Released May 1999 Genre Merengue Label Karen | Format Airplay Length 4:25 Writer(s) Juan Luis Guerra | |
"El Niágara en Bicicleta" (English: Niagara Falls by Bicycle, literally Niagara Falls on a Bicycle) is a song written and performed by Dominican singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra and his backup vocal group, 4-40. The track was released as the third single released from his eighth studio album, Ni Es Lo Mismo Ni Es Igual which Guerra produced by himself. The single became a success on the Top Latin Songs and Latin Tropical Airplay chart where it peaked #2. It was the best-performing Latin Tropical Airplay song of 1999.
Contents
Song Information
The phrase "[pasar] el Niágara en bicicleta" (English: to ride a bicycle across Niagara Falls) is a Dominican idiom used to describe overcoming a difficult situation. In the song, Guerra uses the term to describe the near impossibility of obtaining medical treatment in a developing country. He has been known to compose political songs that reflect on the current situation in his country. In writing the song, Guerra stated that he was inspired by "a pressing problem with public health services in my country. The song was based on the experience on a hospital trip he took for his high bilirubin and criticized the lack of equipment that was either broken or unavailable.
Music video
The music video was directed by Venezuelan-American JC Barros and was filmed in Santo Domingo and Miami, Florida over two days. As with the song, the music video takes place in a hospital after a person had an accident on a bicycle. Due to a lack of supplies however, the person is asked to wait for his turn in a long line of people.
Chart performance
"El Niágara en Bicicleta" debuted at #39 where it climbed to #5 on the week of May 8, 1999. The song then peaked #2 on the Top Latin Songs on the week of May 29, 1999 for which was being held off by Ricky Martin's song Livin' La Vida Loca.
Reception
On the review of the album, Evan Gutierrez described "El Niágara en Bicicleta" as "irresistibly singable". David Wilson of Wilson & Alroy's called the song "an interesting merengue-rap". On an editorial review of the album, Fernando Gonzalez of Amazon.com called the song the highlight of disc describing it as "Guerra at his very best". In 2000, the song received a Latin Grammy Award for "Best Tropical Song" as well as a Latin Grammy Award nomination for "Song of the Year". The song also received a Latin Billboard Music Award for "Tropical/Salsa Track of the Year".