Macarena (Remix By The Bayside Boys)

The 1995 Bayside Boys Remix of Macarena, that became a global phenomenon in 1996. Many variants of this release include the previously issued River Re-Mix 103 BPM, on which the bilingual Bayside Boys Remix is based, as a B-side. Some early issues of the Bayside Boys Remix single include the 1993 original recording as well, while 1996 reissues have many additional remixes.
Other releases:
- 1993 original: Macarena
- 1993 Máquina remixes: Macarena (Version Máquina)
- 1995 Bass Bumpers remix: Macarena (New Remix By Bass Bumpers)
- 1996 remix EP: Macarena (Non Stop)
- 1996 Christmas version: Macarena Christmas
- 2008 remix: Fiesta Quinceañera Macarena
- 2016 remake: Más Macarena
Double A-sided releases:
- 1995 double A-side: Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix) / Can You Feel It
- 1996 double A-side: La Niña (Del Pañuelo Colorado) / Macarena
The song 'Macarena' originated when the Sevilla-based group Los Del Rio was attending a jet-set party in Venezuela in 1992, and witnessed flamenco dancer Diana Patricia Cubillán Herrera. On the spot, singer Antonio Romero Monge came up with the chorus of what would come to be 'Macarena', although originally he referred to Cubillán as 'Ma'dalena'.
The original version of 'Macarena' first appeared on Los Del Rio's 1993 album A Mi Me Gusta, and was released as a single in Spain, where it became the duo's biggest hit to date. The rumba flamenco tune also charted in The Netherlands and the United States, and did very well in several Latin-American countries.
By the summer of 1996, 'Macarena' took the world by storm in a half-Spanish, half-English, sample-heavy remix, made by Miami-based group Bayside Boys, which in turn was based on the earlier 1993 River Re-Mix by Fangoria and Big Toxic. The Bayside Boys' version became one of the best-selling singles of 1996 globally, and is arguably one of the most recognizable Spanish language songs of all-time.
A 1995 cover version by studio group Los Del Mar charted simultaneously with Los Del Rio's 1996 hit version in the UK, France, Belgium, Australia, and New Zealand. Remarkably, in Canada, Los Del Mar's recording even eclipsed the Los Del Rio version in sales, peaking at number 1 in July 1995 - a year prior to the international dance craze. Another cover version, Fuck Macarena by MC Rage, cracked the top 10 in The Netherlands in early 1997.
After its phenomenal success in 1996, Los Del Rio tried to continue the 'Macarena' hype by incorporating an interpolation of its chorus in their next single La Niña (Del Pañuelo Colorado) / Macarena, but the song failed to make any significant impact on the charts, only (barely) reaching the Top 40 in France. However, a new holiday-themed medley, Macarena Christmas, incorporating various famous Christmas carols, did manage to crack the top 10 in Australia, and became a Top 40 hit in several European countries.
Later attempts were made to again capitalize on the song's astonishing success, including new versions by Los Del Rio themselves, although none of them was met with an enthusiastic response by the general public, marking Los Del Rio as a one hit wonder in many countries around the world - despite their impressive back catalogue, dating all the way back to the late 1960s.