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What song was number one the day the Berlin Wall fell in 1989?
When the Berlin Wall fell on 9 November 1989, the UK number one was ‘That’s What I Like’ by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers. The article uses this contrast between a major political turning point and a novelty pop record to show how ordinary popular culture continued alongside the historic events reshaping Europe.
The single was a medley built around older rock-and-roll songs and spent three weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart. It followed the group’s earlier chart-topper, ‘Swing the Mood’, while the fall of the Wall marked the effective end of Berlin’s post-war division and became a defining symbol of the Cold War’s collapse.
In short
- Jive Bunny’s ‘That’s What I Like’ topped the UK chart.
- The Wall fell on 9 November 1989.
- A novelty medley accompanied a historic political moment.
Explained simply
The Berlin Wall divided communist East Berlin from West Berlin for nearly three decades until it fell on 9 November 1989. The physical barrier had symbolised Cold War tensions and separated families and communities since the post-war division of Germany. Its collapse marked a turning point in European history and the beginning of the end for communist control in Eastern Europe.
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers were a British pop group who created dance records by combining older rock-and-roll songs with modern arrangements. On the day the Wall fell, their song 'That's What I Like', which reworked classic rock-and-roll material, held the number one position on the UK Singles Chart. The group had earlier achieved success with another similar recording called 'Swing the Mood'.