How Bizarre by OMC

Album: How Bizarre (1996)

Charted: 5

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Songfacts®:

Lead singer Pauly Fuemana was a gang member in Auckland, New Zealand before achieving pop immortality with this song. He received his musical training in a New Zealand juvenile prison. Pauly Fuemana died after suffering from an illness for several months on January 31, 2010, aged 40.
OMC stands for Otara Millionaires Club, after the neighborhood in Auckland where Fuemana grew up. It's a somewhat fanciful name, as the Auckland suburb of Otara is a ghetto/slum. >>
Suggestion credit:
Tariqa - Hamilton, New Zealand
This reached #1 in eight different countries, the first of which was New Zealand in early 1996. Others include Australia, Canada, and the US (on the Mainstream Top 40 chart).
The album How Bizarre didn't get released until 1997, over a year after the single was first released, because they had not completed the remaining tracks.
Despite being a big radio hit, peaking at #4 on the Airplay/Radio Songs, the song did not enter the Billboard Hot 100. The reason being it was released as a radio-only promo single, and was thus ineligible to chart on the Hot 100 according to rules in place at the time.
The other influential musical presence on this album is producer Alan Jansson whose only major credit is this song, which he co-wrote.
The song won the award for "Single of the Year" at the 1996 New Zealand Music Awards.

Comments: 24

Heath Walker from Louisiana, UsaWhy did I believe all my life that this song was actually called "Habazan"? Was it because I illegally downloaded it on Napster and someone mislabeled it decades ago?
Squglio from OregonWanna know the rest, hey buy the rights. Classic!
Mark from VirginiaLove this song every time I hear it, it gets better. How bizarre.
Barb from TexasLove this song. Hadn't heard it in so long. The commercial brought it back to life for me. Makes me want to dance!
Neil from CanadaThis is actually a great song. Lyrics are great, arrangement is even better. Always loved it. Guess that is why it was #1 in 8 countries. Looks like some people in Texas can’t appreciate it. Not too surprised.
John from UsaI like this song and think the lyrics are top shelf. It mixes a couple modes of imagery and voices a legit commentary on being treated as suspicious due to one's outward profile. When I used to hear it on the radio I didn't pay attention to the lyrics, but when I did recently I thought they had weight. A great teacher from the past used to say "those who have ears to hear, let them hear" and would proceed to tell stories people had to think about. I like that stuff!
Ryan from UsaIt's not: Ask the where, for and why

It's: Ask the wherefore and why

'Wherefore' is an archaic synonym for 'why' or 'for what reason/purpose'. The phrase "the whys and wherefores" or "the wherefores and whys" is something you'll hear from time to time, meaning the motives behind actions taken (the whys) and the causal explanations (the wherefores) of a turn of events. The facts that an investigator would be interested in. 'Wherefore' is archaic, but the phrase is kept around because people just like it. It's just sort of a pleasant old-fashioned alliterative phrase, and the redundancy gives a sense of thoroughness or emphasis. See https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/the+whys+and+wherefores
Digby from Tauranga, New ZealandI always felt that they could have made 2 great songs out of How Bizzare.
Its a shame what happened to Pauly, but I think he should have stuck with the guy who wrote the song, so that they could have come up with a couple of follow up hits.
Pauly also gave a lot of his money away to relatives, and ended up broke !
Chelsea from Wichita, KsI actually really song, it's really chill and summery. :)
Martin from Rostock, GermanyI kinda like it... :P
Jeff from Austin, TxHorrible song, Horrible singer, Horrible Horrible Horrible. But seriously, this song really sucks.
Phillipa from Stillwater, OkI love how it actually explains what the song is about.
Ed from Incognito, IlThere are street gangs in New Zealand? That sounds funny in and of itself.
Britt from Wharton, NjOmc Wroyte this song I have there cd.
Britt from Wharton, NjThis song is okay.
Jessica from Holt, MiThis song was featured on an episode of the very funny television show "Undeclared." In the episode, Rachel's suitemate Tina plays this song over and over at a very loud volume until Rachel gets so sick of it she has to ask her to turn it down. Tina turns it down for about two seconds and then back up. Rachel goes back over to Tina's room to complain again and they get into a "radio war" by playing different CDs, trying to out-do each other with loud music. It was funny.
Dave from Cardiff, WalesInterestingly, this song entered the UK chart in an adjacent position to OMD's "Walking On The Milky Way" in 1996, the similarity in the two bands' names causing some confusion for BBC Radio 1 DJ Mark Goodier when he read out the UK Top 40 for that week...
Andy from Sc, New ZealandThe song was actually parodied by Dene Young of Classic Hits Radio when he was running the night show.
Chris from Auckland, New Zealand"The Edge" didn't exist when this came out.
Mel from Auckland, New ZealandThis was NOT parodied by Billy T, it was parodied by the "Maori Bros"
Emily from Pottstown, PaThis was one of the biggest one hit wonders I remember from the Nineties.
Matt from Canberra, AustraliaNot actually parodied by Billy T James as he died before this came out. A radio station 'The Edge' came up with the song 'Stole my car'at around the same time the song came out. For interests sake, the car in question was a 'HQ, coloured brown'.
Sanchia from Auckland, New ZealandI don't know who wrote or performed the parody of How Bizarre, but since Billy T died in 1991 I'm pretty sure it could not have been him.

There was also another parody done of this song titled "I bit his ear". This was about the Mike Tyson incident.
Jen from London, EnglandThis song was parodied by Kiwi comedian Billy T James. The parody was called "stole ma' car"

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