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

 

[Alan Stallion]

The word "Suicide" in a title and the theme itself, which would hinder its play on radio.
And the fact it hit #1 ten years later in UK and Ireland.

Suicide is Painless (Theme from M*A*S*H) - Johnny Mandel

 

[Alan Stallion]

This video covers many of the songs I've already posted...

The Most Bizarre UK No. 1s of the 1980s​

 

[iamwhatiseem]

And now for something completely different...

Disco Duck - Rick Dees
A satirical song about disco tops the US chart for a week in 1976. #1 in Canada too.

The funny thing about this is the song was not a "real song".
It was intended as a novelty song as a joke about disco fanatics.
Ironically, those same fanatics went fanatical with the song! LOL

 

[Alan Stallion]

The funny thing about this is the song was not a "real song".
It was intended as a novelty song as a joke about disco fanatics.
Ironically, those same fanatics went fanatical with the song! LOL

Like when Frank Zappa did "Dancin' Fool" as his parody of disco culture and it became his first American Top 50 hit (only surpassed by "Valley Girl" with his daughter Moon Unit)

 

[Alan Stallion]

Speaking of Frank Zappa, he hit #1 in, of all places, Norway and Sweden...

Bobby Brown - Frank Zappa

 

[Alan Stallion]

Muskrat Love - Captain and Tennille

 

[Alan Stallion]

Stiffed on its initial release in 1977.
Revived in 1982. One of those songs when a local disc jockey played it to garner reinterest.
Sweet sounding song with controversial lyrical content.

I've Never Been To Me - Charlene

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Muskrat Love - Captain and Tennille

OMG I hated that song.
Great example of one of those "WTF??" songs that became a hit.