# Two hit wonders **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387 "2003-11-15T05:05:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/21 "2003-11-15T11:45:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Lodoen \* > \*\*But there’s a difference between… > > Former band member with hit: Balin, Marty - Hearts > Out of nowhere to #1 and back: Abbott, Gregory - Shake You Down > Foreign (read UK or Canada) artist with other hits at home: [I can’t think of one, whoops!]\*\* And a fourth category: Long-lived artist that just doesn’t appeal to the mainstream enough to hit the charts, except once: The Grateful Dead - Touch of Gray ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/22 "2003-11-15T12:29:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*… > > And Falco didn’t release ‘Der Kommissar’, did he? \*\* He did but there was a cover version by another band/artist that received more airplay here in the States (After the Fire, or something?). I did hear Falco’s version on the radio at the time but I don’t think it was a big hit here. **wolf\_meister** I’ve never heard that third Motels song. It’s a good one, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/23 "2003-11-15T13:41:59Z")
\*\* Murray Head \*\*–“Superstar” and “One Night in Bangkok.” ---
**Author:** ![hansolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/22d042/32.png) [@hansolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hansolo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/24 "2003-11-15T16:30:37Z")
one night in bangkok is from Chess (correct?) has anyone seen this stage show? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/25 "2003-11-15T16:36:33Z")
I think that _Murray Head_’s only hit was **One Night in Bangkok**. He may have releaed the single **Superstar** , but was it actually a hit? Actually, on a related topic, I use to think that all singles were hits, but my wife pointed out that just because an artist/group releases a single on the radio, doesn’t necissarilly mean that it’ll become a hit. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/26 "2003-11-15T16:41:00Z")
Oh, and I just remembered a couple of others _Information Society_ - **Pure Energy** and **Think** _Erasure_ - **Chains of Love** and **Respect** ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/27 "2003-11-15T16:55:18Z")
“Superstar” went up to 17 on the charts before the LP came out. Maybe not a huge hit, bit a good showing. I saw Chess on and off-Broadway. I wish someone would bring it back and do the book and staging right. ---
**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:** [November 15, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/28 "2003-11-15T17:00:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\*_White Lion_ - **Wait** , & **When the Children Cry** \*\* What about _Little Fighter_, _Tell Me_, their remake of _Radar Love_, and something else I can’t think of? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/29 "2003-11-15T17:08:29Z")
Little fighter sounds vaugly familiar, but the other two I’m not familiar with at all. Were they actually hits, or just singles that the band released? ---
**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:** [November 15, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/30 "2003-11-15T17:18:17Z")
Well, so far as chart positions, I can’t help you there. But I DO recall _Radar Love_ getting HUGE amounts of airplay when it was released. And it still pops up every once in a while. And, for the record, I DO mean the remake. Not the Golden Earring version. Who, by the way, also had the hit _Twilight Zone_. You know, the one that goes: > [@](#): > > You will come to know… > When the bullet hits the bone ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/31 "2003-11-15T18:37:32Z")
**Golden Earring** ---
**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:** [November 15, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/32 "2003-11-15T18:37:50Z")
5 man electrical band: Signs You’re absolutely right Both songs sucked. Also Looking Glass: Brandy Jimmy loves Maryann compelling treacle. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/33 "2003-11-15T18:43:15Z")
**Big Country** : “In a Big Country” “Fields of Fire” ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/34 "2003-11-15T19:01:11Z")
For those wondering about that 3rd **Motels** ’ song, here is a link to the lyrics: [http://www.driko.org/lyrics/takethel.txt](http://www.driko.org/lyrics/takethel.txt) ---
**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:** [November 15, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/35 "2003-11-15T19:23:25Z")
The Left Banke – _Walk Away Renee_ (#5) and _Pretty Ballerina_ (#15). (They had a third song at #98, but that’s hardly a hit.) Flash and the Pan had two single on the charts – _Hey St. Peter_ and _Media Man_\*, but neither rose particularly high. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MonkeyMule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMule)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/36 "2003-11-15T19:31:44Z")
\*\*Moo the Magic Cow \*\* you can’t call Hammer a 2 hit wonder becasue he had 3 platnium albums. Even if he only had one legit hit on each on, thats still 3 hits. **riserius1** hit the nail on the head. Jus becasue they don’t play them much now, doesn’t mean there weren’t at one time. And for my two cents Arested Development: Everyday People. Tennesse a case could be made for MR.Wendal, but I choose to ignore it. all three are great and you should go check them out. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/37 "2003-11-15T22:27:18Z")
Falco did have twp Top 40 hits in the US, but the other one was “Vienna Calling”. ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/38 "2003-11-15T22:43:54Z")
How about the Thompson Twins, with “Lies” and “Hold Me Now”? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/39 "2003-11-16T01:40:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by look!ninjas \* > \*\*How about the Thompson Twins, with “Lies” and “Hold Me Now”? \*\* Ah, but you forget **Doctor! Doctor!** and **Lay Your Hands on Me** ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lodoen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@Jeff\_Lodoen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lodoen)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387/40 "2003-11-16T02:45:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wolf\_meister \* > \*\*And the **Motels** had a third hit: > **Take the ‘L’ out of Lover and It’s Over"** > (my favorite of the 3 actually). \*\* “Take The L” (the whole title… I thought it was ‘el’ as in ‘elevated train’) wasn’t a Top 40 hit, but it had a fairly unusual/memorable video so you might call it an MTV hit. The Motels other Billboard Hot 100 hits include “Shame” at 21 and “Remember The Nights” at 36… those I recall hearing. (no MTV) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-hit-wonders/213387.md?page=3)