# What is your favorite one-hit wonder? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747 "2018-09-22T21:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/21 "2018-09-23T15:11:01Z")
… Alive and Kicking, top 10 by Simple Minds ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/22 "2018-09-23T15:30:24Z")
She Drives Me Crazy – Fine Young Cannibals Yeah, I know, they charted with another track or two from that one album. And, they’re 2/3 of the English Beat, or something. Still, I think they deserve a mention. Not in the poll, I know. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/23 "2018-09-23T15:41:46Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > She Drives Me Crazy – Fine Young Cannibals > > Yeah, I know, they charted with another track or two from that one album. And, they’re 2/3 of the English Beat, or something. Still, I think they deserve a mention. Not in the poll, I know. They didn’t just “chart” with another track. “Good Thing” was number one here in the US. A band with two number one hits cannot be a one-hit wonder by any sort of definition. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/24 "2018-09-23T15:46:16Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > They didn’t just “chart” with another track. “Good Thing” was number one here in the US. A band with two number one hits cannot be a one-hit wonder by any sort of definition. True. But ask 50 people right now who have hard of FYC, aged 25 to 60, to: 1. Name the first “Fine Young Cannibals” song that comes to mind, and then 2. Name ALL the FYC songs they can recall, I’ll bet 49 out of 50 will say “She Drives…” for the first, and 40 out of 50 will say “nothing” for the second. Maybe we need another phrase for this, instead of “one-hit wonder.” Carry on! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/25 "2018-09-23T15:55:39Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > True. But ask 50 people right now who have hard of FYC, aged 25 to 60, to: > > 1. Name the first “Fine Young Cannibals” song that comes to mind, and then > 2. Name ALL the FYC songs they can recall, > > I’ll bet 49 out of 50 will say “She Drives…” for the first, and 40 out of 50 will say “nothing” for the second. Well, I guess I’m one of those 1 out of 50 (and I bet a good percentage more who grew up at the time FYC was popular than that would name “Good Thing.”). But I also bet if you played “Good Thing” for them, they’d go “Oh yeah!” just like I did when the Simple Minds suggestion came up. I wouldn’t have been able to name another song other than “Don’t You Forget About Me,” but then I clicked on “Alive and Kicking” and said, “oh, of course, I know that one!” ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/26 "2018-09-23T16:06:45Z")
The Raspberries have a few hits. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/27 "2018-09-23T17:16:43Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > … Alive and Kicking, top 10 by Simple Minds When I think of **Alive N’ Kickin’** , it’s for their one-hit wonder _Tighter, Tighter_. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/28 "2018-09-23T19:44:27Z")
> [@Sefton](#): > > Damn, I’d completely forgotten about **Rico Suave**. I can’t wait to forget about it again. Today, he is a Christian pastor, with a wife and a couple of teenage daughters. An interviewer once asked him how he explained the song’s lyrics to his daughters. He blushed, and grimaced, and said, “Uh, Daddy was just kidding, honey.” ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/29 "2018-09-23T23:59:58Z")
Voted for several 80s 1-hit-wonders, but my particular faves didn’t make the list: Don’t You Forget About Me & Always Something There To Remind Me. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/30 "2018-09-24T01:01:44Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Voted for several 80s 1-hit-wonders, but my particular faves didn’t make the list: Don’t You Forget About Me & Always Something There To Remind Me. The first was disqualified because of [Alive and Kicking](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljIQo1OHkTI). I wondered about that, too, and then listened to the link above and thought, oh, yeah, that was a pretty big song, too. I was only 10 at the time, but I still know that song very well from radio to this day (as in I still here it on radio regularly. I had no idea it was Simple Minds until this thread, I’m somewhat embarrassed to say.) The second one probably wasn’t nominated. Or maybe “Promises Promises” disqualifies it. I certainly know the latter well,though it was before my radio-listening time and I would never have been able to name Naked Eyes as the band for this one or “Always There to Remind Me.” (It looks like they both charted closely. The former peaked at #8 with 22 weeks on the charts, the latter at #11 with 20 weeks.) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/31 "2018-09-24T01:11:20Z")
Until I saw that awful commercial for a new diabetic drug called Ozempic, I had totally forgotten about Pilot’s “It’s Magic.” [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwoFAxB-Ahc) Have I ever mentioned how much I hate prescription drug advertising? :mad: Here’s the original tune. Notice how the drummer is shown more than the other band members, and put out in front, because he’s the best looking band member. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQvDd66z47Y) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/32 "2018-09-24T01:20:31Z")
There are many great songs on that list, but I voted for only one: “Brandy” by the Looking Glass. First heard it in junior high and it remains one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/33 "2018-09-24T02:01:09Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > The first was disqualified because of [Alive and Kicking](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljIQo1OHkTI). I wondered about that, too, and then listened to the link above and thought, oh, yeah, that was a pretty big song, too. I was only 10 at the time, but I still know that song very well from radio to this day (as in I still here it on radio regularly. I had no idea it was Simple Minds until this thread, I’m somewhat embarrassed to say.) :smack: In spite of the fact that _both_ songs are in my library, I completely forgot about Alive & Kicking. :smack: > [@pulykamell](#): > > The second one probably wasn’t nominated. Or maybe “Promises Promises” disqualifies it. I certainly know the latter well, though it was before my radio-listening time and I would never have been able to name Naked Eyes as the band for this one or “Always There to Remind Me.” (It looks like they both charted closely. The former peaked at #8 with 22 weeks on the charts, the latter at #11 with 20 weeks.) In spite of its chart position, Promises, Promises was utterly forgettable. So, I forgot it. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/34 "2018-09-24T05:43:47Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > … Alive and Kicking, top 10 by Simple Minds And Love Song, Glittering Prize, Promised You A Miracle, Waterfront… that I can think of off hand. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/35 "2018-09-24T13:38:02Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > If it makes you feel any better, \*\*Venus \*\*is there (and rightfully trending right up there with the leaders). On the bad news side, so is **Afternoon Delight** ; it killed me to add it, there are few songs I hate as much as I do that one. > > I’m very pleased with the action **Spirit in the Sky** is getting. When it was released, I recall informing my older brother of its awesomeness, to which he immediately and strongly disagreed. I still love it, 49 years later. > mmm There are many great songs on the list, and a few that I loathe, but if I could vote 100 times, it would always be for _ **Spirit in the Sky.** _ ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/36 "2018-09-24T13:57:54Z")
I thought way too hard about my selection and finally went with The Buggles. It wasn’t merely a throwaway hit. It was a pivotal moment in the evolution of music, being the first MTV video played, the prophetic lyrics, the production sound that would define a decade of music…the pedigree on this one was just too strong to choose another. _would have voted for 99 Luftballons had it been there, grumble grumble…_ ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/37 "2018-09-24T16:51:00Z")
It’s sort of unfair to mix in talented groups that had only one big pop chart hit with true one-hit wonders. For instance, Fountains of Wayne was a terrific group with plenty more to offer beyond the power pop classic “Stacy’s Mom”. It doesn’t deserve being grouped with Taco and Starland Vocal Band. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/38 "2018-09-24T16:52:55Z")
["Expressway To Your Heart"](https://youtu.be/4EBYMl-f-wo)by The Soul Survivors ---
**Author:** ![Rough\_Draft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rough\_Draft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rough_Draft)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/39 "2018-09-24T18:25:20Z")
I voted for _City of New Orleans_ because it’s my favorite song on the list by far. But Arlo Guthrie has had a long and great career and doesn’t really belong in the category at all. Steve Goodman (who wrote the song) might fit the description a little better. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747/40 "2018-09-24T18:29:59Z")
> [@Rough\_Draft](#): > > I voted for _City of New Orleans_ because it’s my favorite song on the list by far. But Arlo Guthrie has had a long and great career and doesn’t really belong in the category at all. Steve Goodman (who wrote the song) might fit the description a little better. Maybe. But here in Chicago, he’d be known for “Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request,” “Go Cubs Go,” and “Lincoln Park Pirates.” Outside of Chicago, I don’t think any of his originals would be known at all (just the cover[s] of"City of New Orleans." Actually, baseball fans might know “Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request.” And Dr. Demento listeners may know that one and a few others.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-one-hit-wonder/821747.md?page=3)