# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2020, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/61 "2020-04-21T23:28:38Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > 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_. “Good Girls Don’t” was of course another. Did you know lead singer Doug Fieger died, and that his brother is a lawyer who defended Dr. Kevorkian? Technically two songs but the Kings: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEwd0WogJNE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEwd0WogJNE) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/62 "2020-04-22T14:50:41Z")
> [@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. 😕 He’s better known for a string of hits with Alvin & the Chipmunks, than his role in Rear Window. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2020, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/63 "2020-04-22T15:20:00Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > 😕 He’s better known for a string of hits with Alvin & the Chipmunks, than his role in Rear Window. I didn’t know he was in Rear Window… Quoting Wikipedia: Shana Alexander, writing for Life magazine in 1959, noted that Bagdasarian was the first man in the “annals of popular music that one man has served as writer, composer, publisher, conductor and multiple vocalist of a hit record, thereby directing all possible revenues from the song back into his pocket.” Alexander also found it remarkable that Bagdasarian “can neither read nor write music nor play any musical instrument in the accepted sense of the word.”[29] Bagdasarian owned Chipmunk Enterprises, which sponsored Chipmunk-related sales. By 1963 some 15 companies were using or planned to use Alvin figures. By that year Billboard magazine estimated the total income from the Chipmunks’ record sales (including overseas sales) and record club sales to be around $20 million (around $165 million adjusted for inflation).[30] Yet he died at the age of 52. > **[Ross Bagdasarian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Bagdasarian)** > > Ross S. Bagdasarian\[a\] (/bæɡdəˈsɛriən/; January 27, 1919 – January 16, 1972), known professionally by his stage name David Seville, was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor, best known for creating the cartoon band Alvin and the Chipmunks. Initially a stage and film actor, he rose to prominence in 1958 with the songs "Witch Doctor" and "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)", which both became Billboard number-one singles. He produced and directed The Alvin Show, wh I’ve owned about half a dozen of their records…I have to admire the quality of session musicians they get for their covers. Ready to do the time warp again? Get yer 'munks on! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/f4spB9_FRhQ/hqdefault.jpg "Alvin and the chipmunks Time Warp") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4spB9_FRhQ) ---
**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 22, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/64 "2020-04-22T17:21:15Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > 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. Oh, I wasn’t implying he was a one hit wonder. I was making the observation that despite a ton of hits in the mid 80s, and his early 90s soundtrack drek, today, based on what I hear on radio and talking to younger coworkers, at least to most millennials and younger, he’s just the “Summer of 69” guy. Maybe the oldest millennials still remember slow dancing in junior high to that craptastic power ballad he did with Sting and Rod Stewart. ---
**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 22, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/65 "2020-04-22T17:55:33Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Oh, I wasn’t implying he was a one hit wonder. I was making the observation that despite a ton of hits in the mid 80s, and his early 90s soundtrack drek, today, based on what I hear on radio and talking to younger coworkers, at least to most millennials and younger, he’s just the “Summer of 69” guy. Maybe the oldest millennials still remember slow dancing in junior high to that craptastic power ballad he did with Sting and Rod Stewart. Ok, I see, but I thought that he really doesn’t fit in a thread for artists only known for one song. Two others that immediately come to my mind are “Run To You” and “Cuts Like A Knife”. And, ouch, please don’t remind me of \*that \*atrocity. This was even way more horrible than “Everything I Do”, and that was bad enough. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/66 "2020-04-22T18:14:06Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > _Tubular Bells_, by Mike Oldfield. **Professor Periwinkle** ’s reference to Classical Gas made me think of it. > > Also, Otis Redding, though he offered an enormous and important body of work, is (sadly) pretty much known for _Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay_. He wrote _Family Man_ made popular by Hall and Oats. ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2020, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/67 "2020-04-23T09:49:15Z")
> [@Doyle](#): > > (Mike Oldfield) wrote _Family Man_ made popular by Hall and Oats. Holy cow, I had no idea. Strange choice, as I consider it one of Hall & Oates weakest radio singles. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/68 "2020-04-23T15:21:26Z")
Biz Markie - Just A Friend Young MC - Bust a Move Tone Loc - Wild Thing (though he also did less popular Funky Cold Medina) MC Hammer - U Can’t Touch This Technotronic - Pump Up the Jam Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby C&C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat Darude - Sandstorm 1985 Chicago Bears - Super Bowl Shuffle ---
**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 24, 2020, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/69 "2020-04-24T09:02:16Z")
> [@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. I set Spotify to play some Counting Crows-y stuff, which it duly did. “Ha!” thinks I, as Semisonic’s Secret Smile comes on. Closing Time being on about six tracks later took the shine off a little, but still. HA! ---
**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 24, 2020, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/70 "2020-04-24T09:09:54Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Young MC - Bust a Move I’d have put Know How right up there with it. > [@](#): > > Tone Loc - Wild Thing (though he also did less popular Funky Cold Medina) Ask me to name a Tone Loc track and I’d say Funky Cold Medina before I remembered Wild Thing. Dont know how unusual that is though. > [@](#): > > C&C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat Things That Make You Go Hmmm… was a pretty big hit! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/71 "2020-04-24T13:41:25Z")
> [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](#): > > I’d have put Know How right up there with it. > > Ask me to name a Tone Loc track and I’d say Funky Cold Medina before I remembered Wild Thing. Dont know how unusual that is though. > Things That Make You Go Hmmm… was a pretty big hit! And MC Hammer also had “Too Legit to Quit,” though clearly “U Can’t Touch This” is the song he’s primarily remembered for. I also remember “Pray” getting moderate airplay in the day. And that’s about all the MC Hammer songs I can name, I think. Technotronic also had “Get Up (Before the Night is Over)” which charted nearly as high as “Pump up the Jam” here in the US (number 7 vs number 2), but I actually had to look that one up as I was thinking – yeah, there’s that other Technotronic song, but I can’t remember the name of it. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/72 "2020-04-24T14:13:39Z")
_Eight-six-seven-five-three-ohh-ni-ee-ine…_ Does Tommy Tutone have any other well-known songs? One of the most persistent ear-worms, BTW. ---
**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 24, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/73 "2020-04-24T14:38:10Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Technotronic also had “Get Up (Before the Night is Over)” which charted nearly as high as “Pump up the Jam” here in the US (number 7 vs number 2), but I actually had to look that one up as I was thinking – yeah, there’s that other Technotronic song, but I can’t remember the name of it. I read past that! Yeah, absolutely, “Get Up” was a a big tune. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/74 "2020-04-24T16:46:45Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > 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. Ah, but “Alice’s Restaurant” is so long that I bet “City of New Orleans” has been played 100x more often on the radio. We must have done a thread on “Musicians that hate 'That One Song They’re Known For”. I’d bet a lot of these would qualify. ---
**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 24, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/75 "2020-04-24T18:19:38Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Ah, but “Alice’s Restaurant” is so long that I bet “City of New Orleans” has been played 100x more often on the radio. Hardly surprising considering that it’s 14 minutes shorter than AR, which is still far more memorable and was even made into a feature length movie (It got an Oscar Nomination for Best Director, despite being a mediocre film at best). All of course in my opinion, and bearing in mind that sometimes my opinions have proven to be dead wrong. Peace, Brother or Sister. “Opinions are like nipples. Everyody has one.” David Thorne ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/76 "2020-04-25T00:16:48Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Peace, Brother or Sister. Cousin. 😃 Peace back atcha! ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/77 "2020-04-25T01:56:46Z")
Adding Deee-Lite for Groove is in the Heart. > [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](#): > > I’d have put Know How right up there with it. > > Ask me to name a Tone Loc track and I’d say Funky Cold Medina before I remembered Wild Thing. Dont know how unusual that is though. > > Things That Make You Go Hmmm… was a pretty big hit! I don’t recognize Know How though a lot of the sampled elements are familiar. I could be talked into conceding that Funky Cold Medina was equally big to Wild Thing at the time but I think far less popular today. I haven’t heard Things That Make You Go Hmmm in many years. > [@pulykamell](#): > > And MC Hammer also had “Too Legit to Quit,” though clearly “U Can’t Touch This” is the song he’s primarily remembered for. I also remember “Pray” getting moderate airplay in the day. And that’s about all the MC Hammer songs I can name, I think. > > Technotronic also had “Get Up (Before the Night is Over)” which charted nearly as high as “Pump up the Jam” here in the US (number 7 vs number 2), but I actually had to look that one up as I was thinking – yeah, there’s that other Technotronic song, but I can’t remember the name of it. Too Legit to Quit and Get Up were pretty big at the time but quickly forgotten. Those artists remain party staples for Can’t Touch This and Pump Up the Jam. ---
**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 25, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/78 "2020-04-25T02:08:27Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > “Opinions are like nipples. Everyody has one.” David Thorne Odd. I have two. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/79 "2020-04-25T02:09:28Z")
Can anyone dispute “_Ode to Billie Joe_” as the absolute perfect example of the OP’s definition? Bobbie Gentry had multiple critically praised albums, but I guarantee you that anyone who recognizes her name will name the same song. But everyone will have a slightly different explanation of what the song is about. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945/80 "2020-04-25T05:44:24Z")
i dont know every Halloween they play hammers Addams family songs… when he went bankrupt supposedly the royalties from those were his only music-related income [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-most-known-for-that-one-song/851945.md?page=5)