Number What? pt. 1

    It's easy to look back upon the past and chuckle over what was once popular. Fashion is an oft used example, with such classics as bell-bottoms, poodle skirts, petticoats, togas, etc. and etc. into the ancients. Even in music, though, the younger generations tend to grimace at the tunes their parents once enjoyed. Now, I think a true music nerd can find credibility and respect in almost anything. Even if it stems solely from how bad it sounds :P
    Alas, there have been some... unique... songs to hit number one on the billboard charts throughout its records. Some are comical, some are odd.. some are just noteworthy. Whatever the case, you'll be surprised by what songs the people revered to the top, either from different cultural norms or plainly the song's dumb luck. We'll be bouncing all over the decades, but for now we start with October 4, 1960 with:


"Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne.
    As the title implies, the lyrics concern the ill-fated general at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Listening to this song the first time, you'll wonder how a song fraught with cliched and almost borderline-racist references could get so popular. Well, I'll just say it was 1960 and leave that hot potato alone. The novelty song IS a bit unorthodox in other ways as well, though, including the use of sound effects, comedic voices, and spoken word. Something like this, even with a modern spin, wouldn't stand a chance at gaining the throne in today's age (In Weird Al's entire 30-year career, only one song even broke the top ten: "White and Nerdy" at number nine). Back in the 50's and 60's, however, the listeners must have found it hilarious. Many artists were at least dabbling in this style, if not embracing it outright.
    Brook Benton, perhaps most well known for "It's Just a Matter of Time", had a number 2 hit with "The Boll Weevil Song", which details the plight of a pushy insect and the upset farmer having to deal with it. Coincidentally as annoying, "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" topped the list at the close of 1958. The man who unleashed this upon us all, known by the stage name David Seville, also gave us the topper "The Witch Doctor". Inspired by the success of it and Sheb Whooley's "The Purple People Eater", the Big Bopper combined the creatures into his own novelty number aptly named "The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor". He wasn't the only big name to try out the offbeat. The Kingston Trio and Johnny Cash seemed to have some influence at times during the era, even if a mild one. Obviously, the comedy singers took the biggest page from Larry Verne's book. Charlie Drake, who actually covered "Mr. Custer" in the same year, later released a single sounding remarkably similar: "My Boomerang Won't Come Back".
    So while Larry Verne can't claim a breakthrough genre with his hit, the method in which his novelty unravels left an impact. "Mr. Custer" actually tells a narrative; the sheepish protagonist had a dream about the unit's demise in the battle, and tries to convince Custer to let him skip out. By bolstering the style in the charts, the public accepted this wild type of comedy, complete with silly noises, and opened the field for future legends. Ray Stevens had his start shortly after its popularity, and surely his crazed storytelling falls right in line.
    Just as Lt. Col. Custer, "Mr. Custer" has its place cemented in history. The people of 1960 deemed it a great song. Even with all this reasoning, the fact that it reached number one seems off. Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix never enjoyed a chart-topping single in the US, but Larry Verne with his simple novelty tune did what they couldn't? What an oddity!