Exactly. Let’s not confuse “one-hit wonder” with “signature song”.
I was tempted myself to name the Knack with “My Sharona,” but “Good Girls Don’t” was enough of a hit that I think that disqualifies them (and it only hit #11, where the Eurythmics had 3 top fives and 10 top forties.) That said, “My Sharona” does come up on one-hit wonder lists, so who knows.
Hands down.
They had 4 songs that charted on multiple formats and got overplayed on MTV from that 1 album alone. Plus, the “Heroes” cover.
Drift Away by Dobie Gray
Great singer. I always wondered why he wasn’t more successful.
Wikipedia indicates he was active for many years. Did some sound tracks. But never achieved any more hits.
These are two of my favorites, so I’m seconding them!
Links:
Driver’s Seat
Der Kommissar
I also would have seconded Dung Beetle’s vote for Donnie Iris’s “Ah! Leah!”, but as I think he was noting, Iris actually had two other top 40 singles in the US (“Love Is Like a Rock” and “My Girl”).
My nominations:
Tarney Spencer Band - No Time To Lose
Martin Briley - Salt In My Tears
Bobby Caldwell - What You Won’t Do For Love
Kongos - Come With Me Now
M - Pop Muzik
“Love Is Like A Rock” is by far the best of the Donnie Iris hits. I also saw him live, as an opening act for Loverboy. He put on the better show, but that concert is remarkable to me because it was the show where I had the most fun, out of all the concerts I’ve ever attended.
Argent also wrote and originally recorded “God Gave Rock & Roll To You,” which was covered by both KISS and the Christian band Petra. Petra wanted to change several of the words, which was approved by Argent, and the KISS song is a remake of the original version.
I’ll also nominate “Head to Toe” by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam. Yeah, it’s totally commercial 80s music, but I’ve always loved that song.
It was great but that band had several hits… even in the USA
Kingsmen had several hits, including a cover of [Money (That’s What I Want).
Well, do we define hit as top 100 or top 40?
I will add both 1982- Tainted Love – Soft Cell Tainted Love - Search Videos
Mickey – Toni Basil
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mickey+toni+basil&&view=detail&mid=3F57F2532FFEACADC14F3F57F2532FFEACADC14F&&FORM=VRDGAR
Mickey got a Weird Al parody, so that has to give extra points.
so did
Rico Suave – Gerardo
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=gerardo+rico+suave&docid=608038252092392394&mid=018BB2DFB6D73D6804BC018BB2DFB6D73D6804BC&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
And for something different-Always Look on the Bright Side of Life– Monty Python
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q="Always+Look+on+the+Bright+Side+of+Life"+–+Monty+Python&&view=detail&mid=1A0CC91317615738DABF1A0CC91317615738DABF&&FORM=VRDGAR
It has grown beyond it’s source.
Great song, I will second.
That’s true but it placed 180th, not quite a “hit”.
Good choice and his only other “hit” was #57, so I second this.
Question:“Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen
Doing the Werewolves of London
I saw Lon Chaney, Jr. walking with the Queen
Doing the Werewolves of London”
did he see two seperate men, or just one?
Here is a strange one: Me and Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin’s only top 40 hit as a solo artist.
*Cry Baby *and Kozmic Blues placed just under Top 40.
Piece of My Heart placed #12 but as a member of Big Brother & The Holding Company.
What do you dudes think?
I would hold that this might qualify as a technicality, it just doesn’t pass the smell test. You could equally argue that Derek and the Dominoes is a one hit wonder because they only had one single (Layla) that charted in the top 30.
“Pass the Dutchie”-Musical Youth
“Shaddap You Face”-Lou Monte
“Pacman Fever”-Buckner & Garcia
“Buffalo Stance”-Neneh Cherry
“In The Meantime”-Spacehog
Is there anyone that didn’t cover that song?
I just looked up David Essex, I see he was way bigger in the UK than in the US. Over here, he only had one song crack the top 70