How Bizarre (song)

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"How Bizarre"
File:OMCHowBizarreMaxiCDCover.jpg
Single by OMC
from the album How Bizarre
Released 15 December 1995 (1995-12-15)
(See release history)
Format CD single, CD maxi single
Recorded 1995
Genre Pop rock
Length 3:43 (Album version)
Label huh! Records
Writer(s) Alan Jansson, Pauly Fuemana
Producer(s) Alan Jansson
OMC singles chronology
"We R the OMC"
(1994)		 "How Bizarre"
(1995)		 "Right On"
(1996)

"How Bizarre" is a hit single written and recorded by New Zealand musical group OMC. It was released in December 1995 as the lead single from the group's debut album of the same name, and went on to top the charts in at least six countries. Outside New Zealand, the song is considered a one-hit wonder, whereas OMC had further successful singles in New Zealand, including "Land of Plenty".[1] The song featured in 1998 movies Palmetto and Disney's The Parent Trap.

Music video

A music video was released to help promote the single. The video has the lead singer, Pauly Fuemana, driving a 1968 Chevrolet Impala. It also pictures him dancing, singing, throwing around money and breathing fire.[2] It was a second version, directed by Lee Baker, and released very late in 1995 just as "How Bizarre" went to number one in NZ.[3] Shot on a soundstage in Ponsonby and at Ellerslie Racecourse for a budget of $7,000 from NZ On Air,[3] it was shown on US networks about 15,000 times in 1997 and 1998. Besides Pauly, it features backing vocalist Sina Siapia,[4] and a Filipino guy named Hill who stood in for Brother Pele.[5]

Critical reception

The song won the award for "Single of the Year" at the 1996 New Zealand Music Awards.[6] It was also featured on Nature's Best 2, as the 34th greatest New Zealand song of all time as voted for by members of the Australasian Performing Rights Association in 2001. In 2002, the song was named as the 71st greatest one-hit wonder of all time on a VH1 countdown hosted by William Shatner.

Release history

Country Release date
New Zealand 15 December 1995 (1995-12-15)
Europe July 1996 (1996-07)
United States 25 February 1997 (1997-02-25)[7]

Chart performance

"How Bizarre" topped the singles charts in New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Canada and Ireland. It also topped the airplay chart in South Africa and peaked at 2 on the United States' Billboard Top 100.[8] The single was top for two weeks in Austria, three weeks in Ireland,[6] three weeks in New Zealand[6] and five weeks in Australia.[6] On 9 February 2010, the song re-entered the New Zealand charts at number 40 after Fuemana's death.

Chart successions

Order of precedence
Preceded by New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart number-one single
26 January 1996 – 9 February 1996 (3 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"Let's Groove" by CDB
Preceded by Australian Charts number-one single
13 April 1996 – 18 May 1996		 Succeeded by
"Fastlove" by George Michael
Preceded by
"Dancin' at the Crossroads" by The Wild Swans
 Irish Singles Chart number-one single
14 September 1996 – 5 October 1996		 Succeeded by
"Words" by Boyzone
Preceded by
"Break My Stride" by Unique II
 Austrian Ö3 Singles Chart number-one single
3 November 1996 – 10 November 1996
17 November 1996 – 24 November 1996		 Succeeded by
"Zehn kleine Jägermeister" by Die Toten Hosen
Preceded by
"Zehn kleine Jägermeister" by Die Toten Hosen
 Succeeded by
"Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" by Backstreet Boys
Preceded by Canada RPM number-one single
20 January 1997		 Succeeded by
"Just Another Day" by John Mellencamp
Preceded by US Top 40 Mainstream Chart number-one single
16 August 1997 – 23 August 1997		 Succeeded by
"Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ OMC - How Bizarre on YouTube
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – OMC – How Bizarre". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  10. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – OMC – How Bizarre" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  11. ↑ "Ultratop.be – OMC – How Bizarre" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. ↑ "Ultratop.be – OMC – How Bizarre" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  13. ↑ "Lescharts.com – OMC – How Bizarre" (in French). Les classement single.
  14. ↑ "Musicline.de – OMC Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  15. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – OMC search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  16. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – OMC – How Bizarre". Top 40 Singles.
  17. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – OMC – How Bizarre". VG-lista.
  18. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – OMC – How Bizarre". Singles Top 60.
  19. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – OMC – How Bizarre". Swiss Singles Chart.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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