Miami

A conga across the radio

In 1985, a song called “Conga” gave radio listeners an invitation to dance. Its English-language chorus is direct and insistent; behind it, the record joins a Cuban carnival rhythm to a pop and disco setting. The song was written by Enrique García, the drummer of Miami Sound Machine, and sung by Gloria Estefan.

The band had spent years performing before that single reached a large English-language audience. Gloria was born in Havana and grew up in Miami after her family left Cuba. She joined the group led by Emilio Estefan; before Primitive Love, Miami Sound Machine had also recorded in Spanish. “Conga” appeared on that 1985 album, the group’s second in English.

A later account published by HistoryMiami identifies the mixture of Cuban carnival rhythm, English words and disco beat as part of the single’s character. García wrote the song; Estefan delivered its invitation; the band gave it a name that placed Miami on the record sleeve. Those three details are all present on the original single.