The Most Bizarre UK No. 1s of the 1980s
Britain in the 80s had some great number one singles. Songs that summed up a moment, stretched the boundaries of what pop could be, yet have stood the test of time. “Ghost Town”. “Don’t You Want Me”. “Relax”. “West End Girls”. “Ride On Time”. From this list you would think the British record buying public had excellent, perfect taste. But then there are other songs where you wonder “how did that become the most popular song in the country?” Whether that’s being confusingly out of time, defiantly uncommercial or offensively not very good, this is an exploration of those songs: The stories of the Most Bizarre UK No. 1s of the 1980s.
#ukcharts #80spop #musicdocumentary
Fact-checking by Chad Van Wagner.
00:00 Introduction
00:43 A Decade Old Movie Theme
03:29 A Conqueror of Synth-Pop
06:01 A Popera Duet
09:29 An Electro-Documentary
14:16 A Soap Star Tries Pop
17:38 A Delayed No. 1
21:24 Puppets and Stop-Motion
25:05 The Bard of Barking
28:48 An New Age Album Act
32:56 A Cartoon Rabbit Plays The Hits
Soundtrack
Luar – Citrine (https://soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
Jesse Gallagher – The Golden Present
Luar – Anchor (https://soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
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Sources
1000 UK Number One Hits by John Kutner & Spencer Leigh (2005) Omnibus Press
Top of The Pops: Mishaps, Miming and Music by Ian Gittins (2007) BBC Books
“Jackie Wilson Said…” Richard Williams, Melody Maker, Oct 1972
“Jackie Wilson Obituary” Bill Millar, Ace Records, 1984
“Paul Hardcastle: Leytonstone Now!” Paolo Hewitt, NME, May 1985
“Paul Hardcastle: Re-Mixed Blessings” Adrian Deevoy, International Musician & Recording World, Nov 1985
“Why Do All Actors Want To Be Pop Stars?” William Shaw, Smash Hits, Oct 1986
“Something To Bragg About” Chris Hunt, Phaze 1, Feb 1989
“How to create a Pop Phenomenon called Jive Bunny in 15 easy steps…” Chris Heath, Smash Hits, Nov 1989
“Who The Hell Does Billy Bragg Think He Is?” Tom Hibbert, Q, Oct 1991
“Where are they now? Jive Bunny” Martin Aston, Q, May 1997
“John O’Connor From ‘Star Treking’ To King Of The Hill” Paul Tingen, Sound On Sound, Dec 1998
“Nick’s good luck charm” Tim Randall, Daily Record, Feb 2001
“Is there life after Shaddap You Face?” David Fickling, The Guardian, Nov 2002
“What’s a matter you, hey?” No author given, The Age, Jul 2005
“Are there any good covers of Sgt Pepper tracks?” Alexis Petridis, The Guardian, Jun 2007
“Interview: Johnny Mandel” Marc Myers, Jazz Wax, Oct 2008
“Bet you think this song is about you” Dave Simpson, The Guardian, Dec 2008
“Will the Indie Chart rise again?” Bob Stanley, The Guardian, Jul 2009
“Save Your Love singer Renato dies” BBC Staff, BBC News, Aug 2009
“Renato Pagliari: Singer who had a No 1 record across Europe alongside Renée” Alan Clayson, Independent, Aug 2009
“Novelty Records: When pop goes bad” Dave Simpson, The Guardian, Sep 2010
“JIVE BUNNY AND THE MASTERMIXERS – “Swing The Mood”” Tom Ewing, Popular The UK’s No. 1 Hits, Sep 2010
“How we made the pop song 19 by Paul Hardcastle and Ken Grunbaum” Dave Simpson, The Guardian, Sep 2012
“Star Trekkin’ (The Firm)” Jon Kutner, Single Of The Week, Feb 2013
“Space Celts & A Voyage Into The Avant-Garde: Enya Interviewed” Luke Turner, The Quietus, Nov 2015
“Sail Away: How Enya’s “Orinoco Flow” Went From a Hit to a Punch Line to a Pop Culture Anthem” Tim Greiving, The Ringer, Oct 2018
“Johnny Mandel, composer who gave ‘M.A.S.H.’ its theme song, dies at 94” Tim Greiving, Washington Post, Jun 2020
“‘Terry Wogan said it was the worst thing he’d ever heard!’: Brian May, Sugababes and more on hitting No 1” Dave Simpson, The Guardian, Nov 2022
“Story Behind The Song: Jackie Wilson – Reet Petite” Martin Ruddock, Vintage Rock, Nov 2022
“Even Renee didn’t want to star in ‘cheesy’ Save Your Love hit” James Desborough, Express, Dec 2022
“Theme From M*A*S*H* (The Mash)” Jon Kutner, Single Of The Week, May 2023
“Classic Tracks: Paul Hardcastle ’19’” Tom Doyle, Sound On Sound, Apr 2024
@TrashTheory
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Every now and then I get people asking for a playlist of every song mentioned in my videos: Well here's a Spotify link for this one:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4mGKIzvyrDp9VMaW670618?si=d2c1be7db0b9414f
and the YouTube Music one:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLooaZ33lSalfhUxnsbgBhqZB5q-t0DgI4&si=CQT21jT96BBUN8fe
@izzpop781
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Have to say, that whether I liked any of these songs at the time or not, every single one of them whizzed me back to the best decade of my life. The 80's were amazing if you were in your teens! 💗
*with the exception of Joe Dulce.
I've nothing against the bloke personally – he's probably lovely – but that song belonged in a holiday camp kids entertainment set list
@mrraoulandtheking11
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
I’ve often thought that as well how and why and who was responsible for that
@britishknightakaminininja1
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
The most bizarre number one you missed is easy. There was an American act who had a MASSIVE hit with a song about watching horror movies, and while the music on it was great, the lyrics were absolutely on par with the absolute worst you featured here, plus it featured a rap by an aging retired movie star who was completely unknown for any musical talent. The record: Thriller and the artist was Michael Jackson. I dare absolutely anyone to read the lyrics and say they don't seem like they were written by a child. An absolute smash-hit number one for weeks with naff lyrics and the most bizarre subject matter, but propelled by the video and a dance.
@peterwright6721
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Everyone has different tastes, so what if they made number one. Oh no they kept Ultravox of the top spot so it must mean there bad. I'm so sick of seeing self righteous crap videos like this.
@marksemple297
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Because we have a sence of humour.
@JomasterTheSecond
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
"Potato-based crew members"
@pale_mask
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
A million dollars got you a lot of therapy in 1970
@julianaylor4351
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Joe Dolce stopped Ultravox song Vienna, getting to number one, but the Ultravox song later earned more sales than Dolce got, going platinum over a long time. Midge Ure got his revenge.
Nick Berry did stick to acting and became the original lead of Heartbeat, the very successful Sunday night police series on ITV. So he called that right.
The Firm Star Trekking may seem odd as a hit, but the real reason is not that it was just a clever novelty, but that just like Dr Who and Star Wars, Star Trek is an international cult sci-fi franchise.
@EntNatal
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Alright that’s it, UK, no more music for you
@Shark_1982
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
I think a lot of the people commenting here are missing a bit of nuance with the descriptor "bizarre". I don't think OP has classed these songs as bizarre from a personal perspective or even the context that bizarre = bad. Rather they are songs that were considered bizarre at the time of their release in the climate of what types of music was expected and popular at the time. This has only served to make them stand out and become even more memorable.
@davekennedy6315
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Suicide Is Painless by the Manics is a SUPERB song! Kinda eerie with Richey disappearing just a few years later.
@davekennedy6315
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
I had this pop up in recommended but honestly thought it was Watchmojo UK so ignored it until I saw someone reacting to it. I recognise that voice! So !'m here for the real deal!
@DodderingOldMan
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
I was a kid in the 80s, and Jive Bunny was possibly my favourite thing of all time when I was 9.
@stopthink7202
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
If I was a terminator that could go back in time, Id be like, "screw John Conner. Where's Paul Hardcastle?"
@ChaosGoblinDeezNutz
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
The best was getting Killing in the Name by RATM to Christmas number one and the band promised a free gig if it happened, which they did and I went and it was one of the best gigs I've ever been to
@Sqdlow
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
I loved this video , what a brilliant gem. Fantastic editing
@bloodyhell451
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
'19' does not deserve to be clumped-in with all the other dreck. It is a work of genius.
Reet Petite neither. The plastiscene video is fantastic and the song is a banger !
And leave Billy Bragg alone. He's sound.
@ewaf88
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
God, I remember all of these. Some were ok, but they were only for fun.
Fun is a word our current Government is trying to eradicate
@fairhall001
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
AAAH-GAAA-DO DO DO push pineapple
@pauldudeuk
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
The singer of Arthur Daley was Tony Thorpe, he was my guitar tutor!
@HeatherMyfanwyTylerGreey
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Well you missed The Wombles, The Smurfs and Captain Sensible just to mention a few more amusing songsters we loved of the time.
@zenzombie72
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Ride On Time.
Um, you mean Right On Time, don't you, everyone ever?
Ah… NOW it makes sense.
You're welcome.
@ronaldramo3
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Jive Bunny was so big, every catering hall DJ played it in the USA in the early 1990s.
@zenabraithwaite1934
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
I miss the quirky pop tracks. 😊
@AER-c2c
August 1, 2025 at 9:20 pm
It was musical Hell. The record industry mostly would do anything to suffocate heavy rock and metal, the new classical music (despite their best efforts).
Comments are closed.