Bagdad (song)
"Bagdad" | ||||
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Single by Rosalía | ||||
from the album El mal querer | ||||
Language | Spanish | |||
Released | 4 December 2018 | |||
Studio | El Guincho Studio (Barcelona, Spain) | |||
Genre | New flamenco · synth pop | |||
Length | 3:03 | |||
Label | Sony | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Rosalía singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Bagdad" on YouTube |
"Bagdad" (stylised in all caps, officially "Bagdad – Cap 7: Liturgia") is a Spanish-language song recorded by Spanish singer and songwriter Rosalía. A fan favourite, the song was released on 4 December 2018 as the fourth single from her second studio album El Mal Querer (2018).[1] The track was co-produced by Rosalía and Spanish musician El Guincho and contains an interpolation of "Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake. In 2021, "Bagdad" was included in the soundtrack for season four of the hit Netflix show Élite, which pushed the song's commercial success to the point that the daily consumption of its music video tripled and the song entered the top 40 of the Shazam Global chart.[2]
Background[]
In an interview with Beats 1, Rosalía said she was inspired by an erotic club in Barcelona called Bagdad and by Timberlake's "Cry Me a River": "He heard the song and said, "Yes, you can use the melody"; I was so excited because he never approves anything."[3]
In this song, Rosalía represents a woman drowned by her anguish and grief due to a bad love. The woman does nothing to prevent it, but flooded by her own tears she finds salvation. The liturgy, a worship ceremony, ends with a rebirth.[4] The song's lyrics, part of a narrative arc that spans the whole album, revolve around the main character of the story being seen alone crying in the streets at night, clapping her hands in sorrow "like she's praying to the rhythm of bulerías", and then being rescued by a "fallen angel".
Music video[]
The music video for "Bagdad", directed by Helmi, was filmed in Paris and released on 4 December 2018 on YouTube. It features Rosalía as a strip-club dancer, dancing in a pole wearing a blonde wig and a red latex mono similar to the one Britney Spears used in the music video for "Oops!... I Did It Again" in 2000.[5] She goes to the place's bathroom after having a heated up phone conversation, where she starts crying to the point that the water from her tears fills up the whole room, drowning her. The singer tweeted that the music video is "For all those who were heartbroken and drowned in their sorrow."[6] A portion of an unreleased track "Lo Presiento", initially intended for El Mal Querer, can be spotted at the beginning of the video.[7]
Charts[]
Weekly charts[]
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
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Spain (PROMUSICAE)[8] | 7 |
Year-end charts[]
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
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Portugal (AFP)[9] | 1978 |
Certifications[]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Spain (PROMUSICAE)[10] | Gold | 20,000![]() |
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References[]
- ^ Rámirez, Lucía (5 December 2018). "Qué se esconde detrás de 'Bagdad', el último single de Rosalía". Metropoli Abierta. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ "Elite season 4 soundtrack: Every song in each episode". PopBuzz. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ Yglesias, Ana (6 December 2018). "Rosalía Cries A Literal River In "Bagdad"". The Recording Academy. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ "Qué se esconde detrás de 'Bagdad', lo último de Rosalía". www.metropoliabierta.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ "¿Qué tiene en común Rosalía en 'Bagdad' con la Britney Spears de los 2000?". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 5 December 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ Kim, Michelle (4 December 2018). "Rosalía Shares New Video for "BAGDAD (Cap.7: Liturgia)": Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ "Rosalía estrena el videoclip de 'Bagdad' y en Twitter no paran de hablar de ello". AS.com (in Spanish). 4 December 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ "spanishcharts.com - Spanish charts portal". spanishcharts.com. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ GFK (28 December 2019). "TOP AFP/AUDIOGEST" (PDF). Retrieved 24 June 2021 – via audiogest.pt.
- ^ "Bagdad – Rosalía". Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- 2018 singles
- 2018 songs
- Rosalía (singer) songs
- Spanish-language songs
- Songs written by Justin Timberlake
- Songs written by Scott Storch
- Songs written by Timbaland
- Songs written by Rosalía (singer)
- 2018 single stubs