I’m surprised this hasn’t been done yet (and I did run a search ).
So, let’s all remember our favorite One-Hit Wonder songs. I’ll start.
Toy Soldier by Martika. It was yer classic 80’s love song: stilted lyrics, overwrought vocals, and a lack of another hit from the artist to back it up.
Electric Avenue by Eddie Grant and Pass the Dutchie by, uh, those kids. I guess American Top 40 radio just isn’t ready for reggae. And yes, I know both of those songs were released in the 80’s.
Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles, Hey Mickey by Tony Basil, Pop Music by M, Puttin’ on the Ritz by Taco, and a whole slew of other elctro-syntho one-hit-wonders are hallmarks of the 80’s.
First of all, no list can be complete without the following:
“Come On Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
“Jenny (867-5309)” by Tommy Tutone
“Goody Two Shoes” by Adam Ant
“The Warrior” by Scandal (even though I preferred “Goodbye To You”)
“You’re a Friend of Mine” by Jackson Browne and Clarence Clemons
And a few footnotes:
You’re thinking of Musical Youth. The also did a duet with disco dive Donna Summer. “Unconditional Love”
Alas, Falco is no more. He died in a car wreck a few years ago.
This was actually a decent CD. I own it. I thought “If You’re Tarzan, I’m Jane” and “Like Water” and “More Than You Know” were just bubblegummy enough.
First of all, no list can be complete without the following:
“Come On Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
“Jenny (867-5309)” by Tommy Tutone
“Goody Two Shoes” by Adam Ant
“The Warrior” by Scandal (even though I preferred “Goodbye To You”)
“You’re a Friend of Mine” by Jackson Browne and Clarence Clemons
And a few footnotes:
You’re thinking of Musical Youth. The also did a duet with disco diva Donna Summer. “Unconditional Love”
Alas, Falco is no more. He died in a car wreck a few years ago.
This was actually a decent CD. I own it. I thought “If You’re Tarzan, I’m Jane” and “Like Water” and “More Than You Know” were just bubblegummy enough.
“Future So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades” by Timbuk3 springs to mind…if only because we had a crazy teacher who wore dark glasses at the time, so we periodically sang the song at him. Fortunately, he liked the song (if not our singing voices).
It’s funny, but Adam and The Ants had many hits on this side of the Atlantic, Stand and Deliver.
Eddy Grant had a couple as well (“I dont wanna Dance”), not to mention singing lead on the Equals “Baby, now that I’ve found you”, as covered by Alison Krauss
The Vapors “Turning Japanese” is a classic 80’s one-hit wonder, and who could forget “Echo Beach” by Martha and the Muffins, or The Jags “I’ve got your number”…
Too Shy by Kajagoogoo?
Martika was an excellent singer.
How about Will To Power with their mix of Freebird and Baby I love your way (retch)
It was called “Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne” and it hit #33 in 1973. I’ve got it on one of Rhino’s “Have a Nice Day: Super Hits of the 70’s” discs. I listened to it, but it didn’t ring any bells.
For those of you who remember classic 70’s one-(and sometimes two-)hit wonders should look at this series. Word of warning: there’s 25 in all!
Who else but Rhino would dare to release “Timothy”, by the Bouys, on CD?
I’ll add a couple off a great little disc (well, a great line of discs, I suppose) - the “One Hit Wonderful” series from Universal Music is a good place to look for songs you like without having to purchase the ‘baggage’ of a useless CD… hit a few birds with one stone.
I always liked “Axel F” by Harold Faltermeyer (the theme to Beverly Hills Cop, I believe), “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell, “Rico Suave” by Gerrado, and “I Touch Myself” by Divinyls.
Also, as an aside, I love the Dog Star remix of “She Sells Sanctuary” by the Cure… it’s the only thing making DJing worthwhile tonight.
Sure I remember “Brandy” (Brandy, you’re a fine girl/what a fine wife/you would be/but alas the love of a sailor/is the sea)
And you haven’t even begun to scratch the surface:
“Judy in Disguise” – John Fred and his Playboy Band
“Winchester Cathedral” – New Vaudeville Band
“Classical Gas” – Mason Williams
“Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)” – Steam (probably the most successful one-hit wonder)
“Rock and Roll Part II” – Gary Glitter (at least in the U.S.)
“Red Rubber Ball” – the Cyrkle (though written by Paul Simon)
“They’re Coming to Take Me Away (Ha Ha)” – Napoleon XIV
“Monster Mash” – Bobby (Boris) Pickett (also very successful)
“Yellow Balloon” – Yellow Balloon
“Get Together” – Youngbloods (though they had several very good albums, this was their only hit)
“Stranded In the Jungle” – the Cadets
“It’s a Gas” – Alfred E. Neuman (anyone remember this one?)
“In the Summer Time” – Mungo Jerry (great song, and a great Jeopardy question*)
“Green-Eyed Lady” – Sugarloaf. Acutally, they also had a second, minor hit quite a few years later “Don’t Call Us; We’ll Call You,” making them a two-hit wonder.
“Pink Shoelaces” – Dodie Stephens
*Actual Category: Starts with “M”
$100 – In South Pacific, this fruit and bananas can be picked right off a tree.
(What is Mango?)
$200 – Ming the Merciless came from this planet.
(What is Mongo?)
$300 – Ed Ames played this part on “Daniel Boone.”
(What is Mingo?)
$400 – An audio daily double! How much would you be willing to wager?
“The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats
“Take On Me” by A-Ha
“I Melt With You” by Modern English
“How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths (or whoever sings it in your world)
How about “99 Red Balloons” (or “99 Luft Balloons”) by Nena?
Or “Pac Man Fever” by Buckner and Garcia, circa 1983; it came from an entire TAPE devoted to songs based on then-popular arcade games, such as Frogger, Donkey Kong, and Centipede.
Or that one in the 90’s by a group called Primitive Radio Gods. I think it was called, “standing outside a phone booth in the rain with no money in my pocket.” (?)
They were one-hit wonders in your world? That comes as a surprise to me. IMHO, both these bands released some pretty darn good singles and the ones you list aren’t even their best songs.
Anyway, I’ve always had a fondness for:
You Sexy Thing - Hot Chocolate
The Great Commandment - Camouflage
Keeping the Dream Alive - Freiheit (sp?) Rumours - Timex Social Club
Life in a Northern Town - Dream Academy
China in Your Hands - T’pau (their other great hit)
and I’d like to add my two bits on excellent bands/singers who shouldn’t be in the one-hit trolley, but wtf… Fairground Attraction
Michelle Shocked
Joan Osborne
Paula Cole
).
