"Club Bizarre" is a song recorded by German
dance music act
U96, released in February 1995 as the second
single from the album of the same name (1995). It was a hit in several countries, although it was not as successful as the act's previous single, "
Love Religion", but became a top twenty hit in the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria. On the
Eurochart Hot 100, the single peaked at number 28 in April 1995. It features uncredited vocals by Skadi Lange.
Critical reception
In his review of the Club Bizarre album,
Larry Flick from Billboard said the song "shows it successfully trying smoother keyboard sounds that complement the simple, but cute hooks anchoring each cut."[1] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "So unlike anybody else in Euro, the childlike songstress, the melody and the airy sample from
Alannah Myles' "
Song Instead of a Kiss" add up to music that's a new
nursery rhyme for '90s kids." Head of music Bernd Albrecht by ORB Fritz/
Potsdam (Germany) enthused, "What a classic melody. You can hear at once that this song stands out off the whole Euro pack."[2] In his 2020 book Move Your Body (2 The 90's): Unlimited Eurodance, Juha Soininen commented, "It mixed strangely ethereal
trance sound and strings and added filtered vocals. In addition to that, it was released with a weird music video."[3]
Chart performance
"Club Bizarre" was a major hit in several European countries, peaking at number-one in Finland. It also entered the top 20 in Austria (14), Germany (19), the Netherlands (11) and Sweden (16). Additionally, the single was a top 30 hit in Belgium (30), as well as on the
Eurochart Hot 100, where it reached its best position as number 28 in April 1995. In the United Kingdom, "Club Bizarre" peaked at number 70,[4] but on the
UK Dance Singles Chart, it hit number 25 on its first week in June 1996. Outside Europe, the song charted in Israel, peaking at number 16.
Music video
The accompanying
music video for "Club Bizarre" was directed by Paul Morgans.[5]
German house music duo
Brooklyn Bounce covered the song on its 2001 album, Restart. The song was released the same year and achieved some success, particularly in Austria and the Netherlands where it was a top ten hit.