Strange or Surprising #1 songs

[Alan Stallion]

A singer from Israel, from a poem by Rabbi Shalom Shabazi who lived in 17th Century Yemen.

#1 in Europe (European Hot 100 singles), Finland, Greece, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and West Germany.

Im Nin' alu (Yemenite Folk Song) {remix} - Ofra Haza


אם ננעלו דלתי נדיבים דלתי מרום לא ננעלו

Im nin'alu daltei n'divim daltei marom lo nin'alu

Even if the gates of the rich are closed, the gates of heaven will never be closed.

 

[Alan Stallion]

Here's something cringy from 1978...

Automatic Lover - Dee D. Jackson


#1 in Brazil and Iceland.

Chorus might be tolerable if it wasn't for that annoying robot voice.

Fun Fact: The voice of the robot is Jimmy McShane, better known as the lead for Baltimora...

 

[Alan Stallion]

Tarzan goes to #1 in many countries

Tarzan Boy - Baltimora


Oh-wa-oh-wa-oh-wa-oh-wahhhh-oh-waaaah!

Catchy song... crap video

 

[Alan Stallion]

Back to Miss Jackson (no, not THAT Miss Jackson).

Her follow up to "Automatic Lover" was "Meteor Man" which topped the Italian charts.

While American disco began to fade away quickly in the early 1980s, in Europe, you see the morphing into what was later termed "Italo-Disco"

Meteor Man - Dee D. Jackson

 

[Alan Stallion]

Dance tune with sampled speech about the Vietnam war.

#1 in many countries (#1 on US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play)

19 - Paul Hardcastle

 

[Alan Stallion]

You know, it's hard to be a baby. At least that was Jordy's claim.​

#1 in Belgium, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, and Spain.

Not too shabby for someone who was under the age of five at the time of recording.

Dur dur d'être bébé ! - Jordy

 

[Ringo]

Belgium (VRT Top 30)[1]	1
Denmark (Tracklisten)[2]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[1]	1
New Zealand (RIANZ)[3]	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[1]	1