Doctor and the Medics, Spirit in the Sky
“I just died in your arms tonight” Cutting Crew… that sucked as much as that remake Doctor and the Medics did…
a one hit wonder song that didn’t suck… 'tighter and Tighter" by Alive and Kicking…
As with science fiction, the Golden Age of one-hit wonders is 12.
Ooh! Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger.
And The Mighty Mighty Bosstones song The Impression That I Get.
Excellent choice. I play this one regularly when I’m in the mid-60’s mood. As I remember it, they were One Hit Wonders in the States but down under were called “the Australian Beatles.”
I saw them open for The Doors. Tight band, great show, and “Go Back” was the weakest song in their set. These guys were good, and should’ve been bigger.
Trivia: vocals and lead guitar were re-recorded in Leon Russell’s garage prior to record’s release.
And my two entries:
“San Francisco Girls” by Fever Tree (a Texas band)
and
“Venus” by Shocking Blue. Another OHW in the States who were HUGE in Europe.
One Toke Over the Line Brewer & Shipley
Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
I think it was a huge hit for the kids… a truly wonderful song of hope for the up and comings.
Canon in D, Pachelbel.
Yes! It’s the first song I’ve been able to play all the way through on the electric guitar. When I started learning it (two years ago), two of the teachers at the music school where I take classes came in – “I remember that song! Who is this? What’s the name of it??”
Just for completeness, the original video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH5Arbm47IQ Man, he was goofy-looking.
Closing Time, by Semisonic. Why, yes, I am a child of the 90s. . .
I wanted to add Little Green Bag by the George Baker Selection, to complete the trifecta of Dutch bands with U.S. hits on the Colossus label in 1970. Unfortunately, it’s disqualified by a follow-up hit, “Paloma Blanca,” which I don’t remember at all, but which charted almost as high as “Bag.”
Seconding some from the 90s in “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes (the non-techno version) and “Flagpole Sitta”. Which BTW had a pretty good cover done by Chiodos - a little more raw sounding, which is good for the song IMHO. Other stuff from the 90s, like from what Happy Lendervedeer listed, can’t go wrong with “Baby Got Back”. Or “I Got A Man”.
But the king of the 1990s one-hit wonders to me is “Self-Esteem” by Offspring.
From the 80s, lots of good suggestions already, my favorite 1980s one-hitter was “Jam On It” by Newcleus. Man, for a while back in 1984 I could not avoid hearing this song 5 times a day between several 2 or 3 different radio stations. Or “She Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby, or “What Do All The People Know?” by the Monroes.
Reaching back into the 1960s, the song “Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire still sounds fresh and chillingly topical.
The Offspring don’t strike me as one-hit wonders. “Come Out and Play,” “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy),” “Gotta Get Away,” and “Why Don’t You Get a Job?” all were pretty well-known.
:wally:
And here I was, for forty-four years, thinking it was “Judy in the sky (with glasses)”.
Sigh…
Gotta go with ”Heart and Soul” by T’Pau. I guess they might have had another hit, but I never heard it.
Lips Like Sugar - Echo & the Bunnymen (“Dear Mr. Echo…”)
Take My Breath Away - Berlin
Venus - Bananarama
You, Me & the Bourgeoisie - The Submarines
Locket & Key - Donna the Buffalo
Those Were the Days - Mary Hopkin
That’s the short list.
Bri2k
99 Luftballons - Nena (I prefer the German original for some reason even though I don’t know German.)
I Know What Boys Like - The Waitresses (which an honorable mention for* Christmas Wrapping* - the holiday season ain’t official until I hear this song. This vidis good. )
That’s at least the second song that’s been listed in this thread as a OHW for two different artists. But it doesn’t count, as Bananarama had two other Top 10 hits, “Cruel Summer” and “I Heard a Rumour.” (And a couple of not-quite-hits that should have been Top 10s: “Robert DeNiro’s Waiting” and “He Was Really Sayin’ Something” are far, far better than their version of “Venus” IMHO.)
So many great songs listed! And quite a few balls of suck!
My fave is *Turning Japenese *by The Vapors. Who really should have had more hits. Great album.
Nitpick: She wasn’t actually a one-hit wonder… she followed up with “Goodbye”, which made it to #13 on the US Billboard charts, and “Temma Harbour”, which squeaked in at #39.