Baila el Chiki-chiki
Encyclopedia
"Baila el Chiki-chiki" is a song by Rodolfo Chikilicuatre
and Spain
's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008
, in Belgrade
, Serbia
. The song was pre-qualified for the final round where it scored 55 points in total, placing 16th.
music filled with jokes and references to the Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez
, the king of Spain Juan Carlos and Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
(Original Version). Reportedly the lyrics of the song changed due to some political allusions, as the EBU does not allow political remarks in any songs in the competition.
The final version of the song features allusions to some prominent Spanish figures, including Pau Gasol
, Fernando Alonso
, Javier Bardem
, Antonio Banderas
and Pedro Almodóvar
. It also alludes to the 1995 Spanish hit single "La Macarena
", Michael Jackson
and RoboCop
.
, the song beat the favourite, Coral
, with her song "Todo Está En Tu Mente", placed second.
Rodolfo Chikilicuatre was accompanied on stage by "Disco" and "Gráfica", two comedic dancers that also accompanied him in the national final. One of them, Gráfica, played by fellow actress Silvia Abril, dances clumsily without knowing the basic dance steps. Another three dancers (Leticia Martín, María Ángeles Mas and Cecilia López) were chosen through the special casting show "Dansin Chiki Chiki" to join them in Belgrade.
, Tata Golosa, Dustin the Turkey
, among some others.
Rodolfo Chikilicuatre
Rodolfo Chikilicuatre ; is a Spanish comedic character played by David Fernández Ortiz and first introduced in the Spanish late night show Buenafuente as an improvisational act. Rodolfo was interviewed as the inventor of the vibrator-guitar...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008
Eurovision Song Contest 2008
The Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was the 53rd edition of the Contest. It was hosted in Belgrade, Serbia after Marija Šerifović won the 2007 Contest in Helsinki, Finland. This year was the first contest to have two semi-finals which were held on 20 and 22 May, and the final held on 24 May 2008...
, in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. The song was pre-qualified for the final round where it scored 55 points in total, placing 16th.
Background
The song is a parody of reggaetonReggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
music filled with jokes and references to the Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
, the king of Spain Juan Carlos and Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
(Original Version). Reportedly the lyrics of the song changed due to some political allusions, as the EBU does not allow political remarks in any songs in the competition.
The final version of the song features allusions to some prominent Spanish figures, including Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol Sáez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain...
, Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari....
, Javier Bardem
Javier Bardem
Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem is a Spanish actor. In 2007 he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as sociopathic assassin Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men, and has also garnered critical acclaim for roles in films such as Jamón, jamón, Carne trémula, Boca a boca, Los...
, Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
and Pedro Almodóvar
Pedro Almodóvar
Pedro Almodóvar Caballero is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer.Almodóvar is arguably the most successful and internationally known Spanish filmmaker of his generation. His films, marked by complex narratives, employ the codes of melodrama and use elements of pop culture, popular...
. It also alludes to the 1995 Spanish hit single "La Macarena
Macarena (song)
"Macarena" is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a woman of the same name. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. It was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.The song...
", Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
and RoboCop
RoboCop
RoboCop is a 1987 American science fiction-action film directed by Paul Verhoeven. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, Michigan in the near future, RoboCop centers on a police officer who is brutally murdered and subsequently re-created as a super-human cyborg known as "RoboCop"...
.
National final
In the national final of the Spanish selection Salvemos EurovisionSpain in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008
Spain participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with an entry selected through a MySpace project called Salvemos Eurovisión . The Spanish Final was held at TVE's Estudios Buñuel in Madrid on March 8 , hosted by the popular Italian actress and singer Raffaella Carrà...
, the song beat the favourite, Coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
, with her song "Todo Está En Tu Mente", placed second.
Eurovision final
As a member of the "Big 4", Spain automatically qualified for the Eurovision final, held on 24 May 2008.Rodolfo Chikilicuatre was accompanied on stage by "Disco" and "Gráfica", two comedic dancers that also accompanied him in the national final. One of them, Gráfica, played by fellow actress Silvia Abril, dances clumsily without knowing the basic dance steps. Another three dancers (Leticia Martín, María Ángeles Mas and Cecilia López) were chosen through the special casting show "Dansin Chiki Chiki" to join them in Belgrade.
Beyond Eurovision
Also, "Baila el Chiki-Chiki" has been danced with Rodolfo by popular figures such as King ÁfricaKing Africa
Alan Duffy better known by his stage name King África is an Argentine recording artist of American descent. He is well known in Latin America and Spain for his dance music and unique, intense voice.-Biography:...
, Tata Golosa, Dustin the Turkey
Dustin the Turkey
Dustin the Turkey is a puppet, "television presenter" and star of RTÉ television's The Den since 1989. A turkey with a strong Dublin accent, Dustin is voiced by John Morrison, brother of Ciaran Morrison who was one of the creators of Zig and Zag. Dustin first appeared on The Den with Zig and Zag in...
, among some others.
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Greek Digital Singles Chart | 1 | — |
| Spain Download Chart | 1 | 3xPlatinum |
| Spain Original Ringtones Chart | 1 | 4xPlatinum |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 12 | — |
| French Singles Chart | 20 | — |