It's Raining Men

The Weather Girls were the duo of Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes, who were both overweight and also recorded as Two Tons Of Fun. Wash, who had a very powerful voice, sang on many projects over the next several years, including songs by the groups C&C Music Factory ("Make You Sweat") and Black Box ("Strike It Up"). She was often uncredited and replaced in videos by models lip-synching her lines. She eventually sued for royalties and released a solo album under her own name. Rhodes died in 2004.

This became a gay anthem. Like "YMCA" by The Village People, the gay community helped popularize it.

Geri Halliwell, formerly a member of the Spice Girls, recorded this in 2001. Her version was used on the soundtrack to the movie Bridget Jones' Diary. When released, the single shot straight to #1 for 2 weeks. This was Halliwell's fourth #1 single in a row, and it made her the British female artist with the most #1 singles (11 in total, 7 with the Spice Girls and 4 of her own).

Halliwell's version was her fifth single. Her new ultra-thin image in the video caused a field day for the press, who came up with all sorts of ways she had achieved this - some included her reported bulimia. (thanks, Thomas - Borehamwood, England, for above 2)

This was written and produced by Paul Shaffer and Paul Jabara. Shaffer is David Letterman's bandleader; Jabara wrote "Last Dance" and "No More Tears" for Donna Summer.

Barbara Streisand and Diana Ross were both offered this song and turned it down. (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for above 2)

This was used on an episode of the TV show Friends when Chandler and Monica went to Las Vegas to see Chandler's dad to tell him they were getting married. Not long after they met him he sang this on stage. (thanks, matt - Milton, PA)