# Oddest chart hits **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 10, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863 "2014-12-10T18:02:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/41 "2014-12-18T18:32:44Z")
Ween counts as a pretty “odd” band, but certainly not a novelty act. They only had two songs that charted. “Voodoo Lady” is a pretty straight classic rock kind of track, but “[Push th’ Little Daisies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push_th%27_Little_Daisies)” was straight up weird. It was also my first introduction to one of my favorite bands. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6PAzqBUNlCs/hqdefault.jpg "Ween--Push th' Little Daisies") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PAzqBUNlCs) ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/42 "2014-12-18T18:44:15Z")
Also, I researched and was surprised to find out that [Tiny Tim](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Tim_%28musician%29) didn’t have any Billboard hits. Also, he didn’t write “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” like I thought. Bob Dylan said Tiny Tim had the most extensive knowledge of American music of anyone he knew. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/43 "2014-12-18T18:52:22Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > “Angie Baby” by Helen Reddy, number 1 on Billboard in 1974. Here are the [lyrics](http://www.metrolyrics.com/angie-baby-lyrics-helen-reddy.html). And here’s the [wikipedia synopsis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angie_Baby#Lyrical_story): The writer, Alan O’Day, would rework the concept three years later with his hit ‘Undercover Angel,’ only there, it’s a girl who appears in his bedroom out of nowhere, then disappears again. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/44 "2014-12-18T19:16:58Z")
> [@Enlightening\_Meditation](#): > > “Mmm mmm mmm mmm” by Crash Test Dummies is among the weirdest hit songs that I recall. Apparently the song hit #1 on several charts among multiple countries, #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #2 in the UK. That is one of my favorite songs and one of my favorite albums. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/45 "2014-12-19T01:48:55Z")
Steam’s “Na Na Na (Kiss him Goodbye)”. Originally meant to be a b side, so deejays would play the surefire hit of the four possible hit singles the songwriter and singer came up with. Interesting enough it was the record label who saw it as a hit. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/46 "2014-12-19T13:52:16Z")
There’s got to be at least an honorable mention for _The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia._ ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/47 "2014-12-19T17:13:55Z")
“The Men In My Little Girl’s Life” - spoken by Mike Douglas in the 60’s - we were in high school then and thought it was hilarious. “Wives and Lovers” by Jack Jones - a light, breezy, jazzy ode to housewives making themselves purty for their husbands when they came home. Also hilarious! (I hear this and always think, 'didn’t work out so well for Betty Draper;.) ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/48 "2014-12-19T19:32:56Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > What do you think are the oddest chart single hits. (By oddest, I’m not including novelty songs, but those with at least ostensibly serious intent.) > > My vote goes to the brilliant, mesmerising ‘O Superman’ by Laurie Anderson which got to number two in the UK charts in 1981. Basically it’s just Laurie Anderson going ‘ha ha ha ha’ for over eight minutes while intoning lyrics like these: > > \*'Cause when love is gone, there’s always justice. > And when justice is gone, there’s always force. > And when force is gone, there’s always Mom. Hi Mom! > > So hold me, Mom, in your long arms. So hold me, > Mom, in your long arms. > In your automatic arms. Your electronic arms. > In your arms. > So hold me, Mom, in your long arms. > Your petrochemical arms. Your military arms. > In your electronic arms.\* Brilliant, indeed. The paraphrase from the aria ‘O souverain’ (Massenet’s ‘Le Cid’) speaks to me. And “Here come the planes. They’re American planes” might be gallows-humor or chilling prescience. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/49 "2014-12-19T20:22:22Z")
The Shifting Whispering Sands - Jim Reeves Telephone Man - Meri Wilson. I know this was originally a Beatles number but even they never put it out as a chart single [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTDzFUlrDYM) ---
**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:** [December 19, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/50 "2014-12-19T20:46:31Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > **[Ballad of the Green Berets](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5WJJVSE_BE)** - Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler > > Not a bad tune, but 5 weeks at #1? During Viet Nam? This was back in 1965–66, when it was still cool to be patriotic about the war. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/51 "2014-12-19T20:50:45Z")
“My Girl, Bill” (note the comma). :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2014, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/52 "2014-12-19T22:43:53Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Here’s another candidate (it hit #23 in the US in 1972!) > > [“Once You Understand” by Think](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haCqD9Ps0co) That’s also the song I was going to mention. I can’t even figure out what the message is supposed to be: “Teens: listen to your parents or you’ll end up dead.” Or is it “Parents: go easier on your teens or they’ll end up dead.” Either way, it’s unclear whether the song is sincere in its message or if it’s supposed to be a satire of something. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2014, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/53 "2014-12-20T02:22:50Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > This was back in 1965–66, when it was still cool to be patriotic about the war. > [@terentii](#): > > “My Girl, Bill” (note the comma). :rolleyes: I probably could have been clearer. I wasn’t throwing aspersions at patriotism. I got this Archie and Jughead stereotype in my head that nobody over the age of 25 buys records, and no one under 25 would buy a “square” record. Make any more sense? I didn’t think so. :smack: For completeness’ sake, **My Girl Bill** does not have a comma in the title (it should). I have the Jim Stafford Song Book and the sheet music for MGB derived from the book and JS has not a clue what the proper comma usage is; I don’t think there is one correct instance in the lyric sheet or the score. I can think of two ways to not use a comma: if you have two dogs (one of each sex) and both are named Bill, you could introduce them as “my boy Bill” and “my girl Bill.” The other: if I sold you a Russian mail-order bride, what would you get, from me, in the mail? My _girl_ bill. :o ---
**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:** [December 20, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/54 "2014-12-20T02:55:07Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > For completeness’ sake, **My Girl Bill** does not have a comma in the title (it should). I have the Jim Stafford Song Book and the sheet music for MGB derived from the book and JS has not a clue what the proper comma usage is; I don’t think there is one correct instance in the lyric sheet or the score. I inserted the comma to match the true meaning of the song, which isn’t revealed until its very end. Listening to the song \*without \*reading the lyrics, the meaning is somewhat ambiguous (to say the least), which is what made it, uhm, “memorable.” :rolleyes: Back in 5th grade, BTW, I thought “Ballad of the Green Berets” was AWESOME! (My favorite TV show was _ **Combat!** _, and Tuesday nights at 6:30 were what made life worth living! :o ) ---
**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:** [December 20, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/55 "2014-12-20T03:01:55Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Also, I researched and was surprised to find out that [Tiny Tim](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Tim_%28musician%29) didn’t have any Billboard hits. “Tip-Toe Through the Tulips” reached #17. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/56 "2014-12-20T16:00:05Z")
One Night in Bangkok has to be the weirdest: A rap song about a chess match that hit #1? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/57 "2014-12-20T16:38:30Z")
> [@burpo the wonder mutt](#): > > Ballad of the Green Berets - Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler > > Not a bad tune, but 5 weeks at #1? During Viet Nam? > [@terentii](#): > > This was back in 1965–66, when it was still cool to be patriotic about the war. On the other hand _The Battle Hymn of Lt. Calley_ (by the justly forgotten Terry Nelson and C-Company, celebrating the achievements of a soldier involved in one of the worst civilian massacres in U.S. military history) was a top 40 hit in 1971, when the Vietnam War wasn’t so “popular” anymore (it peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100). ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/58 "2014-12-20T22:38:06Z")
Annie-Xmas writes: \> One Night in Bangkok has to be the weirdest: A rap song about a chess match that \> hit #1? Um, sort of, but sort of not. Since your location says you live in New Jersey, it didn’t hit #1 where you live. It was only #3 in the U.S. and Canada and only #12 in the U.K. Only in seven countries where you don’t live did it hit #1. Calling it a rap song is strange, even if it does include talking and singing. I presume the writers (who were two Swedes and a Brit) didn’t think of it as a rap song in 1983 when they probably wrote it. It’s partly about a chess match, but it’s more about visiting Bangkok. It’s a chess master boasting about how he’s not tempted by the prostitutes in the city: > **[One Night in Bangkok](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Night_in_Bangkok)** > > "One Night in Bangkok" is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson, and Björn Ulvaeus. British actor and singer Murray Head raps the verses, while the chorus is sung by Anders Glenmark, a Swedish singer, songwriter, and producer. > The release topped the charts in many countries, including South Africa, The Netherlands, West Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Australia. It peaked at No. 3 in both Canada and the United States in May 1985 and at No. ... > **[Chess (musical)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_(musical))** > > Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of the pop group ABBA, lyrics by Ulvaeus and Tim Rice, and book by Rice. The story involves a politically driven, Cold War-era chess tournament between two grandmasters, one American and the other Soviet, and their fight over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any real individuals, the character of the American grandmaster (named Freddie Trumper in t... ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/59 "2014-12-21T01:11:16Z")
[Snoopy Vs The Red Baron.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snoopy_vs._the_Red_Baron_%28song%29) > [@](#): > > The single made number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (US) chart during the week of December 31, 1966; number 6 on the Record Retailer (UK) chart in February 1967;[1] and number one in Australia for five weeks from February 1967. As unpopular as Vietnam was, WW1 was less popular. Why this? Who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863/60 "2014-12-21T01:54:11Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > [Snoopy Vs The Red Baron.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snoopy_vs._the_Red_Baron_%28song%29) > > As unpopular as Vietnam was, WW1 was less popular. > Why this? Timing. It hit #2 two months after Snoopy was trying to find The Red Baron in _It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oddest-chart-hits/706863.md?page=4)