The odd stuff I hear on SW

[SomeRadioGuy]

Tuning across the band and stopped on one of my favorites. Radio Inconfidencia 15190khz (5kw, 122 deg azimuth from Brazil) and heard a melody I recognized but couldn't place it. Stuck my phone up to the headphones to record some quick audio and run it through Shazam because I just couldn't get the title off the tip of my tounge.

Turns out.. its a Portuguese language cover of....... "Amarillo By Morning" by George Straight

Take a listen:

Amarillo By Morning (George Straight) on Inconfidencia 15190.mp3

August 7, 2025 10:09:08â¯PM

drive.google.com

 

[CTListener]

I wonder if the lyrics were a translation (or reasonable approximation) of the original English lyrics about the life of a rodeo cowboy, or whether just the melody was used and a completely original set of Portuguese lyrics were substituted. The latter was the case when "Sukiyaki" and "Eres Tu" became American hits in Japanese and Spanish. In the former case, the English version came out nearly 20 years after the original, and by a different artist. In the latter, Mocedades recorded Spanish and English versions and both were sent to American radio. In each case, the English lyrics did not match the originals. I couldn't hear "Amarillo" sung in the 30-second snippet posted, but reception conditions appeared marginal and maybe it was buried in the static crashes.

Oh, and the name is Strait.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I wonder if the lyrics were a translation (or reasonable approximation) of the original English lyrics about the life of a rodeo cowboy, or whether just the melody was used and a completely original set of Portuguese lyrics were substituted. The latter was the case when "Sukiyaki" and "Eres Tu" became American hits in Japanese and Spanish. In the former case, the English version came out nearly 20 years after the original, and by a different artist. In the latter, Mocedades recorded Spanish and English versions and both were sent to American radio. In each case, the English lyrics did not match the originals. I couldn't hear "Amarillo" sung in the 30-second snippet posted, but reception conditions appeared marginal and maybe it was buried in the static crashes.

Oh, and the name is Strait.

l of all people know i mispelled it.. but i realized it too late for an edit

In a longer clip i have i definately heard the amarillo beat.. ill have to look up the lyrics this weekend

 

[davideduardo]

I wonder if the lyrics were a translation (or reasonable approximation) of the original English lyrics about the life of a rodeo cowboy, or whether just the melody was used and a completely original set of Portuguese lyrics were substituted. The latter was the case when "Sukiyaki" and "Eres Tu" became American hits in Japanese and Spanish. In the former case, the English version came out nearly 20 years after the original, and by a different artist. In the latter, Mocedades recorded Spanish and English versions and both were sent to American radio. In each case, the English lyrics did not match the originals. I couldn't hear "Amarillo" sung in the 30-second snippet posted, but reception conditions appeared marginal and maybe it was buried in the static crashes.

Mocedades song was "Touch the Wind" in English and "It's You" in Spanish. No similarity.

When it came out, I was at CHR KRUX in Phoenix and we decided that the Spanish version had something that was missing from the English one. A number of stations did play that version, too.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I wonder if the lyrics were a translation (or reasonable approximation) of the original English lyrics about the life of a rodeo cowboy, or whether just the melody was used and a completely original set of Portuguese lyrics were substituted. The latter was the case when "Sukiyaki" and "Eres Tu" became American hits in Japanese and Spanish. In the former case, the English version came out nearly 20 years after the original, and by a different artist. In the latter, Mocedades recorded Spanish and English versions and both were sent to American radio. In each case, the English lyrics did not match the originals. I couldn't hear "Amarillo" sung in the 30-second snippet posted, but reception conditions appeared marginal and maybe it was buried in the static crashes.

Oh, and the name is Strait.

Theres a country station in the Czech Republica that plays original czech country but also czech language resings of american country songs.. and some rockabilly/early rock n roll and i just love the station. been a listener on and off for 20 years. www.countryradio.cz

 

[RMarino]

I’ve never heard an English version of “Eres Tu” by Mocedades. I didn’t know it existed.

 

[davideduardo]

I’ve never heard an English version of “Eres Tu” by Mocedades. I didn’t know it existed.

It got wide play when released. Some Top 40 stations were on it, but lots of AC stations picked it up.

 

[davideduardo]

It got wide play when released. Some Top 40 stations were on it, but lots of AC stations picked it up.

Again, called "Touch the Wind".

 

[ted chittenden]

Mocedades song was "Touch the Wind" in English and "It's You" in Spanish. No similarity.

When it came out, I was at CHR KRUX in Phoenix and we decided that the Spanish version had something that was missing from the English one. A number of stations did play that version, too.

@davideduardo:
Thank you for verifying something I've long suspected about the English and Spanish titles of "Eres Tu," (sorry I was unable to get the Spanish accented letters in using my QWERTY keyboard). I remember asking my high school Spanish teacher about that one in 1978 and him responding that you could read the title both ways depending on where you placed the accent.

In Phoenix, where I was living at the time, all of the stations that played that song (including country KRDS) played the Spanish original; and it was that Spanish original that I first heard on KHJ when we went to spend Christmas at my grandma's house in Tujunga at the end of 1973. The first time I heard the English version of the song was through nighttime skywave on Salt Lake City's KSL.

 

[Bongwater]

Mocedades song was "Touch the Wind" in English and "It's You" in Spanish. No similarity.

When it came out, I was at CHR KRUX in Phoenix and we decided that the Spanish version had something that was missing from the English one. A number of stations did play that version, too.

I loved that song when I was a kid. (Still a guilty pleasure.)

50 years on and I have never heard the English version of "Eres Tu". Ever. I've known it has existed since it came out. The English language 45 has passed through my hands at record shops I just haven't even bothered to look (why ruin a beautiful song as it is?) Every station I heard that ever played it always played the Spanish original.

For "Sukiyaki", A Taste of Honey's English version isn't even close to what Kyu Sakamoto was originally singing about in 1963. His version wasn't even romantic (or about food.)

Sakamoto's version has been a regular in KIXI's playlist for at least 50 years (It's always been a popular oldie in Seattle.)

 

[CTListener]

Again, called "Touch the Wind".

I heard both versions on the stations I listened to in Syracuse at the time: WOLF, WHEN and WNDR. No, I don't remember which stations played which version, or whether any of them played both.