Weirdest song to become a hit?

[begin_within]

Of course there are way more than 10. Please reply with your own choice if it's not listed here. We're looking for weird songs that got a lot of radio play or sold a lot of copies.

[tk2kewl]

1. Convoy

[Beausoir]

70. OMG! That is the one I was going to say!

[CBGLuthier]

2. What is weird about Hooked on a Feeling

By B.J. Thomas.

Perhaps you meant the Blue Swede version. That's the one with the Oogachacha's

[begin_within]

6. Yes, the Blue Swede version is the one I meant. Thank you for that.

[swag]

31. Wilson Bryan Key, the author of the idiotic "Subliminal Secuction"

insisted that listener can hear the words "Who got sucked off?" in every third or fourth "Hooga-shaka!"

I'm not sure that he was incorrect on this count.

[begin_within]

48. Did he mention the scream in "Love Rollercoaster?"

[swag]

52. Not during the lecture I saw.

He was mostly talking about the word "SEX" on Ritz Crackers and the Pope being fellated by a nun in a picture of an ice cube in a magazine ad for a certain kind of scotch.

[begin_within]

59. LOL!

[Gatchaman]

3. What planet was "O Superman" a hit on?

Cause it sure wasn't this one.

[begin_within]

4. The planet called "England"

[enigmatic]

36. It was a hit

#2 on the British charts if I remember correctly. Brilliant song..

[WCGreen]

65. Saw her in concert with someone who

was thinking she would be seeing something like "The Human League....

We didn't date much longer...

[hvn_nbr_2]

5. Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?

If your mother says "Don't chew it" do you swallow it in spite?
Then you catch it on your tonsils and you heave it left and right
Oo-oo, does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?

[begin_within]

8. I love it.

[SnohoDem]

28. Roughly contemporary with

I've got tears in my ears from lyin' on my back
In my bed while I cry over you

http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/i/ivegottearsinmyears.shtml

[Stardust]

41. Bad earworm! Bad earworm!

[hvn_nbr_2]

7. I'm Henry the Eighth, I am.

Hen-ery the Eighth, I am, I am.
I got married to the widow next door.
She'd been married seven times before
And every one was an Henry, Henry...

[dipsydoodle]

77. Same could be said

of a lot of music hall / vaudeville songs from the turn of the the last century. Henry VIII is just one of them. :)

[Blue-Jay]

9. Safety Dance?

[begin_within]

11. Only borderline weird, IMO.

[Coventina]

10. The Milkshake song.

It's got a good beat, and you can dance to it, but WTF?

:wtf:

[ironflange]

12. I LOVE "They're Coming. . ."

I like the flip side, too. I still have the old 45 somewhere.

:evilgrin:

[Archae]

13. Don't forget...

A college kid that recorded a song with his accordion in his dorm's bathroom, called "My Bologna" set to the music of "My Sharona." :crazy:

[kmla]

56. That would be Weird Al Yankovic....

[Archae]

62. Yup!

The Duke of Weird!

(The King being the good Doctor of Dementia) :-)

[Jamastiene]

14. Anything by Bjork.

She's cornered the market on weird.

Otherwise, I'd have to say the song about Mexican Radio was pretty weird too. I love both of the above, btw.

[BlueIris]

15. The ridiculous (and horrible) Panic at the Disco song that's all OVER

local Clear Channel stations in my area is...how the hell is that thing popular? I mean, I know Payola can do a lot, but--have you guys heard this song? It's terrible. TERRIBLE.

[begin_within]

21. Haven't heard that yet. The Clear Channel station here is always stuck on

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" which they play over and over and over and over and over again, with an occasional "Layla" thrown in, and they think that's all they need to do to be a "classic rock" station.

[BabyPF]

73. nuh-uh you didnt!

oh yah im passingfairs youngest (note the name) i'm in 7th grade that is my fav band in the WORLD.and i love the song i write sins not tragedies.

[AspenRose]

16. "Mexican Radio" by Wall of Voodoo

Weird but fun! I love a lot of the 80s stuff.

Oh and that "Mr. Jaws" song from the 70s....and that "Hey baby, I'm your telephone man" song...lots of weird stuff from the 70s....

[begin_within]

20. I love "Mexican Radio." Plus they did a great version of "Ring of Fire."

[Montauk6]

17. Anything by the Simpson sisters, Hilton, J-Lo, K-Fed, and any other

dishonorable mentions from the famous-for-being-famous crowd.

[BabyPF]

74. lol

he he he i agree

[elocs]

18. Before I had even read the poll choices

I thought of "They're Coming to Take Me Away" with the song played backwards on the flip side of the 45. Another good choice would have been "Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen. I did like Telstar and Louie, Louie.

[begin_within]

19. Oooh... good one. Forgot about it.

[jobycom]

22. The Lion Sleeps Tonight (or Mbube, or Wemoweh)

The story of this song is as odd as the lyrics. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Sleeps_Tonight

[BlueIris]

45. Dude, how can you insult the awesome "Wemowep" song?

That's always how I think of it, too, even though I forced myself to learn the actual title years ago.

[jobycom]

47. How DID I insult it?

I love the song. But it's certainly weird.

[Radical Activist]

57. I like Pete Seeger's version

Notice that the company he was affiliated with eventually made regular payments to the original composer without a lawsuit. Nice.

[jobycom]

61. Yes, cudos to him. nt

t

[immoderate]

23. Surfin' Bird (The Trashmen)

Poppa ooh mow mow, poppa ooh mow mow...
:silly:
--IMM

[begin_within]

24. Pretty weird.

[Stardust]

43. Didn't the Beach Boys use those "lyrics," too?

[unsavedtrash]

25. "wang chung - "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" n/t

[LizW]

26. Chuck Berry's only #1 hit

"My Ding-a-ling" (1972).

[Stardust]

40. I was embarrassed for the rock pioneer. I'm sure it got him lotsa

bling, but...but...it's just wrong.

[WCGreen]

27. Timothy.....

A song about canablism...

Or was it....

[u4ic]

32. Fuck, that was a weird song

:scared:

[HughBeaumont]

58. According to Rupert Holmes, it was.

Timothy wasn't a mule, that was the rumor the record company started to try and get the taint off of the cannibalism angle.

[WCGreen]

64. It was bouncy, though, wasn't it.....

Timothy.....

Where on earth did you goooooooo....

[HughBeaumont]

71. Volume 6 - Super Hits of the 70s . . .

Timothy . . . Timothy . . . Joe was lookin at you
Timothy . . . Timothy . . . God what did we doooooo ... YOU WENT DAHMER ON TIMMAH, that's what you did!

[swag]

29. "Black Superman - Muhammad Ali" by Johnny Wakelin and The Kinshasa Band

Very annoying novelty song with rotten lyrics and a creepy performance that reached #21 on the US Billboard Charts in 1975. You couldn't escape this appalling piece of shit for a few awful months.

Steve Martin followed suit with 1978's "King Tut," with that troubling line, "got a condo made a stona" (condom made of stona?")

[Archae]

37. Condo...

As in "condominum."

[swag]

38. Yes, of course,

but allow a teenager his mondegreens.

[HughBeaumont]

72. That same year yielded another pile - Meri Wilson's "Telephone Man"!

I was 9 and found that song very suckworthy. I'd rather hear Heroin Leif Garret sing about how he's made for dancin'.

[bertha katzenengel]

30. Having My Baby

:puke:

[Stardust]

42. How could Paul Anka stoop so low...

[idgiehkt]

33. that Suzanne Vega remix of 'Tom's Diner' (?)or whatever.

so strange...

[tuvor]

34. Money by the Flying Lizards. Oh, and Dear Mr. Jesus by some little girl.

[Stardust]

39. Do you mean, "Happy Birthday, Jesus"? That and "The Singing

Dogs" were the first records my father bought for me. He indulged me until I started liking Elvis then I was on my own.

Two other weird songs: "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker & The Aces and "Dominique" by the Singing Nun. Every once in a while a song so far adrift of rock surfaces and the nation grabs hold. It's just too weird how we just seem to hunger for nonsense every once in a while. (Kinda like our choice in presidents and blogs.)

[Benfea]

35. Girl! You got what I nee-eed!

But you say he's just a friend...

Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" is the best unintentional punk ballad of all time (it's a perfect example of the punk principle of accessability).

[last_texas_dem]

44. I voted for "Popcorn"

It's not as funny as some of the options (it actually sounds a little bit creepy!) but I've just always thought it was cool that something that flat-out weird made the Top Ten. I mean, some guy on a Moog synthesizer playing popcorn sound effects with some spacey keyboards in the background!? That's why I love early-seventies Top 40 so much. I guess it's not too far away from Billy Preston's "Space Race" and "Outa-Space" singles, which charter even higher, but there's just something a bit weirder about "Popcorn." (Oh yeah, and can't you tell the artist knew he was going to be a one-hit wonder, calling himself "Hot Butter"?! haha)

Oh yeah, and another weird one is Sister Janet Mead's pop version of "The Lord's Prayer" that also broke the Top Ten (I think it charted as high as #4, actually) in the early seventies. Not that the Lord's Prayer is weird, but the Lord's Prayer being a Top Ten single on the Hot 100 is weird!

Also, there's "Run Joey Run" by David Geddes. Very melodramatic, and with one of the most messed-up plotlines (with the exception of The Buoys' "Timothy", perhaps) of any story-song I know of.

[begin_within]

49. My arts & crafts teacher loved "Popcorn." Yes, I think the guy who called

himself "Hot Buttered" painted himself into a corner with that, unless his next single was going to be either "Rum," "Buns," or "Crab legs."

[Skittles]

46. Lily the Pink by Scaffold

very popular in England:

We'll drink a drink a drink to
Lily the pink a pink a pink
The saviour of the human race
For she invented medicinal compound
Most efficacious in every case

Mr Frears had sticky out ears
And it made him awful shy
And so they give him medicinal compound
And now he's learning how to fly

Brother Tony was notably bony
He would never eat his meals
And so they give him medicinal compound
Now they move him round on wheels

We'll drink a drink a drink to
Lily the pink a pink a pink
The saviour of the human race
For she invented medicinal compound
Most efficacious in every case

Well Ebeneezer thought he was Juilius Ceasar
And so they put him in a home
Where they give him medicinal compound
And now his emperor of Rome

Johnny hammer had a terrible stammer
He could hardly say a word
And so they give him medicinal compound
And now his seen and never heard

We'll drink a drink a drink to
Lily the pink a pink a pink
The saviour of the human race
For she invented medicinal compound
Most efficacious in every case

Auntie Milly ran willy-nilly
When her legs they did recede
And so they hooked on medicinal compound
Now they call her Millipede

Jenifer Eccles had terrible freckles
And the boys all call her names
But she changed with medinical compound
And now he joins in all their games

We'll drink a drink a drink to
Lily the pink a pink a pink
The saviour of the human race
For she invented medicinal compound
Most efficacious in every case

Lily the pink she turned to drink she
Filled up with parafin inside
And dispite her medicinal compound
Sadly pickalily died

Up to heaven her soul ascended
For the church bells they did ring
She took with her medicinal compound
Hark the herald angels sing

[Pendrench]

60. Wasn't that the band with Paul McCartney's brother - Mike McGear?

I've read about them in "Beatle-bios", but I don't think I've ever heard any of their songs.


Tim

[Skittles]

76. yes

I haven't heard the song in years; will have too look on the web for it :)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

50. "The Macarena" or "Who Let the Dogs Out?"

And anyone who purchased those songs should be sent to Gitmo.

[Cannikin]

51. Mmmmm Bop

[Lilith Velkor]

53. 3 Little Pigs by Green Jello

[bif]

54. "The Monster Mash"

[kwassa]

55. I'm Too Sexy (for my hat)

[begin_within]

68. I confess, I like that song (if you mean the Right Said Fred one)

A great song for a wedding reception, anyway.

[kwassa]

78. Being wierd doesn't mean I don't like the song!

pop music seems to be full of catchy songs with inane lyrics.

[shawmut]

63. "Jungle Fever" - Chakachas

Weird top 10 song from 1972, I think.

[NC_Nurse]

66. Kung Fu fighting...

MacArthur Park

[Mz Pip]

67. William Hung's "She Bangs"

n/t

[begin_within]

69. Oh, good one - keeping the tradition of horrible recordings alive.

[BabyPF]

75. oh and...

the numa numa song!!!(dragostea din tea by o-zone)

[hvn_nbr_2]

79. What's that Blondie song about the man from Mars goes out at night...

and eats up cars. Then when there's no more cars he goes out at night and eats up bars. (Or am I hallucinating?)

[Touchdown]

81. Rapture. The first punk/rap hybrid song.

Gets great mileage!

[Touchdown]

80. Pac-Man Fever

It just came to me...Buckner & Garcia. I could only remember it because I likened them to Grateful Dead (Garcia).

Hey! What did the deadhead say when he ran out of drugs?
"Damn. This music really DOES suck!":rofl:

[Felix Mala]

82. Gotta be "Jeans On" by David Dundas, 1977

I've hated this song for almost 30 years.


When I wake up in the morning light
I put on my jeans and I feel alright
I pull my blue jeans on, I pull my old blue jeans on
I pull my blue jeans on, I pull my old blue jeans on.

It's the weekend and I know that you're free
So put on your jeans and come on out with me
I need to have you near me I need to feel you close to me
I need to have you near me I need to feel you close to me.

You and me will go motorbike riding in the sun
And the wind and the rain.
I got money in my pocket got a tiger in my tank
And I'm king of the road again.

I'll meet you in the usual place
I don't need a thing 'cept your pretty face
And I need to have you near me I need to feel you close to me
I need to have you near me I need to feel you close to me
I need to have you near me I need to feel you

It was 77th that year. "Somebody to Love" by Queen was 88!!! The theme from Star Wars charted at 99.

[barb162]

83. the Chipmunk songs