Posted on 01/19/2014 6:15:37 AM PST by ken5050
I was clicking through some links on Wikipedia last night, and stumbled across the "List of One-hit Wonders" in the United States." Amazingly, they have separate, detailed individual lists for each decade ( I've posted the links below..)I was astonished at how many there were, how many I'd liked, and many I'd pretty much forgotten; and I spent several hours on YouTube, reminiscing, and then downloading some of the tunes. So, enjoy.. if you have a favorite, opine below...
But they had 4 more top 20 hits...so not really a 1HW
Terry Stafford of Lubbock, Texas, may have had one hit singing, Suspicion, but he wrote many songs including Amarillo By Morning. Jeanne C. Riley and Bobbie Gentry both had several hits but none made the impact the songs they are known for.
Yes, I remember when that came out. Very different sound, but I rather liked it. Creative. But then again, he had worked a lot with The Beatles and Pink Floyd.
I didn’t know that.
CC
11 top 100 singles. WOW! That’s something to crow about. The subject here is one “Hit” wonders and as great as that song was, she did a permanent disappearing act from hits.
In 1982, Southwest Junior High School received up to two hundred calls daily asking for Jenny in area code 704.[7] Brown University obtained the +1-401-867 prefix in 1999, assigning 867-5309 to a student dormitory room which was promptly inundated with nuisance calls.[10]
In 2002 the university transferred the number to Gem Plumbing & Heating,[11] a local business in Lincoln, Rhode Island. Gem began using the number in advertising campaigns both in Rhode Island and in eastern Massachusetts (area code 617), trademarking the number in 2005.
A February 2004 auction for the number in a New York City area code was shut down by eBay after objections from Verizon; bidding had reached $80,000.[12]
A subsequent February 2004 auction for the number in area code 800 and 888 listed Jeffrey Steinberg's Philadelphia business JSS Marketing for sale, including both numbers as part of the bundle. This circumvents eBay restrictions which prevent selling the numbers on their own.[13]
In 2004, Weehawken, New Jersey resident Spencer Potter picked up the number for free after discovering to his surprise that it was available in the 201 area code, hoping it would improve his DJ business. Unable to handle the overwhelming volume of calls, he sought to sell the number on eBay in February 2009. Although bids reached $1 million, his inability to confirm the identity of the bidders led him to sell it privately to Retro Fitness, a gym franchise with a location in Secaucus, New Jersey that felt the 1980s origin of the number tied in perfectly with their business's retro theme.[4]
In 2006, Benjamin Franklin Franchising, a large national plumbing franchise, began using a toll-free version of the number (+1-866-867-5309). In 2007, Gem brought suit against Clockwork Home Services, the parent company of Benjamin Franklin Franchising, alleging a violation of its trademark. Clockwork contended that Gem's trademark was invalid. Effective in May 2007, Clockwork was ordered by a court to stop using the number in New England.[14]
As of 2011 +1-866-867-5309 remains in the hands of Benjamin Franklin Franchising as a valid method of reaching BFF customer support.[15]
According to Tommy Heath, lead singer of Tommy Tutone, "It's ridiculous. If I wanted to get into it, I could probably take the number away from both of them."[16]
In 2009, nutrition firm Natrient LLC leased +1-800-867-5309 from 5309 Partners Ltd for $25 million as part of a radio ad campaign.[17]
In July 2009, a Pennsylvania company had the number assigned to a Vonage phone line in the name of a small business, and then listed the entire business for sale on eBay.[18]Whereas telephone numbers are the legal property of the wireline carrier, the logic behind this company and several others was that Vonage as a VOIP provider did not own the numbers, making them open for sale, with eBay being the typical medium.[19][20]
When area code 855 was opened in 2010, +1-855-867-5309 was taken in the first 47 seconds on the first day, while Pennsylvania 6-5000 was assigned on the twenty-first day.[21]
A captive RespOrg "Voice Box International", controlled by the same people who operate "5309 Partners" and "Five309 LLC", also reserved +1-844-867-5309 in the first few seconds after that area code's December 7, 2013 opening.
[22] In January 2013, Five309 LLC announced plans to use 855-867-5309 and 888-867-5309 to promote website JennySearch.com[23] but as of 2013 that site is not being actively updated.
Associate Justice Elena Kagan's opinion in the unanimous 2013 Supreme Court case American Trucking Associations v. Los Angeles uses the number as a hypothetical placard on each truck inviting calls with safety or environmental complaints.[24]
A study on the security of numerical passwords in 2012 revealed that 8675309 is the fourth most common 7-digit password, speculating that it is easy to remember because of the popularity of this song, despite being otherwise fairly random (as opposed to the #1 most common 7-digit password: 1234567).[25]
On Microsoft's WebTV (in standby mode) 8675309 is a hidden code which causes the unit to call Microsoft for firmware updates.[26]
8675309 is prime, and is part of a twin prime pair.[27]
An October 2011 WBTV local newscast reported that a majority of retail loyalty programs which use the client's local telephone number alone as an identifier showed 867-5309 as registered and eligible for point-of-sale discounts.[28]
In 2011, the Mayo Clinic released a public service announcement "Jenny please watch your numbers, Blood pressure, lipids and BMI", as an online music video which used portions of the 1982 original, including the number.[29]
I still love THE BUGGLES’ “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwuy4hHO3YQ
And of course a great one from my pre-teens,
Kim Carnes’ BETTE DAVIS EYES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPOIS5taqA8
Listening to CKTS AM900 with my Sears monaural boom-box...
I don’t think anyone would suggest that a hit song cannot make a career. It can and does. A performer who merits that title can make a very good living on tours is they have had a smash hit.
I spent a lot of time and money in Nashville recording studios trying to launch the career of someone who did not have a hit.
wow it’s really got a history
Ben Franklin Plumbing is the one that advertises here in Indiana....constantly.....again....and.....again....
thanks for these
Rush, Grateful Dead, Kate Bush, Rainbow...
Too many prank calls.
CC
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