Can We Fix the Mambo?: The Musical Career of Bob the Builder | An AMTV Documentary

Can he fix it? Yes he can! Ever since he first debuted on our screens back in 1999, Bob the Builder and his team quickly became household favourites amongst millions of viewers. During the peak of this popularity, Bob launched into his own musical career, which went on to become a lot more successful than you may have first thought...
Come and learn about the Rise and Fall of Bob the Builders Musical Career! And yes, you read that correctly!
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#BobTheBuilder #CanWeFixIt #MamboNo5

[@rockmanparadox1011]

Man, I didn’t plan on getting schooled on Bob the Builder by the guy who reviews TV idents most of the time, but I got schooled anyways. Great documentary, keep up the good work!

[@AdamMartyn]

Thanks for watching! Really glad you enjoyed it! 😁

[@ThisIsTEC]

@@AdamMartyn Actually, can you do a documentary about the internet cartoon series, “Eddsworld”? If you do that, It should be called… “The Rise and Fall of Eddsworld.” Sounds like a perfect name for a perfect documentary. I hope you make it. ;)

[@ThisChannelHasNowClosed]

@@ThisIsTECEddsworld is trash

[@abbafan50986]

'Never Mind The Breeze Blocks' is such a great album name! In Australia the album was called 'Appetite For Construction', a reference to the Guns and Roses album 'Appetite For Destruction'.

[@YorkshireMemes]

Even though I was 3 months away from being 4. I remember my mum panicking so much about 9/11 and there’s me just vibing to bob the builders version of mambo no 5…mainly the reason why I like bricklaying so much and why I work in construction

[@harrisonallen651]

What sets bob apart from Thomas is that Thomas made a bunch of original songs while Bob as you would know would do parodies of official pop songs. It’s nice to know that his first two singles did incredibly well in Australia which is where I’m from.

[@ethandouro4334]

Bob and Thomas were HiT entertaintment biggest franchises, it's honestly sad how both got rebooted and throw away into the eyes of children who doesn't even watch it. My guess is that the only way Bob can return is if he is memed to hard to actually make an comeback, since memeing Pacman helped lol

[@someguy3752]

In case you didn't know, there's actually a rich history of children's TV characters getting chart hits in the UK. Alongside Bob, The Wombles, The Tweenies, The Teletubbies, Robin the Frog from The Muppets, Shaun the Sheep, the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, Rainbow, Mr. Blobby, and Bart Simpson (if you'd count that as being for kids) all had decently popular charting songs in the UK at one point.

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

The Simpson’s is for adults, not for kids

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

What about Teletubbies? The theme song was an#1 single too wasn’t it?

[@someguy3752]

@@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan The Simpsons may not have been intended for kids, but it was certainly watched by tons of kids, and there's no way in hell "Do the Bartman" wasn't written for a child audience.

[@nathanforester5993]

And also Power Rangers.

[@fairrodthecapacitor]

If Bob makes a comeback, pls bring back the old style Bob we all know and love

[@adultmoshifan87]

If they mimic Ready Steady Build's visuals, I'd be fine with that, as long as they stay as far away from the 2015 series as possible!

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

Sorry I don’t think that’s gonna happen. Mattel and Channel 5 now owns the Hit Entertainment/BBC property and there’s nothing we can do about it.

[@thebatterymill]

@@adultmoshifan87 Stop-motion would be difficult due to the UK animation tax (which caused the original CGI switch), but with the advancements made I'd love to see it in CGI now.

[@adultmoshifan87]

@@thebatterymill I’d be happy with a new Bob The Builder series, as much like the original as possible, with Ready Steady Build’s animation style

[@emmayoung736]

Yeah instead of that crappy reboot style

[@tugs_man]

This is really kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity having a children's TV character be No. 1 in the charts as not many other kids TV shows would think about doing something on the same level as that. This is one part of Bob The Builder's history that always interested me as it was one of my favourite shows growing up alongside Thomas The Tank Engine.

[@hakc97again]

Fun fact: With these 2 hits, Neil Morrissey has had more number one hits than Morrissey

[@pinkified_friends]

Just checked out the history of his music career. And let me just tell you, when I saw The Official BBC Children In Need Medley by Peter Kay, I was like "Bruh, this sh- no, it's over." That single felt like a fever dream and I mean it.

[@newforestpixie5297]

Surely it’s Neil Morrissey too whom deserved some recognition as a Pop Star & that cover of Dizzy might as well have been a collaboration with his fellow Brummies The Wonderstuff who’d covered the song years before.

[@StuartStudios5]

I can just imagine how Westlife reacted when they realized they weren't at Xmas No. 1 in 2000. I can just imagine a member of Westlife telling his fellow band members "Sorry, guys. We didn't make it to No. 1", and then immediately afterwards saying "You won't believe who beat us."

[@summerthunder.]

And this is why the original Bob. Will allways destroy the new Bob the builder. Allways

[@DCSMedia]

I… did not expect to get as much out of this documentary, nor did I think I’d be compelled to start listening to their version of 500 miles, but it did. Great video Adam

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

Unfortunately DJ Otsi’s “Hey Baby” would also suffer one week only at #1 as the charts for September 22nd-23rd, 2001 had the song placed at #2 and the next song to top the charts was “I Can’t Get You Outta My Head” by Aussie pop star Kylie Minogue

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

BRUH! How can the Mambo Number 5 cover be made inappropriate due to the infamous 9/11 attacks??? It's just a freaking preschool series character that's supposed to teach children about construction worker skills!!!! >:(

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

The second album they also did a cover/parody of “Is This The Way to Amarillo?” made famous by Tony Christie and Neil Sedaka.

[@aidanwoodhead3532]

I remember having one of the musicals on VHS at my nans when i was like 4, i ended up wearing the tape out. Mum tried to get us tickets for a concert event thing at the time but unfortunately that dream never came true😔

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

I have fond memories of these songs Of course there’s the country western line dance stylings of “I’m he blonde hair girl in the hard hat don’t try to make a monkey out of me”

[@sebastiangreenan1774]

This was a damn sensation, we had the CD of this, it was a number1#! The 2000s were wild!

[@markdavidson9100]

Neil Morrissey would’ve been laughing all the way to the bank. Nice documentary

[@AdamMartyn]

Thanks Mark!

[@roliv16]

I’d heard of this before but only realised what you meant by the title/thumbnail until you mentioned the Christmas number one

[@ethanduckworth6634]

Oh god, pure memories. Also Bob wasn't the only kids character that had a song released. Basil Brush had a CD single I think with a few tracks on it. Look it up. But no where near as Iconic as Bob the Builder's songs were.

[@shortangel333]

I remember Mambo No. 5 still getting played at parties when I was 12 back in 2015.

[@Chloe4656.]

Jesus I didn't know they were playing that in 2015.

[@macra_]

Bob the builder was such a big show in my childhood and I completely forgot about his music career! Thank you for unlocking so many childhood memories with another fantastic documentary!!

[@AdamMartyn]

He was a fixture on our tellies back in the day wasn't he! Happy to have unlocked some memories! 😁

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

I used to be addicted to Baha Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Out?!” (WHO! WHO! WHO! WHO! WHO!) as a kid. That song deserved to tip the charts since it was also used in the Rugrats in Paris Movie

[@caitlyngarden7269]

I ADORED this. I remember my family always bought me the little figures of the machines 🥲

[@jordanhowell7798]

I remember other pre-school shows like Teletubbies and Tweenies having music videos back in the day too. Teletubbies only had 1 being "Say Eh-Oh" in late 1997 and Tweenies several music videos.

[@hibbiea8841]

the calm jazz music is called 'a night alone [dankpods aftershow]'

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

When it says can bob the builder pull a hat trick and make a three #1 single for the big fish little fish cover no far from it, you should have p,she’s the clip from the episode When Bob Became A Builder when Muck says “No! We! Can’t!” when Scoop and Bob try to convince Muck to do the “Can We Fix It? Yes! We! Can!” gag that plays in almost every episode

[@darkwolfknight8293]

Childhood memory unlocked! Thank you for making this documentary.

[@AdamMartyn]

My pleasure!

[@ljafrain]

No idea how this ended up in my recommendations but boy I'm glad it did. Very well made and interesting video, I miss when the music charts were like this as well 😂

[@AdamMartyn]

Thanks Louis! Glad you found it interesting! My past docs mainly focus on TV related history but always good to go left field every once in a while 😂

[@JAProductions494]

This was surprisingly intriguing This also reminds me of that really weird Postman Pat movie with David Tennant in where Pat was a pop star and performed for Simon Cowell Yeah, the movie isn’t great 😂

[@jessicacopestick5233]

Really interesting video. Loved Bob as a little girl, the first cd was my first album!!

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

The second album They also covered/parodied “Halfway Down The Stairs” from The Muppets Show “Is This The Way to Amarillo?” by Tony Christie and Neil Sedaka

[@richardgadberry8398]

My personal favourite Christmas No.1 is "Mr. Blobby".

[@chestnutbloke305]

Can We Fix It? was on NOW 48 and Mambo No. 5 was on NOW 50.

[@AdamMartyn]

They certainly were!

[@javonaziz5323]

This has unlocked so many memories!

[@AdamMartyn]

Always happy to bring about the nostalgia waves 😊

[@siarhian10]

I had the Bob the Builder album when I was little! I also had a CBeebies one and a Lazytown one

[@SwitchbackSylveon]

I used to love Bob The Builder, not sure if I ever had any of his albums though, I was 4 when Never Mind The Breeze Blocks came out though, and Bob The Builder was one of those shows I used to like back then, along with Balamory and a few other Cbeebies classics

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

Wasn’t big fish little fish originally a rick and nick song? The lyrics originally went “Yo-yo. row the boat, cardboard box Stack the shelves. shopping carts/trolleys, cardboard box Big fish, little fish, cardboard box We’re all raving mad! (SAY WHAAAATTTTT????)”

[@hayleydouglas]

I love this - I'd love to see you a documentary similar to this please talking about actors who became pop stars like Jimmy Nail, Robson & Jerome, and even acts like The Woolpackers from Emmerdale

[@AdamMartyn]

Thats a cracking idea! It may not be in the near future, but I'll definitely keep this in mind! 😊

[@hayleydouglas]

@@AdamMartyn I like the sound of that 😊😊

[@ollie_04]

I'm genuinely surprised they didn't do a remix of "Can I Kick It?" and called it "Can I Fix It?"

[@chucklefun487]

Great video 👍I remember these songs.

[@RebeccaPhythian]

Love love love this! Pure nostalgia

[@AdamMartyn]

Isn't it just! 😍 thanks for watching my love 😘

[@MartynAndStuff]

'Bob the Builder has beaten off boy band Westlife to get the Christmas No. 1' That's the music industry for ya. 😱

[@adultmoshifan87]

I was 11 when Bob The Builder debuted, so I was never a fan. Still, I am impressed with that this franchise has done, and it's one I might have to show my niece, who turns 2 later this year! I have to make sure I do so right, though: I showed her an episode of the 2010s Sooty series on ITVBe when she last came down, but because the show after that was the awful 2015 Bob The Builder reboot, I HAD TO change the channel afterwards! I already messed up when introducing The Simpsons to her (she walked in while I was watching a mediocre 2010s episode of THAT show), I couldn't bare to make the same mistake with Bob The Builder! Bob's musical career is certainly one to be proud of, as a fan of kids TV in general, I feel that especially well loved kids shows deserve music careers! As a fan of kids online pet game Moshi Monsters (which closed in 2019), I still hold the Music Rox album near and dear to me, and as a fan of Aussie cartoon Bluey, I imported its album from down under as soon as I could! If Bob The Builder does make a comeback, it needs to do so properly: new series mimicking the original look and feel as close as possible, staying far away from the 2015 series, as much of the original cast and crew as possible and just being a good kids show in general! I'd actually like to see Channel 4 re-enter the kids TV market, maybe if they did, they could be Bob's new home? I've said before I'd like Channel 4 to buy Thomas & Friends from Mattel, bringing an end to that All Engines Go shit that premiered on Channel 5 in late 2021, but there's so much more Channel 4 could do as well if they do decide to give the kids TV market another try? I'd be happy even with just a few Fourways Farm reruns!

[@JoesAnimationHub]

that's an interesting idea bringing Thomas to C4, as someone who grew up with Thomas I can say C4 would treat him well (despite being the channel that aired the infamous "Salty's Lighthouse" in the UK, no I'm not joking.)... I mean it IS the channel that aired various Aardman Shorts. I've always said to myself what C4 needs is a dedicated Animation channel to display the cultures of the medium, you could have a Children's slot in the morning hours until lunch, show various animated shorts, feature films, Music Videos and "making of" documentaries throughout the afternoon, and as soon as teatime and post watershed hours come, Japanese Anime and adult oriented shorts so one day you could be watching things like say Thomas, Trumpton or Fourways Farm in the morning hours, enjoying Wallace and Gromit, Sledgehammer or Conversation pieces in the afternoon and as soon as Tea time hits you're watching such bold titles as "Dirty Pair", "Ranma 1/2", "Inuyasha" or the Ocean Dub (so Vancouver's cast) of DBZ (or find a use for the unaired DB Ocean Kai and slap it there) or heck watching shorts like Bob Godfrey's "Karma Sutra rides again" or "Great", or Joanna Quinn's "Famous Fred".

[@matthewthejadengrovesfan1303]

Can You Do Thomas the Tank Engine Meets A Bug's Life and Yoko Jakamoko and Toto: An AMTV Documentary Please?

[@matthewthejadengrovesfan1303]

Logos Used in This Documentary Walt Disney Pictures (1995 Pixar Castle 2006 and 2011) Pixar Animation Studios (1995) BBC Video Logo (1997-2009 and 2009) HIT Entertainment Logo (1997-2008 2001-2007 and 2007-2017)

[@GGYT.]

When Bob the Builder's intro plays: *not that f* *doll again lol* 😂 it feels like a joke

[@hibbiea8841]

My favourite is Big Fish (Little Fish), Dizzy! Song and What Can I Be (Spud's Song)

[@CulturePhilter]

I seem to remember the Smufs having a few singles and albums in the late 90s as well. Although not sure how well they did.

[@RIPCakebomb]

This might probably be my favourite documentary you’ve ever done Adam Smithy. Keep up the good work!

[@makaio9578]

I don’t care how old the songs or I am, I still listen to the first album regularly, can we fix it was a bop end of

[@king_sc_CMXII]

Love the virtual globe parody at the start!

[@AdamMartyn]

Bit credit to VSwede for that one!

[@jacekatalakis8316]

Now we need Adam to do a documentary about the history of Beeb banning songs due to world events, there were some fantastic songs that got caught up in world events. Bob's Mambo cover was just a case of bad timing, it's been stated other places that the Mambo No 5 was removed due to it being insensitive Judge Dredd (no not that one) is the king of banned songs, all of his never, ever, ever got airplay, amusingly enough because, well, reasons...

[@tokublwhovian]

a Christmas tradition of mine is watching the special: A Christmas to Remember

[@adultmoshifan87]

I knew someone who had that on VHS! The tape even ends with the Mambo No. 5 music video!

[@thomasstevens2746]

Used to love this as a child

[@AlfieEdwards]

As a kid I never liked it after the sunflower park arc, early stuff was great

[@The_New_IKB]

I remember bob the builder!

[@AllyStrikesBack]

We need an AMTV Documentary for Rage Against the Machine topping Simon Cowell in 2009. please?

[@trainlover16]

Top 10 rappers Eminem is afraid to diss.

[@megansutton9699]

This makes me wish more cartoons and maybe even video game characters did this sort of this, it’s so awesome and things like this. Nit to mention that it gives young children a chance to listen to the latest music and possibly gives grown ups something quirky and even nostalgic to listen to

[@AdamMartyn]

Couldn't agree more Megan!

[@megansutton9699]

@Adam Martyn Thank you, seriously things like that we’re so cool! The music industry just seems so… bland now, stuff like this just showed how fun and it could be

[@Haybalemelonhead]

Orignal bob the builder was the best

[@AdamMartyn]

Certainly was!

[@adultmoshifan87]

@@AdamMartyn ever watched Australian parody Bodgy Builder?

[@NathanSimpsonnathanisbeast]

I hope you cover the Teletubbies musical career next!

[@leejones8582]

They sure milked that cow dry

[@Plutobug2468]

My Primary School sometimes played the theme song during lunch in the canteen on a speaker

[@AdamMartyn]

Bet that either got people cheering or cursing 😂

[@Plutobug2468]

@@AdamMartyn Not really everyone didn’t really mind it 😂

[@Plutobug2468]

@NTVTube 2010's

[@Plutobug2468]

@NTVTube No I believe it was the original they played

[@rogerdarthwell5393]

Nice documentary Adam

[@AdamMartyn]

Thanks Roger! Bit left field I know but nice to go outside the box 😂

[@rogerdarthwell5393]

@@AdamMartyn It is indeed left field Adam!

[@ArianesDrawingPH]

As a 00's kid, I remembered watched this show in my local dub maybe every day or weekend? Maybe at 6 o clock. I recognizable these designs but almost of them are didn't remembered these names except Bob.

[@AdamMartyn]

Bob certainly made his way around the world that's for sure!

[@ArianesDrawingPH]

@@AdamMartyn yep sir!

[@1000guy1]

And during 2000 Thomas the tank engine would be in the big screen aka the cinemas

[@JoeyTheBeastHD]

​Bob The Builder was my favourite TV show growing up especially this version never really enjoyed the Remake with CGI.

[@NoHopeForMyself]

Bob The Building, He's a building Bob The Building, Oh no 🏙🛩

[@TheDerpyBoi]

I have some suggestions for the next Ident Review, take your pick A: Cartoon Network Too 2012 idents B: Cartoonito 2006-2018 idents C: Cartoonito 2021 idents D: Disney Junior idents or E: Qubo idents

[@AlfieEdwards]

I used to love the Tweenies album, lot of bangers on there.

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

Unfortunately the theme song reaching #1 caused trouble for the Ireland-based fab five Westlife. Their chain of eight #1 songs in a row was broken because of this with their then latest single “What Makes A Man?” reaching #2 on the charts and the Bob the Builder theme song being the Christmas Number Obe song for the year 2000

[@matthewthejadengrovesfan1303]

Can You Upload A Bug's Life Meets Yoko Jakamoko and Toto: An AMTV Documentary Please?

[@matthewthejadengrovesfan1303]

Logo Used in This Documentary: Walt Disney Pictures (1995 PIxar and 2006 Only) Pixar Animation Studios (1995) BBC Video Logo (1997-2009) HIT Entertainment PLC Logo (1997-2008 and 2001-2007)

[@daviddyer3543]

Is the Christmas Number One a UK only thing?

[@ethandouro4334]

It's honestly sad how bob the builder is one of those franchises who will never appear again tbh

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

There’s a new album for teletubbies 25 years anniversary called Ready Set Go

[@dylanmcfarland8356]

It just so happens that I in fact own a copy of Bob the Builder: The Album on CD.

[@AdamMartyn]

Treasure that as long as you can!

[@fikrifaisal]

C'mon do the ident review on SCTV(1997-2005!) ASAP!

[@RandomUser53668]

Remember that ChildhoodNcstalgia has been Bob the Builder?

[@hayleywaalen2612]

I never knew preschool shows made music videos

[@hakimi_AH]

Nice :)

[@lemon.1036]

Everyone know about the lines of "No, We Can't" in british school one time.

[@adultmoshifan87]

2DTV even used "No, he can't" for its 2 parody characters Sid The Soldier and Bobadopolus The Builder!

[@areasquirrel]

Westlife wouldn't have shed any tears over Bob, they're Irish, so they know all about this kind of thing thanks to Dustin the Turkey. I get a laugh from how characters like Bob and the Teletubbies getting no. 1s is weird to the UK. It's perfectly normal here. Dustin, and before him Zig and Zag had multiple best selling singles and albums, for some reason the UK just isn't receptive to characters like this releasing these records, while they're okay with comedians and actors doing it. Incidentally, Eminem's Stan beat Can We Fix It? to the Irish Christmas No. 1. Westlife were at no. 2 with What Makes A Man at home, too! What Stan taking the top spot says about Ireland, I couldn't possibly comment. Bob should have showed the UK that albums were a viable part of merch promotion, Never Mind the Breeze Blocks followed the spoofs of popular songs model that Dustin used. I didn't know about it, but it's a great title, and I'm happy to learn about it, and sad that the format didn't quite break through in the UK, despite Bob's icon. Learned something new today. Good job.

[@AlfieEdwards]

The guy who used to host our primary school discos claimed he invented big fish little girl y cardboard box

[@leejones8582]

Us brits will get anything naff to number 1.

[@KyleJBAwesomeness-OfficialChan]

Can we fix it? Yes we can! Can Bob ripoff Mambo No. 5 and reach #1 with his bersuon? NO WE CANT

[@kootunesscrewy]

And then Monika copied it, lol.

[@Insert-thing-here-Fan]

A

[@EmmaJones925]

One word Eminem

[@AdamMartyn]

Big Stan

[@madwatermelon1316]

Late 90s, early 2000s was a rubbish era for British music. Too many cheesy boy bands/girl bands. No wonder stuff like this got to Christmas number one. It wasn't until later on in the decade when singers such as Amy Winehouse, came to fame that the British music industry sort of reinvented itself.

[@leejones8582]

It was a simpler time