# Let's Name the One Hit Wonders and The Bands that Sang'em **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 1, 2001, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491 "2001-08-01T15:47:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/1 "2001-08-01T15:47:37Z")
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. What one hit wonders do you remember? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/2 "2001-08-01T15:57:31Z")
“Monkey on your back” can be either an Aerosmith tune or a George Michael song, off the top of my head. My 2 cents for this thread: **Bugles** - _Video Killed the Radio Star_. You gotta love Trevor Horn. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/3 "2001-08-01T16:00:50Z")
It’s Buggles, by the way. Two G’s. “I’m Your Venus” Bananarama. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/4 "2001-08-01T16:01:57Z")
**Hocus Pocus** by Focus. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/5 "2001-08-01T16:08:31Z")
Both Focus and Bananarama had numerous hits, just not in the US. _Buggles_, eh? I really didn’t know, and opted for one “g”. Oh well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/6 "2001-08-01T16:17:54Z")
Focus actually had several albums out. They’re nowhere near the top of the one-hit wonder list, which includes: John Fred and His Playboy Band, “Judy in Disguise” Steam, “Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)” The Jaggerz, “The Rapper” Shocking Blue, “Venus” There’s an extensive list here: [http://members.aol.com/DogPound5/onehit.html](http://members.aol.com/DogPound5/onehit.html) ---
**Author:** ![Palandine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/958977/32.png) [@Palandine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palandine)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/7 "2001-08-01T16:23:40Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/8 "2001-08-01T16:25:11Z")
Wow. Focus really _was_ a band. I stand corrected. My world is rocked. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/9 "2001-08-01T16:26:27Z")
Just a minor nit to pick. A one hit wonder **IS** the band. The song would be the hit. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/10 "2001-08-01T16:33:19Z")
Off the top of my head: [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] ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/11 "2001-08-01T16:33:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Palandine \* > \*\*Falco–Rock Me \*\* 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 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/12 "2001-08-01T17:21:50Z")
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. How 'bout: The Alarm - Rain in the Summertime ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/13 "2001-08-01T17:49:02Z")
> [@](#): > > “Turn Up the Radio” Autograph(I really liked that song) 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. > [@](#): > > “Your Love” by The Outfield 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.” > [@](#): > > “I’m Your Venus” Bananarama. 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.” > [@](#): > > “Missing You” by John Waite That same album yielded the Top 40 hit “Tears,” and the following album had a hit in “Every Step Of The Way.” > [@](#): > > “And We Danced” by The Hooters “Day By Day,” “Where Do The Children Go,” and “All You Zombies” also charted from that same album. The first two were smashes. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/14 "2001-08-01T18:00:31Z")
**The Turtles** with “Happy Together” ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Nekked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/46a35a/32.png) [@Buck\_Nekked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Nekked)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/15 "2001-08-01T18:09:31Z")
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”_ ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/16 "2001-08-01T18:09:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beelzebubba \* > \*\ ***The Turtles** with “Happy Together” \*\* You’re kidding, right? 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.” ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/17 "2001-08-01T18:29:44Z")
“Psychotic Reaction” by the Count Five - GREAT fuzz guitar! “Little Girl” by the Syndicate of Sound - One of the most wicked laughs I’ve ever heard on record! ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/18 "2001-08-01T18:35:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pldennison \* > > 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. > \*\* 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. ---
**Author:** ![oceans\_11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b2d939/32.png) [@oceans\_11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oceans_11)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/19 "2001-08-01T18:45:17Z")
Bill, I believe you’re thinking of Aldo Nova. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491/20 "2001-08-01T18:46:26Z")
“Walkin’ on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves is one of the greatest “happy” songs I’ve ever heard. “Electric Blue” by Icehouse I don’t remember who did “What I Like About You” - the Romantics? Did they have other hits? Did they ever get royalties for “WILAY”? I know “Come On, Eileen” has been mentioned. I thought that was such a cool video. I thought surely that was the beginning of a long career. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-the-one-hit-wonders-and-the-bands-that-sangem/74491.md?page=2)