I had one of their albums briefly. If they did in fact not write “There She Goes,” that explains a lot.
No, I’m not convinced SNTR deserved more.
I’m particularly fond of Pat MacDonald’s first solo album (after he and Barbara K. divorced), Pat MacDonald Sleeps With His Guitar. The opener To Track You Down is a creepy, tense mofo of a song.
Til Tuesday are only known for “Voices Carry”, and that is a shame.
I discovered Fountains of Wayne with the song “Mexican Wine”, and loved the entire album. I was thrilled when “Stacy’s Mom” became a hit.
Yeah, but it’s not as big a hit. If you mention the band to someone, and they ask what song the band sings, “Hangingaround” (all one word) isn’t what you would name.
fusoya, that song gets an automatic disqualification from me because of Vanessa Carlton’s involvement, but I see your point. If the radio would play the version without her “bop bop bop” in the background, I’d enjoy it more.
[quote=“Superdude, post:14, topic:579456”]
Counting Crows deserve to be known for more than “Mr. Jones” and that song that was on the Shrek 2 soundtrack, “Accidentally In Love.”
“The Rain King” is popular too. It’s the song playing in Scrubs when JD and Elliot go bungee jumping.
And "Long December"was on the top 10 chart for weeks.
In Europe and Japan, Status Quo have had a VERY long and very successful career.
But in the USA, if they’re remembered at all, they’re remembered as the one hit wonder band that recorded “Pictures of Matchstick Men.”
For that matter, the Small Faces were (deservedly) huge and highly influential in England, but in America, they’re thought of as one-hit wonders. “Itchycoo Park” was the only popular single they ever had in the States.
Their best-known song–and my personal favorite song by any band ever–was “Sit Down,” the best-known version of which was on their 1991 album James (although there’s a much earlier version floating around from their 80s Rough Trade Records days, with slightly different lyrics). Yeah, James deserve much better than they’ve gotten. Could Tim Booth’s acting career be getting in the way? He played Zsasz in Batman Begins, you know…
True. But I still think it qualifies under the OP.
Sixpence None the Richer were an anomaly. They had two charting songs, the La’s cover and their own song, “Kiss Me” which is probably what they’re best known for. And neither song accurately reflect that at their, SNTR is/was a contemporary Christian band, whose songs were less about romance and more about a different sort of love.
I’ll have to strongly agree with a-ha. I have the title track “Hunting High and Low” playing as I type this. What a gorgeous little piece of pop balladry that is.
I have to disagree with Counting Crows contention in this. All of their singles have charted on one or more Billboard charts, and 6 have been in the mainstream Top 40. I think a half dozen top 40 songs goes a bit beyond “one hit wonder” even if people don’t remember all their other songs until they hear them.
Can we clarify something? Counting Crows are in no way a OHW. They’ve had several songs chart, and get significant airplay, across several albums.
My vote goes to Deep Blue Something. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was ubiquitous for a while. But that album was full of well-crafted pop songs.
Jill Sobule had “I Kissed a Girl” (and then a much smaller hit with her cover of “Supermodel” on the Clueless soundtrack). She’s still recording and albums like
“Happy Town” and “Pink Pearl” and her most recent album which was made by pre-funding it with fan money, “California Years”, is quite wonderful.
Imani Coppola had a minor hit with “Legend of a Cowgirl” and then made more albums with little label support and still full of poppy bouncy goodness. She had a more recent hit with a band called Little Jackie “The World Should Revolve Around Me”.
Gary Jules made a splash with his cover of “Mad World” by Tears for Fears, but the rest of his acoustic guitar based music is much more Cat Stevens-esque and is the perfect Sunday morning music.
Okay, so explain how much better does it get than that?
The Thamesmen “Gimme Some Money” Although they did capture the zeitgeist of the times in a
later group with “Listen to the Flower People”. Oh, the times I used to go into the village to see them at the Electric Banana. But don’t look for the club now, it’s gone.
Where did you come up with that list of names. As far as I or allmusic.com know the members were Lee Mavers, Cammy, Neil Mavers, Paul Hemmings, John Timson and John Power. Searching the other names listed doesn’t show anything to do with The Las’s.
The best track on the album was the Beatlesesque Feelin’ with its awesome guitar tones.
They sold out. Last I heard they were playing folk music on the casino circuit.
Lee Michaels. Do you know what I mean?
There’s more to Cake than Short Skirt / Long Jacket.
I always thought Mungo Jerry deserved fame for more than In the Summertime. They were just ahead of their time.
Fair enough but 11 of them are merely musician’s laborers.