3 of the Weirdest Rock Songs That Ever Hit No. 1

Sometimes, the most unexpected of songs hit No. 1. The three songs below defied all expectations, hitting the top of the charts. These songs range from knowing novelties to psychedelic experimentation. Whatever the reason, these rock songs wouldn’t immediately be seen as No. 1 material. Nevertheless, they managed to rise to the top of the charts.

[RELATED: 3 Rock Songs That Became Hits Years After They Were Released]

“My Ding-A-Ling’” — Chuck Berry

We have to start here. Chuck Berry’s “My Ding-A-Ling” was a novelty song that hit No. 1 in 1972. This song, somehow, became the only No. 1 of Berry’s legendary career. The double entendre-filled track thrilled audiences, becoming an unlikely chart topper.

“My grandmother bought me a cute little toy. Silver bells hangin’ on a string / She told me it was my ding-a-ling-a-ling,” the lyrics read. Throughout the rest of the lyrics, Berry delivers wry jokes that lead into the title line. If you didn’t know this song and just saw it on paper, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a massive flop. Nevertheless, it defied the odds and became one of Berry’s biggest hits.

“Batdance” — Prince

It’s not every day that a song about a comic book character rises to the top of the charts. Prince managed this by releasing “Batdance” for the 1989 adaptation of Batman. “I’ve seen the future, and it will be / Batman, Batman,” the lyrics read. Prince married references to the iconic hero with his typical, conventional style. It was quite the feat. Without seeing the end result, many wouldn’t think it possible.

This song hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, becoming one of the biggest and most unlikely hits of Prince’s career.

“Yellow Submarine” — The Beatles

Lastly, but not least in the weird No. 1 department, we have The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine”. This song is a classic, so it’s likely no surprise that it was a chart topper, but when we really dissect this song, remove its iconography, we’re left with an unlikely hit.

Sung by Ringo Starr, this Beatles track better befits a band like The Wiggles. It’s a crowd-pleaser that works on babies just as well as on classic rock fans. If any other band had released a song this silly and inconsequential, you’d likely think they lost the plot. The Beatles, however, managed to pull off this tightrope walk of a hit.

(Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)