5 "How the Hell was that Hit?" Songs (part II)

5 “How the Hell was that a Hit?” Songs (Part II)

By: Brian Cotnoir

     Well after the rousing success of my 5 “How the Hell was that a Hit?” Songs, I decided that the only logical thing to do is right a follow up article.  Now just a reminder, the songs on this list aren’t necessarily bad, but when you really take a look at a song and analyze things like lyrical content and rhythm, and melodies,  you really do have to scratch your head and ask: “How the Hell was this a Hit?”.  So here’s 5 songs that will make you asks that exact question (listed in no particular order).

1.) MMMM MMMM MMMM- Crash Test Dummies

Now I actually like the band Crash Test Dummies so I feel conflicted placing their most successful song “MMMM MMMM MMMM” on this list.  The song is about 3 kids whose lives freaking suck, and the only thing said about their terrible lives is MMMM MMMM MMMM.  Let’s be honest, this is probably the only song in the world where you have to hum the chorus.  Not to mention this is a difficult song to request.  I once heard a comedian on TV say: “Can you imagine the difficulty of shouting ‘we want to hear ‘MMMM MMMMM MMMM’ at a concert?’”. I mean it’s a great, well-written song, and there are no other songs I can think of that are like it, but yeah it has a weird chorus, and weird song title.

2.) Hollaback Girl- Gwen Stefani

Oh Gwen Stefani, how you’ve hurt me so.  When I was 11, I had a huge crush on you, when you were the lead singer of No Doubt. You were this tough, take no prisoners chick, and I loved you.  Then you broke my heart by branching of to be a solo artist, and nothing hurt more than when you released “Hollaback Girl”.  Seriously, how did you go from “Just a Girl” to “Hollaback Girl”?  Those two songs are like opposite ends of the spectrum.  This song is more like a cheerleader chant then it is a pop song, and I can’t believe how bad it is.  The only good thing that ever came from this song was it taught me how to spell bananas (and I have to sing that stupid line every time in order to do it).  Now will someone please tell Gwen Stefani that she is 45 and should stop making Pop Music and only sing for No Doubt?

3.) The Purple People Eater- Sheb Wooley

Sheb Wooley deserves a Special Award for his 1958 novelty rock song, “The Purple People Eater”.  I want to know how he came up with the idea to write the lyrics “It was a one-eyed/one-horned/flying purple people eater”.  That is probably the most bizarre subject/lyric ever written in the history of music.  But still listening to this track sung by Wooley (and a high-pitched One-Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People Eater) has me scratching my head and asking: How the hell was this a hit?

4.) What’s Up- 4 Non Blondes

My parents used to play this song all the time when I was a kid, and even back then I couldn’t stand this song.  4 Non Blondes only hit song “What’s Up” feels like a 60’s rock song that was released 30 years too late.  A great deal of this song consists of the lines “Heyeyeyeyeye” and “ooooh ooooooh ooooh”, and I can’t believe that this became a hit song in the 1990’s.

5.) The Scatman- Scatman John

Okay, this one gets my vote for the Most Random Hit Song Ever.  It’s a combination of Electronic Dance Music and Scat singing...that has to the Strangest Combination of Musical Genres in History.  I mean just look at the singer of this song, Scatman John; he sounds like he’s trying to scat sing a techno song.  I mean, wow.  Only in the 90’s could a song like this have been a hit.  I mean...I’m at a loss for this one, I cannot find enough ways to describe to you all how strange this song is.

5 HOW THE HELL WAS THAT A HIT SONGS PART I