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"Conga" is a song by American band Miami Sound Machine, led by Gloria Estefan, released as the first single from their second English-language album, Primitive Love. The song was written by the band's drummer Enrique Garcia. The song first appeared on August 31, 1985, as part of the album. The single was released in Australia on September 9, 1985.
"Conga" became a worldwide success and is recognized as the Miami Sound Machine and Gloria Estefan's signature song. The single reached the top 10 in various countries, including the United States, where it was the band's first charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, and the Netherlands.
Background
According to Gloria Estefan in an interview in the Netherlands television show RTL Late Night, Conga was written after the band had performed "Dr. Beat" in a club called Cartouche in Utrecht, the Netherlands. "Conga" is written in the key of E minor.
A version of "Conga" arranged with Brazilian rhythms and instrumentation and renamed "Samba" is included in Estefan's 2020 album Brazil305. A remix of "Conga" featuring Leslie Grace and Meek Mill was released in 2021 as a Bacardi sponsored and Boi-1da produced single.
Commercial performance
The single was released in 1985 and became a worldwide hit, reaching number 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and winning the Grand Prize at the 15th annual "Tokyo Music Festival" in Japan. The single was certified Gold by the RIAA in the U.S. for shipments of 500,000 copies. However, it wasn't a hit in the United Kingdom, failing to chart on the top 75.
The video is set in the fictional Miami night club "Copacabana", hosting a reception for an unspecified ambassador. The classical pianist serenading the crowd proves to be a complete bore, and the MC hastily asks Gloria and the Miami Sound Machine to perform "Conga" in a last-ditch attempt to salvage the reception. Even though Gloria protests that this is not an appropriate setting for the sexually charged song, she performs it anyway. Despite the initial shock of his wife, "Conga" becomes a hit with the ambassador and the club as the other attendees break out into a frenzied dance. Clips of the original video feature in the video of Estefan's 2020 reworking of the song, "Samba".
Formats and track listings
U.S. and Canada 7-inch single (Epic: 34 05457)
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga"
Enrique E. Garcia
4:14
2.
"Mucho Money"
Lawrence Dermer
Joe Galdo
Rafael Vigil
4:44
U.S. 12-inch single (Epic: 49 05253)
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga" (dance mix)
Enrique E. Garcia
6:00
2.
"Conga" (instrumental version)
Enrique E. Garcia
4:52
U.S. 3" CD single (Epic: 34K 05457) {1988}
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga"
Enrique E. Garcia
4:14
2.
"Mucho Money"
Lawrence Dermer
Joe Galdo
Rafael Vigil
4:44
U.S. promo 7-inch single (Epic: 34 05457)
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga"
Enrique E. Garcia
4:14
2.
"Conga"
Enrique E. Garcia
4:14
U.S. promo 7-inch single (Discos CBS International: DBS 10074)
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga"
Enrique E. Garcia
4:14
2.
"Conga"
Enrique E. Garcia
4:14
Canada 12-inch single (Epic: 12EXP-05253)
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga" (dance mix)
Enrique E. Garcia
6:00
2.
"Conga" (instrumental version)
Enrique E. Garcia
4:52
Europe 7-inch single No. 1 (Epic: EPCA 6361)
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga"
Enrique E. Garcia
4:14
2.
"Mucho Money"
Lawrence Dermer
Joe Galdo
Rafael Vigil
4:44
Europe 7-inch single No. 2 (MSM Group Photo Pic Sleeve) {1985}
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga"
Enrique E. Garcia
4:14
2.
"Mucho Money"
Lawrence Dermer
Joe Galdo
Rafael Vigil
4:44
Europe 7-inch single No. 3 (Limited Edition Posterbag) {Epic: EPCA 6361} (1985)
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga"
Enrique E. Garcia
4:14
2.
"Mucho Money"
Lawrence Dermer
Joe Galdo
Rafael Vigil
4:44
Europe 12-inch single No. 1 (Epic: EPCA 12.6361)
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga" (dance mix)
Enrique E. Garcia
6:00
2.
"Conga" (instrumental version)
Enrique E. Garcia
4:52
Europe 12-inch single No. 2 (MSM Group Photo Pic Sleeve) {1985}
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga" (dance mix)
Enrique E. Garcia
6:00
2.
"Conga" (instrumental version)
Enrique E. Garcia
4:52
Europe 7-inch single (European remix) {1986}
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga" (European remix)
Enrique E. Garcia
4:25
2.
"Mucho Money"
Lawrence Dermer
Joe Galdo
Rafael Vigil
4:44
Europe 12-inch single (European remix) {1986}
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga" (European remix)
Enrique E. Garcia
4:25
2.
"Conga" (instrumental version)
Enrique E. Garcia
4:52
3.
"Mucho Money"
Lawrence Dermer
Joe Galdo
Rafael Vigil
4:44
Germany 3" CD single (European remix) {Reissue} (1989)
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Conga" (European remix)
Enrique E. Garcia
4:25
2.
"Conga" (dance mix)
Enrique E. Garcia
6:00
Germany 12-inch vinyl single (European remix) {Reissue} (1989)
Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 199. ISBN0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between 1983 and 26 June 1988.
Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 27, 1986). "1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 52. p. Y-21. {{cite magazine}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
