival is not a major celebration in Spain (believe me, I'm Spanish and never heard about it...). I guess it must be popular in Colombia, where Shakira is from (and where Barranquilla actually is). Love this song.
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