[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas]
The best holiday one hit wonder: “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” by Patsy & Elmo.
[/QUOTE]
Your screen name notwithstanding, yuck to that song!
And my contribution:
“Give Me Just A Little More Time” by Chairmen of the Board (yes, they had other top 40 songs, but the others are pretty obscure).
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach]
Think of how the Robbie Williams fans feel.
[/QUOTE]
I’m one of those, too.
“Wild Thing”, the 1966 hit by the Troggs
[QUOTE=ChiefScott]
“Come on Eileen” – Dexie’s Midnight Runners
[/QUOTE]
Lisa: You beat Dexy’s Midnight Runners!!!
Homer: Well, you haven’t heard the last of them
[QUOTE=It’s Not Rocket Surgery!]
Your screen name notwithstanding, yuck to that song!
.
[/QUOTE]
"Monster Mash’ is the best Holiday Novelty song of all time. Hands down.
[QUOTE=spoke-]
“Right Place, Wrong Time” (YouTube clip) - Dr. John
[/QUOTE]
I was going to refute this, but if your criterion is Top 40, you’re right. Such a Night only made it to #42, and (Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away only climbed to #92, although IIRC it was on the Top 40 chart (printed weekly in the Showtime magazine of the late lamented Cleveland Press) of a Northeast Ohio station that played it in heavy rotation when it was released.
Boyo Jim: As was mentioned earlier in the thread, The Knack made it to #17 with Good Girls Don’t.
[QUOTE=Unintentionally Blank]
That’s the thing that depresses me a little. A-ha has 7 albums or so, all excellent, they just didn’t hop the pond, as it were.
[/QUOTE]
I actually considered a preemptive post concerning a-ha, as they always seem to come up during these discussions. The fact that they had 2 Top 20 singles in the US, have shifted many millions of albums worldwide, and have continued to release albums with the same lineup on a major label (still with Warner Bros.) would make them ineligible for this list.
One of the local channels in Austin used the instrumental break from “The Sun Always Shines on TV” during sports highlights into the 1990s. I suspect more people know that song, but just don’t recognize it as a-ha - it’s a lot less techno-sounding that “Take On Me.”
I would think also, as a US-based board, we tend to have a narrow view. I think bands and/or artists who have had significant success in English-speaking countries (UK, Canada, Australia, etc.) as well as a hit in America should not be considered 1HWs. So that takes out Robbie, who I believe was one of the top selling artists in the UK during the 1990s, and had a minor hit with “Millennium” in America.
ETA: Several artists, including Coldplay, Kanye West, and U2, have noted the influence of a-ha on their music. (That’s not a typo, I did say Kanye West.) Their last album, Analogue, is simply brilliant - it came out in 2006.
[QUOTE=jimmmy]
“Wild Thing”, the 1966 hit by the Troggs
[/QUOTE]
The Troggs also hit with “Love Is All Around Us”
[QUOTE=spoke-]
The Troggs also hit with “Love Is All Around Us”
[/QUOTE]
And “With a Girl Like You.”
[QUOTE=Old Goat]
You Keep Me Hanging On – Mary McCaslin (cover)
[/QUOTE]
Holy shit. I thought I was the sole fan of the album that came from, or of Ms. McCaslin herself. I just got it on CD a while ago; to replace an old LP version.
This Dope place amazes me sometimes. 
Play That Funky Music, White Boy was a one hit wonder for “Wild Cherry” before covered badly by Ice. Still a staple of garage bands and oldie shows.
Another great song; ripping instrumental, best rock and roll, play it loud, get on up is “Frankenstein” by the Edgar Winter Group. I’ve got lots of the Winter Bros. (Johnny and Edgar) but don’t remember too much else for air play.
TheBoltEater:
I, an American, also remember them for having sung the theme song of the James Bond movie “The Living Daylights.” It’s one of my favorite Bond themes.
Take On Me - Aha
edit: I read a lot of the posts, but not the last page before listing this.
“Keep on Smiling” (YouTube clip) - Wet Willie
[QUOTE=smithsb]
Another great song; ripping instrumental, best rock and roll, play it loud, get on up is “Frankenstein” by the Edgar Winter Group. I’ve got lots of the Winter Bros. (Johnny and Edgar) but don’t remember too much else for air play.
[/QUOTE]
Free Ride was also a sizable hit.
“Amie” by Pure Prairie League. Surely a nice country-rock song like that would come from a great album? Nope.
Many will disagree about its greatness I’m sure but I just can’t get enough of Ca Plane Pour Moi. And an honourable mention to *Something In the Air * by Thunderclap Newman.
From an Australian perspective its a bit odd to see bands that were successful here with a succession of hits like the Divinyls and the Easybeats discussed in lists of one hit wonders. And kinda sad that the Divinyls are chiefly remembered overseas for I Touch Myself, which was their selling out and jumping the shark moment. Earlier they did great stuff like *Science Fiction * and Boys in Town which holds up so much better.
[QUOTE=spoke-]
“Keep on Smiling” (YouTube clip) - Wet Willie
[/QUOTE]
“Street Corner Serenade” by Wet Willie was was pretty well known.
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim]
“Street Corner Serenade” by Wet Willie was was pretty well known.
[/QUOTE]
Hmm. You’re right. Looks like that one made it to #30, so I guess Wet Willie was a two-hit wonder.
Duke of Earl
Kung Fo Fighting
Louie Louie
Who let the Dogs out
Smile be Happy
Macaraina
Intergenerational one hit wonders.
What, no love for Safety Dance?