One Hit Wonders?

Question

The best one hit wonder song. I'll start. Blue Oyster Cult "more cowbell!"

Answer 1

Excellent question!

Before I give you my pick let's deal with some of the others already mentioned.

Cyndi Lauper had 14 hits between 1983 and 1995.

Gloria by Them was a pretty good pick but the group had four hit records. Gloria, though released twice was the smallest of their hits. It first appeared on the charts in June of 1965 but only spent one week at #93. The release in 1966 spent six weeks on the charts but only managed to climb to #71.

Of course, Mariah Carey had many hits.

I thought Video Killed The Radio Star was a pretty good pick until I looked it up. It was released November 10, 1979 and spent 10 weeks on the charts but only reached #40.

Sorry, Dude, but the J Geils band had 18 hits between 1971 and 1985 including Centerfold, a number one hit in November of 1981

Children Of The Sun by Billy Thorpe was a very minor hit only reaching #41 in 1979.

Tiffany had six hits including three other top-10 hits. At least, it was a big hit rising to #1 in August of 1987.

Bust a Move by Young M. C. was a No. 7 hit that did spend 39 weeks on the charts in 1989. Unfortunately, Young had three other hits between 1989 and 1991; close but not a one hit wonder.

Indiana wants me by R. Dean Taylor was a good song released in May of 1970 that eventually reached #5. However, he did have three other small hits; Ain't It A Sad Thing, Gotta See Jane, Taos New Mexico.

*****, by Meredith Brooks, was a very close guess. Her 1997 release made it to #2. Unfortunately in 1998 she also had a hit called What Would Happen that reached #46.

Raining Men by the Weather Girls was a legitimate one hit wonder. The only problem is that it was not a very big hit, only reaching #46 in 1983.

Twisted Sister, We're Not Going To Take It, was another pretty good guess. It reached #21 in 1984 but the group followed with two other small hits; I Wanna Rock and a cover of the '60s hit by the Shangri-las, Leader Of The Pack.

Sugar Hill Gang had 3 hits including Rappers Delight; the other 2 were Eighth Wonder and Apache.

William DeVaughn's (correct spelling) Be Thankful For What You've Got (correct title) was a great song that I really liked. It climbed to #4 in 1974. However, he followed with a song called Blood Is Thicker Than Water which is also an excellent song but only rose to #43.

Let It Out by the Hombres was a legitimate one hit wonder but it's highest chart position was only #12 in 1967.

Don't Fear The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult made it to #12 in 1976 but the group followed with three other hits including Burnin' For You which reached #40 in 1981.

Christopher7329 wants to redefine one hit wonders so they only include really bad songs. Of course, that's a matter of taste. But even if you redefine it, his suggestions are not even close. Watching Scotty Grow was recorded by Bobby Goldsboro in 1970 and made it to #11. I'm sure that most of you know that Bobby Goldsboro had plenty of hits, 27 in all and including the huge #1 hit, Honey, from 1968.

Michael's other suggestion, Message to Michael, was recorded by Dionne Warwick who had 56 hits.

Play That Funky Music by wild cherry was a #1 hit in 1976 but the group had 4 additional very small hits.

Oakster ... listed 5 possibilities. Mungo Jerry was a good selection. In 1970 In The Summertime Climbed to #3 and was a legitimate one hit wonder.

One Toke Over The Line by Brewer and Shipley made it to #10 in 1971 but they followed with 2 other hits, Tarkio Road and Shake Off The Demon.

Rock on, by David Essex, was a pretty good choice. It was a big hit in 1973 and rose to #5. Unfortunately, in 1974 they also released a song called Lamplight that spent five weeks on the charts but never got higher than No. 71.

Smokin' In The Boy's Room was a #3 hit in 1973 but the group had six other hits.

Fooled Around And Fell In Love by Elvin Bishop was a big hit in 1976, peaking at #3; but it wasn't a one hit wonder. Bishop also had 4 other small hits that charted.

Go All The Way was one of 7 hits for the Raspberr . It reached #5 in 72. The band followed with a pretty good hit that some will remember, I Wanna Be With You.

In 1970 I rushed to the record store to buy Green-Eyed Lady by Sugarloaf. The song eventually made it to #3. But after listening to the entire album I was pretty sure there wouldn't be very many hits by Sugarloaf. To my surprise, the group managed 4 more including Don't Call Us, We'll Call You. It reached #9 in 1974 and was a wonderful spoof on how to be successful in the music business.

Lots of good answers, some of them being very close to the best one hit wonder.

But here's the one that I think is really the best one hit wonder.

In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans. Released June 21 of 1969 it vaulted to #1 and remained there for 6 weeks. It was a really good song but after six weeks at #1 people were starting to say " Oh, no, not THAT song again! " It still gets played quite a bit on the oldies stations.

Great question!

Answer 2

1.Venus...Shocking Blue (1971)
2. Spirit In The Sky..Norman Greenbaum(1970)
3. Got To Be Real...Cheryl Lynn (1978)
4.Wildfire...Michael Murphy (1976)
5. Play That Funky Music...Wild Cherry
Thats some of my favorite one hitters and I'm the class of 1970. I'm presently 54 years old.F.Y.I.,Blue Oyster Cult were not one hit wonders. Neither were most of the answers you got!

Answer 3

How is BOC a one-hit wonder? Are you new?

The first video ever played is usually the main 'one-hit wonder' example. Do you know what video and who?

Video Killed the Radio Star
The Buggles

ps- The following entrants get what a 'one-hit wonder' is:

PS9
Gato
nece
Oak DEFINITELY gets it!

ps- Mariah Carey and Pink have more than one top hits, as does Cindy Lauper (She-bop, True Colors), and the J. Giles Band (Centerfold).

ps- the sugar hill gang, although one-hit wonders per se, are legends. They should therefore be eliminated from this question.

ps- indiana wants me? i believe they must be HITS to be considered 'one-hit wonders'.

Answer 4

Billy Thorpe / Children Of The Sun - About 1979 or thereabouts!

Answer 5

J Geils Band Freaze Frame.

Answer 6

Haha, a lot of these songs aren't one hit wonders, but instead good (or not so good =P) songs by bands that are, or were in their own day, prosperous. Anyhow, as for mine.

"Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)" by The Hombres

(You should listen to this song!)

Answer 7

Here's my top 5 picks from the '70s:

1. "In the Summertime" - Mungo Jerry

2. "One Toke Over the Line" - Brewer & Shipley

3. "Rock On" - David Essex

4. "Smokin' in the Boys Room" - Brownsville Station

5. "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" - Elvin Bishop

Answer 8

There were many, many "one hit wonder" greats from way back when, but I'll narrow it down to one (not easy!) - It was a perfect blend of bubblegum meets hard rock!!!

"Go All the Way" The Raspberries, 1972

Answer 9

"Don't Fear The Reaper" is actually a great song. I think the best one hit wonders are the ones that are not only hits but AWFUL!
Find "Message to Michael" or "Watching Scotty Grow" and you will se the definition of one hit wonder.

Answer 10

Green-Eyed Lady by Sugarloaf

Answer 11

yeah, i don't really like one hit wonders. they usually are annoying as hell, somehow got hot, but the singer or band has no potential and will always be known for that one annoying song they sing. Like Barbie Girl by Aqua, i mean, how the hell can people like that song.