# Artists Most Known for That One Song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945 "2020-04-16T20:19:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/41 "2020-04-20T23:46:01Z")
> [@bizerta](#): > > Ross Bagdasarian. He played the piano player in Hitchock’s, “Rear Window”. But his most famous song was under his stage name, David Seville. > > When I think of oldies many artists have but one song that stands the test of time. They probably had other hits, but only one is remembered through the ages. > > Que Sera Sera > Old Cape Cod > Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer > Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime > It’s not Unusual > Goldfinger > The Name Game (Everybody do “Chuck”) > Sixteen Tons > When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain > The Lion Sleeps Tonight I would think of “That’s Amore” rather than “Everybody Loves…” when thinking of Dean Martin. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/42 "2020-04-21T05:26:18Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > His _Alice’s Restaurant Massacre_ is a Thanksgiving day staple, but he’s also known for _City of New Orleans_. Also The Motorcycle Song (“I don’t want a pickle, I just wanna ride my motorcycle”). ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/43 "2020-04-21T05:51:15Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > His _Alice’s Restaurant Massacre_ is a Thanksgiving day staple, but he’s also known for _City of New Orleans_. > [@Doug\_K](#): > > Also The Motorcycle Song (“I don’t want a pickle, I just wanna ride my motorcycle”). Yes, I’ve heard both songs more than once, used to have a couple of his albums. But the thread is artists _most_ known for that one song. I submit that Arlo’s “Thanksgiving Day Staple” is the song he’s best known for, by far. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/44 "2020-04-21T07:47:03Z")
A bit surprised no one’s mentioned **the Knack** so far. I know and like a few of their other songs, but most people would only know _My Sharona_. ---
**Author:** ![Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/59ef9b/32.png) [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorkshire_Pudding)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/45 "2020-04-21T08:16:13Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I’d nominate Thomas Dolby. He’s the “She Blinded Me with Science” guy, even though he had several other hits and the later magnificent album _Astronauts and Heretics_. I’d have said he’s the “Hyperactive” guy in my experience, but still: someone whose broader canon gets limited attention nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/46 "2020-04-21T11:09:35Z")
I wonder what percentage of people could name only one song by Beethoven. And how many of those could only give four notes of the song. A lot of them may know other songs, but don’t know that it is his music. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/47 "2020-04-21T11:26:38Z")
Fastball, “The Way” Semisonic, “Closing Time” Harvey Danger, “Flagpole Sitta” Third Eye Blind, “Semi-Charmed Life” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/48 "2020-04-21T11:51:45Z")
Zager and Evans, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Petek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/petek/32/1590_2.png) [@Petek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petek)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/49 "2020-04-21T11:58:43Z")
Brewer & Shipley - _One Toke Over the Line_. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/50 "2020-04-21T12:29:45Z")
James Blunt - You’re Beautiful Chris De Burgh - Lady In Red Billy Ray Cyrus - Achey Breaky Heart ---
**Author:** ![Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/59ef9b/32.png) [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorkshire_Pudding)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/51 "2020-04-21T13:04:21Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Semisonic, “Closing Time” Do people not know Secret Smile too? Or Chemistry? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/52 "2020-04-21T13:25:37Z")
> [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](#): > > Do people not know Secret Smile too? Or Chemistry? I’m sure some people do. But in the past 20 years, I’ve never heard a Semisonic song on the radio other than Closing time. ---
**Author:** ![Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/59ef9b/32.png) [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorkshire_Pudding)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/53 "2020-04-21T13:48:10Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I’m sure some people do. But in the past 20 years, I’ve never heard a Semisonic song on the radio other than Closing time. Strange. I’ve heard it a lot, but that’s because we always used to play it at closing time at a shop where I worked! The other two get more airplay in this neck of the woods though, I’d have said, and California gets the odd outing too. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/54 "2020-04-21T16:01:58Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > Shocking Blue/Venus: Listening on the radio, I could never tell whether the lead singer is male or female and other songs of theirs never charted near me. > > Then I found the video. > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPEhQugz-Ew](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPEhQugz-Ew) Thanks for the great link. I’m never seen that before. Good song and the worst lip-syncing ever. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/55 "2020-04-21T17:43:47Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Thanks for the great link. I’m never seen that before. > > Good song and the worst lip-syncing ever. That song has always been one of my guilty pleasures, I still think it’s great, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a video of them “performing” it that wasn’t atrociously obvious miming. Shocking Blue was a pretty big deal in Europe for many years, more of a one-hit wonder here in the States. My impression is that Mariska was sort of a Dutch Grace Slick. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/56 "2020-04-21T18:04:47Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Yes, I’ve heard both songs more than once, used to have a couple of his albums. But the thread is artists _most_ known for that one song. I submit that Arlo’s “Thanksgiving Day Staple” is the song he’s best known for, by far. There’s also “Coming into Los Angel_eez_, bringing in a couple of keys…” when it used to be on the radio. There were years in the 1970s when he did not revive “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” live. I was at the first concert where he revived it live, at a small Thanksgiving show in 1978. It had been so long since he’d done it, he had someone hold the book of it in front of him and turn the pages. For some years before that, he was playing “Coming into Los Angel_eez_” a lot and it was on the radio. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/57 "2020-04-21T21:57:43Z")
I remember Rick Springfield having multiple hits back in the 80s. I can think of 5 off the top of my head. I doubt anyone under the age of 40 can name one other than"Jessie’s Girl". Similarly, Bryan Adam’s \*Reckless \*album was all over album rock stations and Top 40 in the 1984-1985 time frame. I haven’t heard anything from him besides “Summer of 69” in over 20 years. Not complaining, just observing. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/58 "2020-04-21T22:04:33Z")
> [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](#): > > Do people not know Secret Smile too? Or Chemistry? This Yank doesn’t. I remember “Singing In My Sleep” being the follow-up hit, which has also disappeared down the memory hole. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/59 "2020-04-21T22:12:33Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > I remember Rick Springfield having multiple hits back in the 80s. I can think of 5 off the top of my head. I doubt anyone under the age of 40 can name one other than"Jessie’s Girl". > > Similarly, Bryan Adam’s \*Reckless \*album was all over album rock stations and Top 40 in the 1984-1985 time frame. I haven’t heard anything from him besides “Summer of 69” in over 20 years. Not complaining, just observing. Well Bryan Adams had [one of the best selling singles of all times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(Everything_I_Do)_I_Do_It_for_You), #1 in sixteen countries,in 1991. An atrocious song, mind you, but successful nonetheless. He also had some other big hits before and after that, so you can hardly call him a one hit wonder. ---
**Author:** ![Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/59ef9b/32.png) [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorkshire_Pudding)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/60 "2020-04-21T22:23:37Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > This Yank doesn’t. I remember “Singing In My Sleep” being the follow-up hit, which has also disappeared down the memory hole. I don’t remember Singing In My Sleep being a single, but I bought the album so I’ve heard it a lot. Secret Smile got me hooked, Closing Time was great too. I had high hopes for a long running, Counting Crowsy, Ben Foldsy kind of musical relationship… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945.md?page=4)