# What artist made the biggest career out of one song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2007, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079 "2007-07-17T02:17:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079/101 "2007-07-21T00:12:01Z")
Without a doubt, the prize must go to Patty and Mildred Hill, who wrote “Happy Birthday to You” in 1893. The original one-hit wonders. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079/102 "2007-07-23T20:51:30Z")
Well, y’know, the Ramones never had _any_ hits and that didn’t stop them touring for 20+ years. mm ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079/103 "2007-07-23T21:05:17Z")
"Happy Birthyday, dear Burnsey, Happy birthday, To You! Go to hell you old bastard!" – The Ramones, on the Simpsons. ---
**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:** [July 23, 2007, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079/104 "2007-07-23T21:19:31Z")
[QUOTE=Swallowed My Cellphone] Saying _Escape_ was the defiining work of Holmes career would be like saying _One Night in Bangkok_ was Murray Head’s “moment in the spotlight”. He just happened to be the guy in the original production of the musical _Chess_ and that was one of the songs he sang in the show. Quite nifty that it got radio play, but he was solidly entrenched in the theatre and that was just a flukey little tangent to a weighty career in a different branch of the arts. [/QUOTE] Long before ONIB, Head was the original singer of “Superstar.” And the concept recording Head sang on was put out before the show was staged. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079/105 "2007-07-23T21:27:58Z")
Just popping in to say, Grateful Dead, GrATEful not Greatful. Like the word grateful and not like the non-word greatful. Also “Achy, Breaky Heart” Not “Acky”, though yes, it does make me want to ack. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079/106 "2007-07-23T21:29:24Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] "Happy Birthyday, dear Burnsey, Happy birthday, To You! Go to hell you old bastard!" – The Ramones, on the Simpsons. [/QUOTE] have the Rolling Stones killed ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079/107 "2007-07-23T21:35:45Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] recent tour supporting David Bowie, [/QUOTE] She ruined the Bowie concert for Mr. K. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079/108 "2007-07-23T22:09:10Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] Gotta be Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Pina Colada Song) [/QUOTE] He also wrote about eating “Timothy” and " Give(ing) Up Your Guns" He wrote the Jets “You Got It All” He was also surprisingly entertaining when he used to appear on Merv or Johnny. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-artist-made-the-biggest-career-out-of-one-song/412079.md?page=5)