A Song of Joy

"A Song of Joy" ("Himno de la alegría") is the title of a popular rock song by the Spanish singer and actor Miguel Ríos. The song is set to the tune the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, as arranged by Waldo de los Rios, who specialized in arranging classical music to contemporary rhythms. The single was enormously popular in many countries in 1970 (see 1970 in music), reaching number one on music charts in Australia, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the Easy Listening chart in the United States. On the U.S. pop chart, the song peaked at number 14 and was the only Top 40 hit for Ríos. In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 16 on the British pop chart. In Germany, the song is the most successful pop hymn ever. The single sold over four million copies worldwide.