# Is this the most obscure #1 Billboard hit song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953 "2015-08-15T23:34:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/61 "2015-08-16T16:11:58Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > And who can forget the alien woman on helium singing “Daydream Believer”? > > No, not a cover of the Monkees’ Sixties hit… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/62 "2015-08-16T17:29:19Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I dunno, **Chefguy** , it’s still pretty popular for beach commercials and the like. Yeah, that’s famous. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/63 "2015-08-16T17:32:06Z")
What, no one remembers “My Girl, Bill”? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/64 "2015-08-16T17:33:34Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > What, no one remembers “My Girl, Bill”? :dubious: That caused quite a stir among people who didn’t listen to the whole song. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/65 "2015-08-16T18:04:12Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > What, no one remembers “My Girl, Bill”? :dubious: > [@TriPolar](#): > > That caused quite a stir among people who didn’t listen to the whole song. I once got to play that live on the radio (circa 1994) and they didn’t have time for the third verse; just like you said, people were calling and fussing. We had to explain the song to them. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/66 "2015-08-16T18:16:29Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > “The Night Chicago Died,” did go to #1. > > So did Rock the Boat! When I was in college, one of the campus’ newspaper reporters said he realized he was an adult when he heard that, and didn’t think it was really all that bad of a song. Haven’t read the whole thread - has anyone mentioned “MacArthur Park”? That went to #1 - TWICE. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/67 "2015-08-17T02:13:50Z")
I just heard “If Ever I See You Again” on the Internet station I listen to. Holy crap! I feel like I’m caught in a time warp! :eek: Was that really Roberta Flack, and not Debbie Boone?!? 😕 Now I know I’m really, _really_ **OLD!!!**** I HATE IT!!!** :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/68 "2015-08-17T08:11:41Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Any idea what was playing on the radio at the time? 😉 Depending on my sources, either this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TgoF-ccdGM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TgoF-ccdGM) or that: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_CUqQVAJT38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CUqQVAJT38). Take your pick :D. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/69 "2015-08-17T13:38:29Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > Depending on my sources, either this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TgoF-ccdGM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TgoF-ccdGM) or that: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_CUqQVAJT38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CUqQVAJT38). > > Take your pick :D. “Kung Fu Fighting” is AWESOME!!! I LOVE IT!!! 🆒 (FYI, it came out at the height of the Kung Fu craze triggered by Bruce Lee!) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/70 "2015-08-17T14:32:46Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Same year, Sister Janet Mead had a #4 hit with “The Lord’s Prayer.” This is the only song mentioned in the thread that I didn’t instantly remember. And I _like_ all these songs too! If you’re approximately the same age as me (45), you’ll probably really like [Dave Barry’s Book of Bad Songs](http://www.amazon.com/Dave-Barrys-Book-Bad-Songs-ebook/dp/B00B8UK9QG/ref=sr_1_15/178-6910145-6640853?ie=UTF8&qid=1439821849&sr=8-15&keywords=books+by+dave+barry). I’ve read it several times and it still absolutely slays me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/71 "2015-08-17T14:58:30Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > This is the only song mentioned in the thread that I didn’t instantly remember. After not hearing it for more than 40 years, I can still sing it from memory now that I’ve been reminded of it. I’ll probably be hearing it (in her voice!) all the rest of today. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/72 "2015-08-17T15:14:41Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > After not hearing it for more than 40 years, I can still sing it from memory now that I’ve been reminded of it. I’ll probably be hearing it (in her voice!) all the rest of today. :mad: Maybe [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naAC37W42ro) will take your mind off it: 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/73 "2015-08-17T16:17:27Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > To clarify, I’m sure anyone old enough to have listened to top 40 radio at that time would remember this. You don’t get to be on the top of the charts for two weeks running without a lot of radio play. > > But I guess what I mean is songs that people who came of age after the time they were released have never heard of, and haven’t heard of the artist either. Oh, and I should probably add a third criterion: even if you don’t know the song by name and have not heard of the artist, it’s disqualified if it sounds familiar when you listen to it. There are a few listed upthread that satisfy the first two criteria, but I will spend some time later tonight looking them up and listening to them to see if they satisfy all three, at least for me. But if you’d ever looked lists of WORST pop tunes, Billy … will be on most of them. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/74 "2015-08-17T16:19:20Z")
Ah, this is my music! I can sing all of \*Billy Don’t Be A Hero \*and _Torn Between Two Lovers_, not to mention every Barry Manilow song from the 1970’s. I even saw Neil Sedaka in Las Vegas back in the day. It’s been said before, but bears repeating: the music you listened to in high school will be your music for the rest of your life. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/75 "2015-08-17T16:21:45Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Quickly perusing the list of Billboard Hot 100 #1’s from 1978 onward, I came across [“Shake You Down” by Gregory Abbott](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shake_You_Down), … The Attorney General of Texas ??!! ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/76 "2015-08-17T16:57:36Z")
Nobodys mentioned “Seasons in the sun” yet? Not obscure but rarely played and a nadir for worst records. What about Run Joey Run (Quick Joey Small) possible the worst song ever made. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/77 "2015-08-17T17:07:26Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Nobodys mentioned “Seasons in the sun” yet? > Not obscure but rarely played and a nadir for worst records. > What about Run Joey Run (Quick Joey Small) possible the worst song ever made. I still cringe at “Seasons In The Sun”. I loved the soap opera-ishness of “Run Joey Run”. OMG, what about “Playground In My Mind”? Or “The Last Song”? Or, “It Never Rains in California”? (these were my junior high songs, btw. I came of age during the disco era :D) ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/78 "2015-08-17T17:15:55Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > I still cringe at “Seasons In The Sun”. > > I loved the soap opera-ishness of “Run Joey Run”. > > OMG, what about “Playground In My Mind”? Or “The Last Song”? Or, “It Never Rains in California”? > > (these were my junior high songs, btw. I came of age during the disco era :D) OOh yeaH “My name is michael I got a nickel…” Oy I’m your age. I think Last song and Never rains are pretty catchy though. Did you know that Sammy Davis Jr hated Candyman and said to someone half jokingly that it might be his last record, like that much of a bomb. + Then had to sing it every night for the rest of his life. ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/79 "2015-08-17T17:18:19Z")
My brother had that single (vinyl) back when it was a hit. So, its not too obscure to me. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953/80 "2015-08-17T22:06:18Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Maybe [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naAC37W42ro) will take your mind off it: > > 😛 I thought for sure this was going to be Rick Astley. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-most-obscure-1-billboard-hit-song/727953.md?page=5)