25 July 1999
At the time of writing, Ricky Martin is involved in a widely-reported legal suit and counter-suit involving serious allegations against both parties, all as yet unproven. The matter has some unfortunate resonances with this particular Irish number one, so I’ll try to keep things tasteful and considerate.
‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’ was Ricky Martin’s crossover hit here in Europe, and it’s easy to see why. Not because of the song itself, whose verses indulge in the tired and sexist old trope of she-devil leading on and mistreating an innocent guy. The big final verse finds him coming around after she apparently slipped him a roofie. This doesn’t come across well as a punchline now (see above) and it was icky then too. No, the special sauce here was Martin’s all-in, 110% commitment to selling this song. That surprisingly visceral “like a bullet to your brain!” and body-wracking “come on!” just before the chorus are a singer giving it absolute socks. Also, it’s hard to go wrong with a platoon of trombones and trumpets blaring out excitedly. Ricky Martin doesn’t have as big a hit again on our side of the Atlantic, but this was one of the sounds of 1999.
