You know they put out one killer song they are famous for. And then you never hear from them again and you hope they invested wisely and didn’t live like the rockers on that funny commercial.
“Turn Up the Radio” Autograph(I really liked that song)
and who could forget this one
“Achy Braky Heart” by Joe Dirt’s stunt double Billy Ray Cyrus.
Oh there is another one that I really liked but I don’t know what the song was called or who it was by now. It was in the early 80s and it rocked and it was about a monkey on your back(drug song) Do ya’ll know who that was by chance I would buy it.
Baltimora–Tarzan Boy
Brewer and Shipley–One Toke Over the Line
Aliotta, Haynes, and Jeremiah–Lakeshore Drive
Falco–Rock Me Amadeus (although he may be a two-hit wonder if you include the German version of Der Kommissar)
After the Fire–Der Kommissar
Nena–99 Luftballoons
[ul]
[li]Pop Muzik, M[/li][li]I Wanna be a Cowboy, Boys Don’t Cry[/li][li]Seasons in the Sun, Terry Jacks[/li][li]Chevy Van, Sammy Johns[/li][li]Afternoon Delight, Starland Vocal Band[/li][li]Kung Fu fighting, Carl Douglas[/li][li]Macarena, (I don’t remember who sang this one.)[/li][/ul]
It really bummed me out when I found out he died in a car wreck a year or so ago.
How about:
“Come On Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
“Your Love” by The Outfield
“Missing You” by John Waite (not counting him in The Babies or Bad English)
“And We Danced” by The Hooters
“Jenny (867-5309)” by Tommy Tutone
“Blaze of Glory” by Jon Bon Jovi (not counting the band Bon Jovi)
“In a Big Country” by Big Country (who never became quite as popular in the States as in other countries)
“Mexican Radio” by Wall of Voodoo
Dammit Superdude! I wanted to mention The Outfield!
And after looking them up again, they have a BEST OF album! Can you believe it? And about 7 albums. I don’t get it. Also, The Hooters have a best of album as well.
Bill, rarely do you add anything positive to my life, but this was one of those moments. I had forgotten that song even existed until I read this. Almost as much fun as “New Girl Now” by Honeymoon Suite.
The Outfield also charted in the Top 40 in the U.S. with “All The Love In The World,” “For You,” and “Since You’ve Been Gone.”
Bananarama also charted in the U.S. with “Cruel Summer,” “Love In The First Degree” and “I Heard A Rumor.” In the UK, they had several more big hits, including “Shy Boy” and “Robert DeNiro’s Waiting.”
That same album yielded the Top 40 hit “Tears,” and the following album had a hit in “Every Step Of The Way.”
“Day By Day,” “Where Do The Children Go,” and “All You Zombies” also charted from that same album. The first two were smashes.
My vote for best One Hit Wonder goes to… Robert John for the song “Sad Eyes”.
Special recognition to… Exile for “I Wanna Kiss You All Over”, though they did have several country hits years later. Stealer’s Wheel for “Stuck in the Middle with you”, though Gerry Rafferty did have solo success later with “Baker Street”
Honorable mention to…
Clarence Carter for “Strokin” Timbuk 3 for “The Future’s So Bright” Boys Don’t Cry for “I Wanna Be a Cowboy” Laid Back for “Ride the White Horse” Wild Cherry for “Play That Funky Music” Brownsville Station for “Smokin’ In the Boy’s Room” Paper Lace for “The Night Chicago Died” Red Ryder for “Lunatic Fringe” Mott the Hoople for “All the Young Dudes” Right Said Fred for “I’m Too Sexy” Dexy’s Midnight Runners for “Come on Eileen”
In case it isn’t obvious, I am a big fan of the One Hit Wonders of the world. There are many others, but I will leave them for someone else to mention.
I can’t stop without adding my all time favorite in the Novelty Song Category… Jump In the Saddle Band for “Curly Shuffle”
Two years before that song was even recorded, the Turtles had a Top Ten hit with their cover of Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me, Babe.” They had two more Top Forty hits --“Let Me Be” and “You Baby” over the next year. After “Happy Together,” they had three more Top 20 hits in “She’d Rather Be With Me,” “You Know What I Mean” and “She’s My Girl.” In 1968, they sent two songs to #6 on the charts: “Eleanore” (everyone knows that song) and “You Showed Me.” That’s nine Top 40 singles, three Top Tens, and a number one.
Just to keep things straight, do any of the posters know what “One-Hit Wonder” actually means? It doesn’t mean “the only song I can remember by that artist.”
I don’t know how to take this comment but I will be positive too and take it as a compliment. Yea, I love the words, “daytime…nighttime…anytime things go better with rock”.
Coldfire,
Thanks for answer it might be Aerosmith but the guys voice sounded different and so did the guitars. Did Aerosmith release a their Monkey on your Back in the early 80’s.
Yea, I love the words, “daytime…nighttime…anytime things go better with rock”.