From Wiki:
White Town auteur Mishra has said, "I'm a mediocre singer, I'm a terrible guitarist, I'm a pretty good keyboardist, I'm a good producer, not amazing, but good."Noting his status as a one-hit wonder, he said it is "better than a no-hit wonder" and elaborated, "To be a professional musician and to be entertaining people twenty years after my biggest hit, I feel like I'm the luckiest person alive. Just to have one song that connects with people—most musicians dream their entire lives of having that."
Which leads us, inevitably and inexorably, to the subject of today's business. To wit:
...and your favorite (or least favorite, however unlikely that may be) post Elvis-20th century pop/rock/soul/folk/or whatever one hit wonder song (and artist) is...???
Discuss.
No arbitrary rules whatsoever, but I've included the 20th century proviso because commercial music in the current era is so built-in forgettable that it just seems unfair to compare to it to an earlier time. White Town being an almost exception that proves the rule.
Oh, and BTW, in case you're wondering, my fave is pretty much this.
I mean, that's so freaking good it kind of boggles the mind they never had another hit.
Alrighty then -- what would YOUR choices be?
And have a great weekend, everybody!!!
35 comments:
Lemon Pipers- Green Tambourine (My brother on bass.)
J.J. Jackson- But It's Alright
Music Explosion- Little Bit O' Soul
Gosh there's so many.
First off, great video. All that was missing was a sliced eyeball.
Not really paying attention to the charts, I don't have a mind full of one hit wonders - or what qualifies as a hit. Top Ten? Top 100? Number 1? Only on US charts?
So I went to wikipedia to take a look (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_one-hit_wonders_in_the_United_States) and, good God, how do you choose? Even better, how is it Bo Diddley is a one hit wonder and so is Lorne Greene? The McCoys, Unit 4+2, the Castaways?
Which is worse Barry Sadler or Everett Dirksen? Do the Wonder Who? even count?
You get the point.
So that being said, I guess I have to go with Louie, Louie by the Kingsmen just for long lasting influence and serving as the ultimate rock and roll proof that you don't have to be good to be great.
I can't say it better than edward did, so my unapologetic vote goes to Crazy Elephant's 'Gimme Gimme Good Lovin.'
Your brother was a Lemon Piper? How freaking cool is that???? 😎
"All Right Now" - Free
"Wipe Out" - The Surfaris
"Hey! Baby" - Bruce Channel
"Expressway To Your Heart" - The Soul Survivors
"I Can Help" - Billy Swan
"Keep Your Hands To Yourself" - The Georgia Satellites
You Were On My Mind- We Five
Red Rubber Ball- The Cyrkle
Interesting that both of these songs were not written by the groups that had a hit with them.
rs
Let’s go with that pre-nugget 96 Tears by ? and the Mysterians.
- Paul in DK
The Cyrkle are actually two-hit wonders. Their follow-up "Turn Down Day" is a big fave at Casa Simels.
Steve Walmsley on bass. I saw them in 1968 in Cleveland with my mom and dad, Rotary Connection opening. My brother's favorite gig was Moby Grape, Traffic, Lemon Pipers, Spirit at the Fillmore two nights and Winterland two nights. There's a poster on his wall for the gig, next to the gold record. We golfed together last month..
The La's - There she goes
No argument there. 😎
Brandy - You're a fine girl - Looking Glass - at wikipedia i learned that Barry Manilow's "Mandy" was originally Brandy but the name was changed after Brandy was a hit - and the song is important in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - but before I knew these things I was impressed with the milieu, the atmosphere, the feelings, the dimensions of life choices represented in this song
Fountains of Wayne is one of my favorite bands, ever... is Stacy's Mom their only hit? Hard to call that band a one hit wonder, but if we do, then I'll go with them and that song
and who doesn't remember Hello It's Me by Ted Nugent?
The Kingsmen had three Top 40 USA hits, and two of them were Top 10.
“Walking in Sunshine” - Katrina and the Waves
Jai Guru Dave
“on” Sunshine.
"She's So High" by Tal Bachman (son of Randy).
"Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak
Bob in IL
Didnt they have a sort of other hit? “Goin Down to Liverpool” maybe?
Purple Mushroom, Westbrook,CT
circa 1968 ish
"Go Back' = Crabby Appleton
"Ca plane pour moi" - Plastic Bertrand 😁
Met their singer at The George Washington Bar in Camden Maine, mid 80's - he wasn't drinking Brandy 😉
Can't shout out 96 Tears loud enough. As soon as I hear that organ intro I'm transported to a teen dance at an amusement park in Erie, Pennsylvania, with the girls all wearing flat shoes so they wouldn't be taller than their partners.
My vote!
"Touch of Grey" Grateful Dead
:-)
Captain Al
Thunderclap Newman
"Something in the air " Pete Townshend 😉
She Can Do It All by Kurt Baker. Just kidding but it too me this long to remember that Kurt wrote and originally did the song featured in the July 30 post here. I'm old.
Seriously...I Fought The Law by The Bobby Fuller Four and Talk Talk by The Music Machine.
Mon deu! I've got 30 covers of it (Richard Thompson's is v good) and there are likely more out there. Of course, I'm including the Garmin song.
On this side of the pond -
All The Young Dudes
Mott the Hoople
Pretty sure Liverpool was the Bangles
Sally Go Round The Roses - The Jaynetts
Talk Talk - The Music Machine and Vehicle - Ides of March
Actually, the Music Machine were two hit wonders, Their follow up “The People in Me” is a masterpiece.
Same as Status Quo. 'Pictures of Matchstick Men' over here but literally scores of hits in Blighty.
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