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Blast from the Past: What's your favorite "One-Hit Wonder" song/artist?
one man's opinion...

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...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Music/Entertainment
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To: P.O.E.

BTW, I interviewed Blues Image guitarist Mike Pinera for one of my books.


61 posted on 01/19/2014 6:54:25 AM PST by LS ('Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually.' Hendrix)
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To: ken5050

I look at “one hit wonders” more at the album level than individual songs. I’ve seen cases where a band or artist has an album with many good songs, then they seem to vanish.

The ‘pop’ music scene of today seems to be full of them. It usually involves a solo vocalist(most of the time a female). In most cases, I don’t believe they even write their own music, and they can just halfway sing with ‘studio magic’ doing the rest to the tune of electronically generated sounds and drum machines. They’ll be popular for long enough to go on a two or three month tour, sell some albums, and then they’re ‘gone’ - only to be replaced with another one. I have a theory that there is a small group of record companies that manufacture and turn them out as if done on an assembly line. They get as much profit as they can from the ‘flavor of the month’, rinse/repeat, and keep the cash flowing.

The kids that are buying this crap are so shallow, they probably couldn’t care less about the “artists”, they just get into the imagery and coolness of it all. Virtually every song is about partying, dancing in clubs, and sex - if any meaning can be derived from it at all.


62 posted on 01/19/2014 6:54:55 AM PST by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
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To: ken5050

And who could forget “Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida”?


63 posted on 01/19/2014 6:55:10 AM PST by LS ('Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually.' Hendrix)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Here’s Ted’s first hit with the Amboy Dukes:

Journey to the Center of the Mind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z88ddt8fiho


64 posted on 01/19/2014 6:55:42 AM PST by Fresh Wind (The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.)
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To: cuban leaf
When I hear the term, "one hit wonder,' my mind takes an automatic ride to Men Without Hats' Safety Dance.

Their follow-up album was actually quite good, but never got any traction...

65 posted on 01/19/2014 6:55:48 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Qui me amat, amat et canem meum.)
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To: Celtic Conservative

Argent only had one US hit but he was huge in England.


66 posted on 01/19/2014 6:56:15 AM PST by LS ('Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually.' Hendrix)
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To: jjotto

That said, there ARE actually one-hit-wonders, just a lot fewer of them than a lot of writers imagine.


Like Zagar and Evans’ In the Year 2525?

I hated that song when it was a hit. But a funny thing happened. I bought that actual vinyl LP at an estate sale a couple of years ago and discovered they were actually a folk duet, and darned good at that genre. It’s a great album, except for that ridiculous “hit”.

Oh, and the Rooftop Singers’ “Walk Right In”.


67 posted on 01/19/2014 6:56:31 AM PST by cuban leaf
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To: cuban leaf

This has been covered by a country /soft rock band and is also very good,


68 posted on 01/19/2014 6:57:36 AM PST by LS ('Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually.' Hendrix)
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To: Into the Vortex

Transfusion....Nervous Norvis

Well THAT really took me back... into another world.

Cool Cool Baby Lafayette Yarbrough


69 posted on 01/19/2014 6:59:34 AM PST by MeshugeMikey (This Message NOT Approved By The N.S.A.)
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To: ken5050
Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning (youtube video)
70 posted on 01/19/2014 7:01:17 AM PST by RoosterRedux (The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing -- Socrates)
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To: ken5050

I didn’t see “Suspicion” by Terry Stafford (1964). Shouldn’t it be there?


71 posted on 01/19/2014 7:01:20 AM PST by Theodore R. (TX Republicans can't wait until March 4 to nominate Cornball and George P.!)
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To: Fresh Wind

The Electric Prunes-I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-kVFfKezVo


72 posted on 01/19/2014 7:01:23 AM PST by Fresh Wind (The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.)
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To: cuban leaf

Yep.

I’d say those ARE real OHWs.

Erik Darling, BTW, did have a bit of a career otherwise.


73 posted on 01/19/2014 7:04:48 AM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: LS
867-5309 (Jenny) by Tommy Tutone

Ironically, I think that song is largely responsible for their one hit wonder status. It is a near perfect earworm, such that only after hearing it one or two times on the radio, it repeats itself over and over again in the mind of the listener to the point where the song defines the band.

I don't think they ever had any chance of recovering from that....

74 posted on 01/19/2014 7:05:40 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Qui me amat, amat et canem meum.)
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To: RIghtwardHo

But for me ... Earth Angel.

The Penquins or The Vogues?


75 posted on 01/19/2014 7:06:03 AM PST by Artie (We are surrounded by MORONS)
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To: LS
Argent only had one US hit but he was huge in England.

Of course, Rod Argent was with The Zombies, along with Colin Blunstone, who had several hits in the States, a fantastic group IMHO.

76 posted on 01/19/2014 7:06:08 AM PST by Fresh Wind (The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.)
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To: billhilly
Talahatchee Bridge, Bobby Gentry (Ode to Billy Joe)

She had 11 top 100 singles so I don't think she belongs on this list.

77 posted on 01/19/2014 7:07:10 AM PST by Starstruck (If my reply offends, you probably don't understand sarcasm or criticism...or do.)
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To: ken5050
White Bird by It's a Beautiful Day.
78 posted on 01/19/2014 7:07:31 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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To: ken5050

Warren Zevon. Werewolves of London.

He may be a one hit wonder in terms of chart singles but in terms of albums he is considered one of the best singer-songwriter’s of the 70s and 80s


79 posted on 01/19/2014 7:07:39 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: LS

Unit 4+2 did Concrete and Clay


80 posted on 01/19/2014 7:08:38 AM PST by Artie (We are surrounded by MORONS)
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