# What one-hit-wonder songs were actually really good, even GREAT, songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 29, 2007, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148 "2007-11-29T05:33:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148/241 "2008-09-09T15:11:09Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Older: > > _Along Comes Mary_ by The Association (1966.) Badass horn lines and instrumentation, weird rhythms and run-on lyrical structure that almost sounds like a precursor to rap. I love the line “When we met I was sure out to lunch/now the empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch.” I think it’s a wonderfully poetic line. According to Wikipedia, "Leonard Bernstein admired the song, and included a short analysis of it in the “What is a Mode?” episode of his Young People’s Concerts series. " I think this speaks for itself. I don’t thnk The Association qualifies as a one-hit wonder. Ever heard of a little ditty called [Cherish](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B73gPftJBw)? How about [Windy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tVhCbOXP30)? EDIT: and I see the point has been made several times already ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148/242 "2008-09-09T15:24:01Z")
And I, too, missed the fact that the thread is a zombie. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148/243 "2008-09-09T15:33:49Z")
Ooooo, zombie thread! Before it’s closed: “Life in a Northern Town,” Dream Academy “Tubthumping,” Chumbawamba “Relax,” Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Driver’s Seat,” Sniff ‘n’ the Tears “Heart and Soul,” T’Pau “You Get What You Give,” New Radicals “What Is Love,” Haddaway “I Could Not Ask For More,” Edwin McCain “Into the Night,” Benny Mardones God help me, I love these songs. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148/244 "2008-09-09T15:41:34Z")
Let’s see, what are some I can think of… In The Meantime - Spacehog Fly - Sugar Ray True - Spandau Ballet Something About You - Level 42 Cry - Godley & Creme Double Dutch Bus - Frankie Smith man, there are just so many of them… ---
**Author:** ![NicorGasMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@NicorGasMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicorGasMan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148/245 "2008-09-09T18:19:34Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Ooooo, zombie thread! Before it’s closed: > > “Life in a Northern Town,” Dream Academy > “Tubthumping,” Chumbawamba > “Relax,” Frankie Goes to Hollywood > “Driver’s Seat,” Sniff ‘n’ the Tears > “Heart and Soul,” T’Pau > “You Get What You Give,” New Radicals > “What Is Love,” Haddaway > “I Could Not Ask For More,” Edwin McCain > “Into the Night,” Benny Mardones > > God help me, I love these songs. Edwin McCain doesn’t count - “I’ll Be” made it to #5, higher than “I Could Not Ask For More” How about “Anything, Anything (I’ll Give You)” by Dramarama? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148/246 "2008-09-10T04:14:38Z")
I don’t think Iron Butterfly is known for anything that is not named “In-a-Gadda-da-Vida” ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148/247 "2008-09-16T13:11:55Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > **In a Big Country** by Big Country. Great song, one of the best pop hits of the 1980s. I don’t know how many of their songs made into the top 40, but \*\*Big Country \*\*did have quite a few good songs. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148/248 "2008-09-16T13:25:01Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Sinead O’Connor – “Nothing Compares 2 U” Huh? She had lots of hits. And so did Prince. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148/249 "2008-09-16T16:03:28Z")
A few more that I really like that I don’t think have been mentioned yet: “Sweetheart” by Franke and the Knockouts “How Do You Do” by Mouth and Macneal “Tennessee Bird Walk” (can’t remember the artist) “Sweet Mary” by Wadsworth Mansion “Winchester Cathedral” by The New Vaudeville Band “Oh Babe What Would You Say” by Hurricane Smith “Thunder and Lightning” by Chi Coltrane “Thunder Island” by Jay Ferguson (though I think he may have charted with another group) “Ariel” by Dean Friedman “98.6” by Keith [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-hit-wonder-songs-were-actually-really-good-even-great-songs/428148.md?page=12)