…and other forgotten one-hit wonders, because, well, they’re one-hit wonders.
I want to take a break from my ardent album-buying and load up my iPod with unabashed one-hit wonders whose albums are merely filler.
I figured the older guys here would remember the 60’s 70’s and 80’s better than me though, so I’ve come to ask for help. 
Stuff like Magic by Pilot, I Like Chopin by Gazebo, etc.
Radar Love
Golden Earring
Rappers Delight
Sugarhill Gang
Don`t know if it was a one hit wonder, but I am sure that it is an all time classic…
Saturday Night - The Bay City Rollers
I should have known…I actually thought you liked Chopin - you know the Polish composer.
I knew it was too good to be true.
My Sharona by the Knack.
I remember when I was using Napster (this was a while ago) to search for Chopin, and I got the “I Like Chopin” instead…WTF.
Chopin is my favorite composer, you’ve disappointed me. I was born in the late 80s, so I can’t help you.
I was born in the late '80’s too. And I love Chopin. I’m a classical pianist, he’s one of my favorites.
Off the top of my head:
And We Danced by The Hooters
Living Inside Myself by Gino Vinelli
Safety Dance by Men Without Hats
Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves (actually, they went on to destroy New Orleans in 2005, so they are actually a 2 hit wonder, nyuck, nyuck!)
The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
Cars by Gary Numan
Into the Night by Benny Mardones
Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes
Whip It by Devo
I Want Candy by Bow Wow Wow (I don’t really like that song, just the band’s name).
Mickey by Toni Basil (annoying as fuck song but, interestingly enough, she was the first artist to ever direct, produce, and star in her own music video on MTV)
On the Loose by Saga
Major Tom by Peter Schilling
Come on Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Der Kommissar by After the Fire
There are tons more, but I’m sure you’re tired of reading this by now.
Green-Eyed Lady - Sugarloaf (make sure you get the long version)
Brandy - Looking Glass
Temptation Eyes - The Grass Roots
DOA - Bloodrock
Love is Like Oxygen - Sweet (?)
Firecracker - Mass Production
Something in the Air - Thunderclap Newman
World Destruction - Timezone (John Lydon & Aficka Bambaata)
Cool, same here. I’m polishing up my Fantaisie Impromptu at the moment…maybe do a shorter piece soon then tackle the Revolutionary Etude. That should take me well into next year. =D
[quote]wfifer wrote:
Cool, same here. I’m polishing up my Fantaisie Impromptu at the moment…maybe do a shorter piece soon then tackle the Revolutionary Etude. That should take me well into next year. =D[/quote]
I’m a young 20 something too, but I’ve got a couple off the top of my head…
Also get the Fear Factory remake of “Cars” It’s great as well.
Yes, “Love is like oxygen” is by Sweet.
I Touch Myself by Divinyls. One of the most surreal experiences of my life was catching a glimpse of my very strange HS physics professor dancing around singing this to his SANDWICH.
Spin Doctors-although I can’t really qualify them as a one hit wonder–Little Miss Can’t be Wrong, and Two Princes. They were great musicians I guess the rest of their songs didn’t meet the Executives’ tastes for radio.
Iron Butterfly–“In-a-gadda-di-vida”, but you have to get the long version.
Jump around–by House of Pain
Tainted Love by Soft Cell
Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo
Come on Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Puttin on the Ritz by Taco
99 Luftballoon by Nena
Never ending Story by Limahl (just because :))
Ok, back to the 70s, my personal fav. music decade…and that’s saying a LOT.
Ride Captain Ride by Blues Image
In the Summertime by Mungo Jerry
Mississippi Queen by Mountain
Vehicle by The Ides of March (awesome song and band name, with some killer horns)
Are You Ready by Pacific Gas and Electric
I’d Love to Change the World by Ten Years After, also a band that I can’t bring myself to really put on the one hit wonder list…They played an amazing set at Woodstock.
Goin’ Home by Ten Years After, get the full length live recording from Woodstock if you can, there’s no comparison
One Tin Soldier by Coven
A personal favorite…Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. I’ve got an LP of that one. Hehe.
Bang a Gong (Get it on) by T. Rex
Dueling Banjos by Eric Weissman and Steve Mandell. You just have to…because of “Deliverance”
it was never a really big hit, but “Martian Boogie” by Brownsville Station. Just because. And really rockin’.
Rock’n’Roll Hoochie-coo by Rick Derringer
Smoke from a Distant Fire by Sanford-Townshend band. For the longest time I swore it was actually Van Morrison singing this. Phenomenal turns of phrase in this tune
Black Betty by Ram Jam. I mean, come on.
King Tut by Steve Martin. Yes, that Steve Martin. His SNL show that he played this on was just awesome. And his comedy LP was genius.
Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. Also not technically a one hit wonder band, as they had a couple more hits, but this was the first video to ever play on MTV.
If you want to go all the way back to the 60s, I’ve got a few, but I’m getting tired and brain fried…
Hey Baby by Bruce Channel. Also played by a lot of pep bands (my personal fav. that we played)
Rhythm of the Rain by The Cascades
Pipeline by the Chanteys
Ok, I’m so done. Good luck finding all of those, if you can, let me know b/c I don’t have all of them yet.
[quote]simon-hecubus wrote:
Green-Eyed Lady - Sugarloaf (make sure you get the long version)
Brandy - Looking Glass
Temptation Eyes - The Grass Roots
DOA - Bloodrock
Love is Like Oxygen - Sweet (?)
Firecracker - Mass Production
Something in the Air - Thunderclap Newman
World Destruction - Timezone (John Lydon & Aficka Bambaata)
[/quote]
Your top 4 songs are all killer. Just amazing songs…
Hey, some of these guys weren’t one-hit wonders… 
I think Rupert Holmes and Don McClean had many great songs, even if they weren’t all very popular. Same goes for Devo and Grandmaster Flash, and many others.
Well, I shouldn’t say MANY others, just a few others. 90% of these have been great! Thanks a lot guys!
[quote]Aragorn wrote:
I’d Love to Change the World by Ten Years After, also a band that I can’t bring myself to really put on the one hit wonder list…They played an amazing set at Woodstock.
quote]
awesome Awesome AWEsome AWESOME!!!
So glad other people like this song. Absolutely amazing song.
Yes, Alvin Lee WAS the man. 50,000 Miles Beneath my Brain was great too.
[quote]danmaftei wrote:
Hey, some of these guys weren’t one-hit wonders…
I think Rupert Holmes and Don McClean had many great songs, even if they weren’t all very popular. Same goes for Devo and Grandmaster Flash, and many others.
Well, I shouldn’t say MANY others, just a few others. 90% of these have been great! Thanks a lot guys![/quote]
Oh, I agree, but the key word in “one-hit wonders” is “hit”, which, unfortunately, is determined by Billboard.
This should be a great help:
[quote]Digital Chainsaw wrote:
This should be a great help:
http://www.onehitwondercentral.com/[/quote]
Haha, I just spent a lot of time on that site…and most of my songs show up there. HAH! Excellent…validation for being such a complete musical nerd and addict.
Hot Child in the City by Nick Gilder. (Had to look it up–thaks, Dig!)
Great song, plus the fact that it was written about underage prostitutes walking around RIGHT where I used to live in Los Angeles.