# One hit wonder groups that had some other decent songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [June 19, 2021, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633 "2021-06-19T15:53:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [June 19, 2021, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/21 "2021-06-19T19:44:15Z")
Thomas Dolby’s only hit was “She Blinded Me with Science.” But his first two albums had plenty of other strong songs and his fourth album, _Astronauts & Heretics_, is a wonder all to its own. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/22 "2021-06-19T19:47:47Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Thomas Dolby’s only hit was “She Blinded Me with Science.” Funny that you mention this. That’s the song I always confuse with the aforementioned “Weird Science”. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/23 "2021-06-19T21:16:39Z")
**Neko Case** had one top 10 hit, Which I believe was ‘People Got a Lot of Nerve’ from Middle Cyclone, which peaked at #3 on the album chart. But she has a long list of great songs. ‘Fox Confessor Brings the Flood’ is just full of great songs, as is ‘Blacklisted’ and others. Then there’s her amazing voice… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QK2LfWAzDIY/maxresdefault.jpg "Deep Red Bells") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK2LfWAzDIY) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/24 "2021-06-19T21:24:47Z")
While out driving this afternoon, Nick Lowe’s “Cruel to Be Kind” came on the radio, and I think he definitely qualifies. That song was his only top 40 hit in the U.S., but I love several of his other songs, including “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock ‘n’ Roll),” “I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass,” and “When I Write the Book” (which is technically from the one and only album from Rockpile). ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/25 "2021-06-19T21:27:31Z")
John Otway (with and without Wild Willy Barrett) has been plowing his own furrow for about half a century. He’s on tour again in a few weeks. Here’s his hit, from 1977. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wkYOZyNocrw/hqdefault.jpg "John Otway and Wild Willy Barratt - Really Free") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkYOZyNocrw) (I believe Bunsen Burner may also have scraped into the charts, but barely). The thing about Otway is, he has a loyal fanbase like no other. Here they are helping him out in a unique version of House Of The Rising Sun: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Am7YaW1A5vw/hqdefault.jpg "John Otway - House of the Rising Sun") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am7YaW1A5vw) The song starts at ~ 0.55; the first minute is Otway explaining how Bunsen Burner was _just barely_ his second hit. j ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/26 "2021-06-19T21:28:17Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > While out driving this afternoon, Nick Lowe’s “Cruel to Be Kind” came on the radio, and I think he definitely qualifies. That song was his only top 40 hit in the U.S., but I love several of his other songs, including “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock ‘n’ Roll),” “I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass,” and “When I Write the Book” (which is technically from the one and only album from Rockpile). Excellent selection. I would even add his buddy, **Dave Edmunds** , who had one #1 (I Hear You Knocking), but I dig pretty much all of his output. mmm ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/27 "2021-06-19T21:29:05Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I would even add his buddy, **Dave Edmunds** , who had one #1 (I Hear You Knocking), but I dig pretty much all of his output. Absolutely agreed! ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/28 "2021-06-19T21:49:15Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > They’re a “two-hit wonder” here in the U.S. (“Radar Love” in 1973, and “Twilight Zone” in 1982), For some reason, Radar Love is one of the very few songs I will crank to 11 when I hear it. It’s not like it’s a headbanger song. It just feels like I _have_ to do it. ---
**Author:** ![omenran](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omenran/32/3318_2.png) [@omenran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omenran)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/29 "2021-06-19T23:31:52Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > To help jog my memory, I went looking for lists of one-hit wonders. You have to be careful with these kinds of lists, especially if they don’t lay out a rubric for what they define a one hit wonder as. The podcast Hit Parade has an episode (in two parts for free listeners) where the host takes a look at VH1s list of 100. Many artists have snuck back to the charts but never really made another impression in the culture of the US. (The podcast is pretty much chart focused on Billboard, especially the Hot 100) So I feel like a lot of One Hit Wonders kinda just got slapped with the label and people moved on without much, if any, questioning. Besides, who gets called a OHW these days of streaming and downloads? I has really tapered off since the 90s. (For instance, Rebecca Black has released a new album and it’s got at least one good review, so not even a meme song is going to stop future success these days) ---
**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:** [June 19, 2021, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/30 "2021-06-19T23:44:34Z")
I just thought of the Flaming Lips which are a good example for this thread. In their early career, they had a surprise novelty hit with “She Don’t Use Jelly”, but that was in 1993, shortly after Nirvana had not only opened the door, but smashed the barricades that stood in the way for alternative bands getting chart success. That remained their only hit, but later they turned into an album band with modern classics such as “The Soft Bulletin” and “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots”, a famous live freak show attraction and an all around indie institution. They are still going strong. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/31 "2021-06-19T23:56:19Z")
Santo and Johnny had one #1 song with _Sleepwalk_, probably the best belly-rubbing tune ever written to close out a dance. After that, there was not much, although I like a good steel guitar and their Greatest Hits (ha!) album is pretty good. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YBRCvVpknvg/maxresdefault.jpg "Santo & Johnny - Sleep walk [Original instrumental]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBRCvVpknvg) ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/32 "2021-06-20T00:16:43Z")
There are definitely problems in determining whether a song is a “hit”. If a song has to reach the Top 40 of the chart, then there’s a lot of “one-hit wonders” that had fabulously successful albums or cult appeal without charting singles. My main go-to example is Rush, whose one Top 40 hit (New World Man) I never heard on the radio, while there are at least 6 other songs by them that are (Tom Sawyer, Limelight, Red Barchetta, Spirit of the Radio, Freewill, and Fly by Night) so using the Top 40 as a way of assessing what’s actually a hit isn’t a great idea. But what other metric are you supposed to use? [https://11points.com/11-music-superstars-technically-one-hit-wonders/](https://11points.com/11-music-superstars-technically-one-hit-wonders/) Plenty of successful groups are even no-hit wonders. Including Led Zeppelin apparently. > **[No-Hit Wonder](https://tropedia.fandom.com/wiki/No-Hit_Wonder)** > > "We are not Smash Mouth; we do not have a radio hit. We're not a One-Hit Wonder, we're a ten year failure."Chris Demakes of Less Than Jake The music business can be quite fickle. For every One-Hit Wonder, there's at least one act who manages a streak... ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/33 "2021-06-20T00:53:06Z")
A good example would be the Grateful Dead, which I believe only had one hit with ‘Touch of Grey’, but had already been packing stadiums for a decade and a half before that song. Edit: After reading your link I see they are already listed there. Second edit after reading the next response: I’m an idiot. Hey, what about Warren Zevon? (-: ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/34 "2021-06-20T00:53:47Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > A good example would be the Grateful Dead As mentioned in post #1😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/35 "2021-06-20T01:18:07Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I’m a big Jayhawks fan, and I didn’t even know that they had a top 20 hit. Huh. I would have guessed _Blue_. But, yeah. This is such a great band. I tell everybody every chance I get to listen to _Hollywood Town Hall._ Not a single bad note on the whole album. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/36 "2021-06-20T01:43:39Z")
In America Gary Numan/Tubeway Army is basically only known for _Cars._ However, some of his other songs are better. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzSM3pRtgcM) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DJrbSTWB2c) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/37 "2021-06-20T01:49:53Z")
> [@Johnny\_Q](#): > > Gary Numan Apparently, he is a real nice guy, too. My wife and her friend have been to many shows, and he always spends time with any fan who wants to talk. They have met him several times and always say what a nice guy he is. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/38 "2021-06-20T02:05:31Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > _Hollywood Town Hall._ Not a single bad note on the whole album. Repeated for Truth. Also, the same could be said for _Tomorrow the Green Grass_. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/39 "2021-06-20T03:15:33Z")
Nena (99 Luftballon) had been putting out albums regularly for 40 years or so. She has a deep catalogue of some great stuff. The albums Willst Du Mit Mir Gehen, and Nena Feat Nena (modern new performances of her older singles) are both superb. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633/40 "2021-06-20T11:39:58Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I just thought of the Flaming Lips which are a good example for this thread. In their early career, they had a surprise novelty hit with “She Don’t Use Jelly”, > […] > That remained their only hit, but later they turned into an album band with modern classics such as “The Soft Bulletin” and “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots” I had no idea that they were a OHW, and I’m sorry to hear that “She Don’t Use Jelly” was their only hit, it’s a bit cringe (OK to do a joke song, but not when that becomes the only thing you’re known for). > [@glowacks](#): > > My main go-to example is Rush, whose one Top 40 hit (New World Man) I never heard on the radio Is that the same Rush that wrote [YYZ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdpMpfp-J_I)? (Checks) Wow, their main hit is a pretty lousy representation of their best too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-hit-wonder-groups-that-had-some-other-decent-songs/944633.md?page=3)