Members elsongs Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 Now I have a question to pose you all:How can an act have just a One-Hit Wonder? How can a small cluster of folks command the ear of the nation-- sometimes the world--- for three months or so.... and then fade completely out of sight?How can a person be ultra-hip one moment-- in touch with the zeitgeist---- then be totally out-of-touch the next?Is it that they piss someone off-- a powerbroker-- within the industry, who puts the kibosh on their career?Or maybe they really weren't very talented at all to begin with--- they just linked up with a superb songwriter/arranger/producer?Or maybe they get too strung out on booze or drugs to follow up on their on-hit?Thoughts? I've noticed that many, if not all 1HW songs are tunes that are rather unique sounding (either are of a decidedly different, yet accessible genre or the subject matter of the lyrics are of an unconventional nature) and come out of left field, yet the artist doesn't have the right combination of consistency and range to sustain their career. Obviously when you make your mark as an artist, you want people to be familiar with you and your sound/image, etc. But at the same time you don't want to make the same song over and over again. The more successful artists who sustain their careers show that balance. A perfect example: Madonna. "Burning Up," "Holiday" and "Borderline" were not the same song by any stretch, ,yet they established a sensibility about her as an artist (certainly MTV helped immensely) that people caught on to, and still catch on to today. I've also noticed that most artists who have had hits earlier on in their career and make a sudden comeback much later in their career (i.e. Cher, Clarence Carter) make their return to the charts with a song that has 1HW characteristics. If some unknown singer came out with "Believe" then that artist would no doubt become a 1HW, but Cher's already existing celebrity status gave it even more weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Bryce Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 Didn't Golden Earring have a hit with "Twilight Zone" in the early 80s?Don't really remember that one, but I do remember hearing about it now that you mention it. They had a minor hit with Candy's Going Bad from the Moontan album as well... As previously mentioned in the thread, it depends what you call a hit. For example, Looking Glass got some decent airplay with their song Jimmy Loves MaryAnn, but everyone knows them for Brandy. Same with Sugarloaf and Don't Call Us, We'll Call You - they're the Green Eyed Lady band. I guess to be a true one hit wonder though, you'd have to be there and gone...like Bo Donaldson, Terry Jacks, Lighthouse, Ides Of March, Shocking Blue, etc. dB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Magpel Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 Frente, Bizarre Love Triangle, or whatever it was called...sweet little tune, and I think it was a cover. Natalie Imbruglia, Torn. I could not escape that song for about a three year period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff Leites Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 In a Gadda da Vida--Iron Butterfly Were Iron Butterfly a one hit wonder? They were popular during the era of album oriented rock. I have at least 2 of their albums, In Gadda da Vida, and Heavy. I didn't listen to "Top 40" radio in those days, so I don't know how many of their tunes made the charts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rasputin1963 Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 Didn't Golden Earring have a hit with "Twilight Zone" in the early 80s? There was a 1HW chart hit, circa 1979 or 80, of a record called "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone" by The Manhattan Transfer. Also hard to call this record a 1HW, because that band has long had a sterling career in jazz circles. (Watching this video, I'd forgotten how magnificent a singer Janis Siegel was... Dig the groovy guitar solo as well... Who IS that? Jeff Lorber?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mchen Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 How about Little Bit of Soul - The Music Explosion and I Can See Clearly Now (The Rain Is Gone) - Johny Nash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rasputin1963 Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 Mama mia, what a question!I own the 3 volume rock and pop lexicon, circa 2572 pages which lists all top ten hits in the USA, UK and Germany since 1940:"Hit-Lexikon des Rock und Pop"http://www.ullsteinbuchverlage.de/ullsteintb/buch.php?id=10346&page=suche&auswahl=a&pagenum=1&page=buchaz&PHPSESSID=0cbfb157c25f253f6fae31a4be3aa410There other lexicon which list Australia , Africa, Asia etc.. Angelo, Du m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Bryce Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 I don't remember seeing Lean On Me by Bill Withers...or Drift Away by Dobie Gray. I think those are both good... dB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fendercaster Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 Loudon Wainwright III - Dead Skunk I know he's put out a lot of material, but this is his only song I ever heard on the radio. Seems to me Tom Rush had a version of "Who Do You Love" out in the mid '60's that got a good bit of airplay. Five Man Electrical Band - Signs Wet Willie - Keep On Smilin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elsongs Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 There was a 1HW chart hit, circa 1979 or 80, of a record called "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone" by The Manhattan Transfer.Also hard to call this record a 1HW, because that band has long had a sterling career in jazz circles. (Watching this video, I'd forgotten how magnificent a singer Janis Siegel was... Dig the groovy guitar solo as well... Who IS that? Jeff Lorber?) Also Manhattan Transfer had a bigger hit from that same album with, "Boy From New York City." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elsongs Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 I don't remember seeing Lean On Me by Bill Withers...or Drift Away by Dobie Gray. I think those are both good...dB Because Withers had other hits as well: "Ain't No Sunshine""Use Me"and in the early '80s with Grover Washington Jr. on "Just the Two of Us." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elsongs Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 What about, "Do The Bartman" by Bart Simpson (1990)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fendercaster Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 Mungo Jerry - In the Summertime Argent - Hold Your Head Up Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr. Botch Posted October 1, 2007 Members Share Posted October 1, 2007 I was going to post a wretched pop song from way back, called "A Little Bit of Soap". I entered it in amazon.com to see who'd done it, tried to listen to a clip, and my Mac said "You are trying to download a file hurl.exe. What would you like to do with this file" :D I kid you not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rasputin1963 Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 I was going to post a wretched pop song from way back, called "A Little Bit of Soap". I entered it in amazon.com to see who'd done it, tried to listen to a clip, and my Mac said "You are trying to download a file hurl.exe. What would you like to do with this file" :D I kid you not! LOL, Botch. I'm familiar with the 1961 version by Garnett Mimms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LiveMusic Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 To me, a 1hw is a song by an artist that you never hear from again. Many of these songs in this thread, the artist had significant subsequent success. But it has been a very fun trip down memory lane. It makes me think of... people these days say "they" don't promote acts very long... on to the next big thing. As if it wasn't that way back when! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ggm1960 Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 good - better than ezra the breakup song - greg kihn band possum kingdom - toadies save yourself - stabbing Westward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members offramp Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 "Whatcha Gonna Do"--Chilliwack"Feel The Way I Feel"--Max Webster Golden Earring also had a minor hit with "Bullet Hits The Bone". It might be arguable that Roxy Music's only hit was "Avalon". Ambrosia, "Make A Wish" (?) They also did a cover of "Magical Mystery Tour" that made it to 45. Really good, too. Bay City Rollers, "Saturday Night" Dr. John, "Right Place, Wrong Time". The Hollies, "Air That I Breathe"; that's all I can remember, correct me if I'm wrong. The Jimmy Castor Bunch, "Bertha Butt Boogie" Jim Stafford, "Spiders And Snakes" C.W. McCall, "Convoy" Did Janis Ian do anything more hit-like than "At Seventeen"? Klaatu, "Calling Occupants" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rasputin1963 Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GY Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 This might be a two hit wonder. Orleans - "Still The One" and "Dance With me". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Super 8 Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 I was going to post a wretched pop song from way back, called "A Little Bit of Soap".I've got that! I had that song on three album set when I was a child called 40 Funky Hits I bought off TV. It had a ton of great stuff on it I never found elsewhere."Shimmy Shimmy Koko Bop" Little Anthony and the Imperials"Alley Oop" Hollywood Argyles"Stranded in the Jungle" The Jayhawks"Hot Rod Lincoln" Johnny Bond"Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)" Ed Byrnes"Dirty Water" The Standells"Beep, Beep" The Playmates - my kids love this one."Surfin' Bird" The TrashmenAnd a favorite of mine: "Sister Sooky" by The Turbans, which you can hearright here! You have to scroll down a bit.I think many of these were OHW's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elsongs Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 Golden Earring also had a minor hit with "Bullet Hits The Bone". That's "Twilight Zone." "Bullet hits the bone" is just the last line in the chorus. It might be arguable that Roxy Music's only hit was "Avalon". Oh come now, there's just got to be "MORE THAN THIS!" (pun intended ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 Ambrosia, you're thinking of "Biggest Part of Me", but that wasn't their only hit. I think "How Much I Feel", and "You're the Only Woman" were also big hit for them. . A single for Ambrosia's version of "Magical Mystery Tour" also charted...it was one of the singles culled from the "All This And World War II" soundtrack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tucktronix Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 I know I'm late to the fray, but did anyone mention "Baby Come Back" by Player? Also, "Dance With Me" by Orleans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tucktronix Posted October 2, 2007 Members Share Posted October 2, 2007 Yes ("Roundabout")Thomas Dolby ("She Blinded Me With Science") Yes - "Owner Of A Lonely Heart", "Leave It"Thomas Dolby - "Hyperactive" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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