In the U.S., David Essex - Rock On. He had many hits in the U.K. but only Rock On in the U.S.
Agreed. I came to post this, but you beat me to it.
Even better when you realize that the band was the proto-AC/DC, sort of. Almost like how the Lovely Lads transformed themselves into Spinal Tap…
Surely, the only UK #1 co-written by Bing Crosby and an Indian-born ex-Marxist who composes all his music in his basement. All of White Town’s music is about as weird as “Your Woman,” but for some reason that song clicked.
“Torn” Natalie Imbruglia
“How Bizarre” was a great choice too.
By the way, one of my favorite music videos (on YouTube) is the Easybeats performing FOMM live on stage. It’s really good. The lead singer is a bit over the top, but although he struck me at first as being hopelessly corny, the sheer joy he projects is infectious.
Worth a look, if only for the WTF-ishness of glimpses into the audience of people slow dancing to it. (???)
Nasty Girl, Vanity
Flavor in you Ear, Craigmack
+1
My runner-up - The Refreshments - “Banditos”
Ugh, three pages and no mention of “Western Union” by The Five Americans?
One of our former Dopers (either aha or a-ha) was a member of the band.
Whatever happened to him? He was fun.
(The Wikipedia page for the band says one of the members died last year. :/)
I’m enjoying the heck out of this thread and wasting all night on YouTube.
House of Pain - “Jump Around”
She had a follow-up: “My Boyfriend’s Back, He’s Gonna Save My Reputation.”
Not really.
That counts for First Class, but not lead singer Tony Burrows, who somehow managed to be a one-hit wonder five times. (Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes!)
Stacks o’ wax from the backs of the racks:
Do You Know What I Mean - Lee Michaels
Sweet Soul Music - Arthur Conley
Shout, Shout, Knock Yourself Out - Ernie Maresca
Keep Your Hands To Yourself - Georgia Satellites
Chantilly Lace - The Big Bopper
Hippy Hippy Shake - Swingin’ Blue Jeans
Bristol Stomp - The Dovells
Expressway To Your Heart - Soul Survivors
Tighten Up - Archie Bell and the Drells
Soul Finger - The Bar-Kays
Polk Salad Annie - Tony Joe White
Ain’t Got No Home - Clarence “Frogman” Henry
Walkin’ On Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves
Little Bit O’ Soul - Music Explosion
Black Betty - Ram Jam
Surfin’ Bird - The Trashmen
Wild Thing - The Troggs
Mexican Radio - Wall Of Voodoo
Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison
If Billy Vera and the Beaters have another hit, I’m blanking on it, but At This Moment is a favorite of mine.
Oh and another vote for Sky High by Jigsaw.
Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) by the Hombres
Pop Goes the World went to #20 for them in 1987. They also had a top 50 US dance hit with Moonbeam from the same album. That is not counting the hits they had outside the US.
ETA: Technically I Like came before Safety Dance and charted at 84.
Don’t think I saw “Spirit In The Sky” by Norman Greenbaum.
Way back in post #40.
…Waaay back… back into time… when the only people that existed were troglodytes…
(Jimmy Castor Bunch, “Troglodyte”. Actually not a one-hit wonder but this was their big one. My friend and I worked out a whole routine where, in the pauses between the song’s lines, we would ask a question to which that line was the answer: “You take the average caveman…” “Where is he?” “At home…” “What’s he doing?” “Listenin’ ta his… steerio.”)