Bongo Bong

"Bongo Bong and Je ne t'aime plus"
"Bongo Bong and Je ne t'aime plus"
Single by Robbie Williams
from the album Rudebox
B-side	"Lovelight" (Dark Horse Mix)
Released	22 January 2007
Recorded	2006; New York City, US
Genre	Pop
Length	4:48
Label	Chrysalis; EMI;
Songwriters	Manu Chao; Anouk Khelifa;
Producer	Mark Ronson
Robbie Williams singles chronology

"Bongo Bong"
"Bongo Bong"
Single by Manu Chao
from the album Clandestino
B-side	"Je ne t'aime plus"; "Mr. Bobby"; "Mentira..."; "Bienvenido a Tijuana";
Released	1999
Genre	Reggae
Length	2:38
Label	Virgin
Songwriter	Manu Chao
Producers	Manu Chao; Renaud Letang;
Manu Chao singles chronology
Music video
	"Bongo Bong" on YouTube

"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.

The song is about a bongo player^[2] from the Congo.^[3]

Track listing

European CD single

"Bongo Bong" – 2:38
"Je ne t'aime plus" (with Anouk) – 2:02
"Mr. Bobby" – 2:57
"Mentira..." – 4:37
"Bienvenido a Tijuana" – 2:43

European maxi-CD single

"Bongo Bong" – 2:38
"Je ne t'aime plus" (with Anouk) – 2:02
"Mr. Bobby" – 2:57
"Bienvenido a Tijuana" – 2:43

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999–2000)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[4]	4
France (SNEP)^[5]	40
Germany (GfK)^[6]	7
Italy (Musica e dischi)^[7]	3
Italy Airplay (Music & Media)^[8]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[9]	27
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[10]	42
Poland (Music & Media)^[11]	18
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[12]	45
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[13]	15

Year-end charts

Chart (2000)	Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[14]	38
Germany (Official German Charts)^[15]	57
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[16]	97

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)^[17]	Platinum	100,000^‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)^[18]	Gold	30,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Robbie Williams version

In 2006, English singer Robbie Williams recorded a version of the song that combined "Bongo Bong" with "Je ne t'aime plus", which appeared on his 2006 album, Rudebox. It was released as a single of its own in 2007. The track was produced by Mark Ronson and included vocals by Lily Allen.

Track listing

European CD single

"Bongo Bong and Je ne t'aime plus" – 4:48
"Lovelight" (Dark Horse Mix) – 6:25

Personnel

Robbie Williams – lead vocals
Lily Allen – backing vocals
Tiggers – guitars
Vaughan Merrick – Moog synthesizer
Dave Guy – trumpet
Neil Sugarman – tenor saxophone
Ian Hendrickson-Smith – baritone saxophone
Raymond Angry – Rhodes piano, keyboards
Mark Ronson – keyboards, guitar, bass, drum programming, percussion
Serban Ghenea – mixing

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Bongo Bong and Je ne t'aime plus"
Chart (2007)	Peak position
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)	14
Romania (Romanian Top 100)^[19]	45
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[20]	77
Turkey (Turkey Top 20)^[21]	4

References

^ 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".
^ https://www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/bongo-bong-the-anthem-of-cultural-displacement-and-identity/
^ https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/bongo/ "Its words tell a simple story: 'Mama was queen of the mambo. / Papa was king of the Congo. / Deep down in the jungle / I start bangin' my first bongo.'"
^ "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
^ "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
^ "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 48. 27 November 1999. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510.
^ "Major Market Airplay: Italy" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 43. 23 October 1999. p. 27.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 24, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
^ "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong - Je ne t'aime plus" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
^ "Major Market Airplay – Week 21/2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 21. 20 May 2000. p. 21. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
^ "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
^ "Jahreshitparade 2000". Austriancharts.at. (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
^ "Jahrescharts – 2000". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.
^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2000". Hitparade.ch. (in German). Retrieved 22 February 2020.
^ "Italian single certifications – Manu Chao – Bongo Bong" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
^ "Spanish single certifications – Manu Chao – Bongo Bong". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
^ "Romanian Top 100" Archived 28 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine Please see "Issue 7" of the year 2007
^ "Kylie Minogue – Into the Blue". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
^ Turkish Airplay Chart Archived 5 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine

[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] ttps://www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/bongo-bong-the-anthem-of-cultural-displacement-and-identity/

[3] ttps://www.spectator.co.uk/article/bongo/ "Its words tell a simple story: 'Mama was queen of the mambo. / Papa was king of the Congo. / Deep down in the jungle / I start bangin' my first bongo.'"

[sc_Austria_Manu_Chao_avec_Anouk-4] "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.

[sc_France_Manu_Chao_avec_Anouk-5] "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014.

[sc_Germany_Manu_Chao_avec_Anouk-6] "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 7 January 2014.

[7] "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 48. 27 November 1999. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510.

[8] "Major Market Airplay: Italy" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 43. 23 October 1999. p. 27.

[sc_Dutch40_-9] "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 24, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.

[sc_Dutch100_Manu_Chao_avec_Anouk-10] "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong - Je ne t'aime plus" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.

[11] "Major Market Airplay – Week 21/2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 21. 20 May 2000. p. 21. Retrieved 17 January 2024.

[sc_Sweden_Manu_Chao_avec_Anouk-12] "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.

[sc_Switzerland_Manu_Chao_avec_Anouk-13] "Manu Chao avec Anouk – Bongo Bong – Je ne t'aime plus". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2014.

[14] "Jahreshitparade 2000". Austriancharts.at. (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2020.

[15] "Jahrescharts – 2000". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.

[16] "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2000". Hitparade.ch. (in German). Retrieved 22 February 2020.

[ItalyManu_ChaoBongo_BongsingleCertRef-17] "Italian single certifications – Manu Chao – Bongo Bong" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 11 September 2023.

[SpainManu_ChaoBongo_BongsingleCertRef-18] "Spanish single certifications – Manu Chao – Bongo Bong". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 3 May 2024.

[19] "Romanian Top 100" Archived 28 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine Please see "Issue 7" of the year 2007

[sc_Switzerland_Kylie_Minogue-20] "Kylie Minogue – Into the Blue". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 December 2024.

[21] Turkish Airplay Chart Archived 5 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine

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v t e Manu Chao
Studio albums	Clandestino Próxima Estación: Esperanza Sibérie m'était contéee La Radiolina
Live albums	Radio Bemba Sound System
Singles	"Bongo Bong" "Clandestino" "Me Gustas Tú" "Mr. Bobby"
See also	Discography Hot Pants Los Carayos Mano Negra Ramón Chao

v t e Robbie Williams singles
Discography
Life thru a Lens	"Old Before I Die" "Lazy Days" "South of the Border" "Angels" "Let Me Entertain You"
I've Been Expecting You	"Millennium" "No Regrets" "Strong" "She's the One" / "It's Only Us" "Win Some Lose Some"
Sing When You're Winning	"Rock DJ" "Kids" "Supreme" "Let Love Be Your Energy" "The Road to Mandalay" "Better Man"
Swing When You're Winning	"Somethin' Stupid" "Mr. Bojangles/I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen"
Escapology	"Feel" "Come Undone" "Something Beautiful" "Sexed Up"
Greatest Hits	"Radio" "Misunderstood" "Eternity"
Intensive Care	"Tripping" "Make Me Pure" "Advertising Space" "Sin Sin Sin"
Rudebox	"Rudebox" "Kiss Me" "Lovelight" "Bongo Bong and Je ne t'aime plus" "She's Madonna"
Reality Killed the Video Star	"Bodies" "You Know Me" "Morning Sun"
In and Out of Consciousness	"Shame"
Take the Crown	"Candy" "Different" "Be a Boy"
Swings Both Ways	"Go Gentle" "Dream a Little Dream" "Shine My Shoes"
The Heavy Entertainment Show	"Party Like a Russian" "Love My Life" "Mixed Signals"
The Christmas Present	"Time for Change" "Can't Stop Christmas"
Other singles	"Freedom" "Close My Eyes"
Featured singles	"My Culture" "Goin' Crazy" "The Days" "Forbidden Road"
Other songs	"I Wan'na Be Like You" "Beyond the Sea"

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