Bilingual Crooners

Back in the '70s, the Carpenters realized the huge potential of the Hispanic market when they recorded an endearing Spanish version of the hit "Sing." Culled from the infamous Hot Space album, Queen's schmaltzy "Las Palabras de Amor" pays tribute to the supergroup's Latin American fan base.

Even though they hail from France and Greece respectively, international pop stars Charles Aznavour and Nana Mouskouri have enjoyed their share of Spanish hits - including Mouskouri's wonderfully credible version of the tango "Caminito." In the year 2000, Christina Aguilera explored her Ecuadorian roots through the Spanish album Mi Reflejo.

A joyful tropical romp by Kirsty MacColl, "Mambo de la Luna" conveys the exhilaration that the late songstress felt when she discovered Latin music. The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde may be the last person you'd expect to record a Silvio Rodríguez tune — but her "Rabo de Nube" is a tremendous tribute to the Cuban troubadour.

Performing songs in Spanish has been a tradition for mainstream crooners since the golden days of pop, when Nat King Cole gained millions of fans with his soulful versions of "Aquellos Ojos Verdes" and "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás." Bilingual Crooners scans through decades of music looking for that perfect gem en español — from Matt Monro's dreamy translation of "The Shadow of Your Smile" to Beyonce's sexy Spanish diction on "Irreemplazable."