Pop Culture | Music

12 Bizarre Songs We Can't Believe Hit The Charts

By Matt |

The Billboard music charts have been recording the most popular songs in America for decades now, and there are few better chronicles of the country's music tastes and how they've shifted. Glancing at them reveals a lot of classics that were big in their time, but sometimes, like in the case of these 12 songs, America's tastes were pretty strange.

Isaac Hayes - "Theme From Shaft"

I mean, it's not surprising to see that the godfather of funk got a charting hit, but it IS surprising that it's the theme song from a blaxploitation movie.

Aladdin Soundtrack - "A Whole New World"

Aladdin was a pretty big deal when it came out, enough so that its biggest song got onto the pop charts! (Personally I like "Friend Like Me" better).

Falco - "Rock Me Amadeus"

What does this song even have to do with Mozart again? Also why was this so popular?

Brian Hyland - "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini"

Fun fact: the bikini was actually considered pretty risqué when this song hit the air, but sales of the swimsuit skyrocketed. Thanks Brian Hyland!

Captain & Tenille - "Muskrat Love"

It's a song about mediocre romance with an absolutely bizarre title, and yet somehow it was massively popular. Weird.

If you're confused about how these songs charted, wait 'til you see the rest...

Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots - "Disco Duck"

It's Rick Dees doing a stupid Donald Duck impression over an annoying disco beat. What was wrong with us?

Naploeon XIV - "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa"

I don't even know what this song is. Is it even really a song?

Gilbert O'Sullivan - "Clair"

This sounds like a pretty solid romance song... until you find out that it was written about a three-year-old girl. Yeah.

Chuck Berry - "My Ding-A-Ling"

The world's highest-charting dick joke, ladies and gentlemen! Seriously, don't tell me that this is anything else.

MECO - "Star Wars Cantina Band Remix"

That's right, Star Wars was so insanely popular after its release that a disco remix of its music could hit #1 on the Billboard charts.

Jim Henson - "Rubber Duckie"

Yup, a Sesame Street song actually hit the charts. No, we are not kidding.

Carl Douglas - "Kung Fu Fighting"

I'm not sure I wanna know what "funky China men from funky Chinatown" are.

What song are you most surprised hit the charts?

More Throwbacks

Music

Hootie And The Blowfish Are Making A Comeback In A Huge Way

By Tanya
Hootie and the Blowfish are one of those bands that helped define the 90s. You couldn't go more than two hours without hearing one of their songs after they hit it big.But as is the case with most bands, Hootie and the Blowfish decided to take a break. In 2008, their lead singer Darius Rucker went solo, and became successful on his own. The only time the band has reunited was for Jason Aldean's High Noon Neon Tour when he was in Atlanta, but now they've decided to return in a major way. Kick your Monday off with us

90s

Brace Yourself: The Backstreet Boys Released A New Song And Are Going On A World Tour

By Tanya
The Backstreet Boys have been one of the biggest bands in the country, well, the world for several decades now. After getting their start in the early 90s, they've managed to be one of the very few bands that has stuck together and continued performing. They didn't need a big reunion, because they didn't break up. Well, let's just pretend like that whole Kevin fiasco didn't happen. But anyways, they've been putting out music and performing together for 25 years now, and they have no intention of stopping. To be fair, they did warn of this two decades ago. They

90s

The Spice Girls Announced Their Reunion Tour Dates And We Really 'Wannabe' There

By Tanya
It's been months and months of a "will they or won't they" debate, but we've finally got some concrete details about the Spice Girls reunion tour. It feels like every time they appear on a talk show or make a comment on Twitter they've been contradicting what the others have said, but now it's official, there's no going back, the Spice Girls are going on tour. Well, sort of. There is one catch, Victoria Beckham is not going to be there. We all suspected it for a while, as she herself had said that she didn't want to go on

90s

The Tragic Story Behind Pearl Jam's "Jeremy", Now Those Involved Reveal What Happened

By Tanya
Pearl Jam is one of those iconic 90s bands that everyone remembers hearing. They were edgier than the popular music, instead fitting in alongside Nirvana in the grunge style of music that was becoming popular. Like Nirvana, Pearl Jam originated from Seattle. The band has remained extremely successful in the years since its inception, but one song they wrote definitely brought the band to the attention of a lot more people. In 1992, their song "Jeremy" was released as a part of their debut album. The song was their first foray into more story-driven lyrics, but a lot of people

00s

After 15 Years Apart, BBMak Are Finally "Back Here" Again

By Tanya
As the 90s faded out, and the new millennium rushed forward, a lot changed. Clothes became very shiny, hair became excessively straightened, and people started to get cellphones. There was one thing that didn't change right away though, and that was that boy bands still reigned supreme. Backstreet Boys and *Nsync were obviously the two biggest groups who were constantly in a battle for the crown, but there was an entire league of boy bands that had a whole bunch of hits that a lot of us were completely obsessed with. BBMak was one of those bands. While they may

80s

Debbie Gibson Opens Up About Being A Teen Star, And One Fan's "Dying Wish"

By Tanya
Debbie Gibson first came into our lives in the mid 80s with her song "Only In My Dreams." The singer/songwriter released the single in 1986, and was signed immediately. She recorded her first album in only four weeks, and managed to make her way onto the Top 40 charts. Gibson would later become the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a Billboard number-one single, which she earned for her song "Foolish Beat." She was one of the biggest names in pop music in the 80s, and her bowler hats and rolled up jeans made her the style icon