One Hit Wonders

[Ed Vette]

A few I don't know but some of these are epic. There are several albums on iTunes and Spotify. 

https://www.exploredplanet.com/trending/so-groovy-one-hit-wonders-of-the-1960s/?

[Jolly Blue Giant]

My first thought was to bring up Lee Greenwood, and his hit "God Bless the USA" (seeing that it's Independence Day), but I was wrong...I looked it up and he had numerous hit songs - who'da thunk 

Many of them bring back memories from my teen years. Only one brought back bad memories..."Venus", as it was popular when I had a girlfriend I couldn't get rid of. Several months that I'll never get back in my life 

A few that were left off that list (might say more about me than the normal person), but whatever:

"Bend Me Shape Me", by The American Breed
"I'd Love to Change the World", by Ten Years After
"All the Young Dudes", by Mott the Hoople
"Wildflower", by Skylark
"Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo", by Rick Derringer
"Werewolves of London", by Warren Zevon

Particularly surprised they left off "American Pie", by Don McLean. That is still sung on the radio all the time...more so than some of the songs on the list that were posted



And a very obscure one hit wonder by Patrick Swayze, "She's Like the Wind", and original song that climbed the charts. Surprisingly, he's got a good voice

Then there are some actors who try to sing, and it makes you cringe and you have to plug your ears...example, Abba's "S.O.S.", sung by Pierce Brosnan, proving actors should stick to acting and leave the singing to actual singers...Holy Crap  At least Meryl Streep didn't suck as bad as Brosnan

And by the way, it wasn't a hit so doesn't really fit this thread, nor is it an original song. Prepare to be blown away...LMAO 

sorry to drone on, but watching the Yankees folding like a lawn chair again...WTF, they were on fire 

[Sem]

A few I don't know but some of these are epic. There are several albums on iTunes and Spotify. 

https://www.exploredplanet.com/trending/so-groovy-one-hit-wonders-of-the-1960s/?

Yeah, I'm familiar with most of these songs. And for more than a few listed, there's a reason they were one hit wonders. I remember years ago compiling some of these, and a few other songs, and burning a cd that I titled "Vomit Rock." I liked to discreetly put it on during a party just to watch people's reactions.

[Sem]

My first thought was to bring up Lee Greenwood, and his hit "God Bless the USA" (seeing that it's Independence Day), but I was wrong...I looked it up and he had numerous hit songs - who'da thunk 

Many of them bring back memories from my teen years. Only one brought back bad memories..."Venus", as it was popular when I had a girlfriend I couldn't get rid of. Several months that I'll never get back in my life 

A few that were left off that list (might say more about me than the normal person), but whatever:

"Bend Me Shape Me", by The American Breed
"I'd Love to Change the World", by Ten Years After
"All the Young Dudes", by Mott the Hoople
"Wildflower", by Skylark
"Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo", by Rick Derringer
"Werewolves of London", by Warren Zevon

Particularly surprised they left off "American Pie", by Don McLean. That is still sung on the radio all the time...more so than some of the songs on the list that were posted



And a very obscure one hit wonder by Patrick Swayze, "She's Like the Wind", and original song that climbed the charts. Surprisingly, he's got a good voice

Then there are some actors who try to sing, and it makes you cringe and you have to plug your ears...example, Abba's "S.O.S.", sung by Pierce Brosnan, proving actors should stick to acting and leave the singing to actual singers...Holy Crap  At least Meryl Streep didn't suck as bad as Brosnan

And by the way, it wasn't a hit so doesn't really fit this thread, nor is it an original song. Prepare to be blown away...LMAO 

sorry to drone on, but watching the Yankees folding like a lawn chair again...WTF, they were on fire 

A lot of good callbacks there, Ric, (have to admit, I do like Shocking Blue's Venus though). However, I would take exception to some you listed, if you're considering them as in Ed's premise, one-hit-wonders.

"All the Young Dudes," (originally written by David Bowie). Mott the Hoople also had success on the charts with "All the Way to Memphis," and were a successful touring band. I saw them as the warm up band for Johnny Winter at the Broome County Arena back in the 70's.

"Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo" was a 1973 hit for Rick Derringer, who wrote the song, but he was not the first to record it. That was Johnny Winter in 1970, I think. It was then released by Edgar Winter's White Trash, on the live album Roadwork in 1971. It's my favorite version and it features not only Edgar, but also Derringer, and surprise guest Johnny Winter who sang lead on it. Great to hear Johnny and Rick trading guitar licks on this song. *Also listen for Derringer's fabulous guitar work on the song, "Chain Lightning" on Steely Dan's Katy Lied album.*
But....Derringer had a #1 hit in 1965 as a young 18 year old teen. He sang vocals and played guitar as a member of The McCoys on their hit record, "Hang on Sloopy."

Don McLean, monster hit "American Pie" of course, but he also had a hit with the song "Vincent."

Warren Zevon? "Werewolves of London," sure, but several other hits too: "Poor Poor Pitiful Me," "Excitable Boy," "Lawyers Guns and Money," and "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" off the top of my head.

Cool topic.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I stand corrected 

Thanks Steve...I think I was right about Patrick Swayze though 

[Ed Vette]

I stand corrected 

Thanks Steve...I think I was right about Patrick Swayze though 

She's like the wind is a great song and only recently did I realize Swayze sang it when I bought the soundtrack for the movie. Lots of good songs and more one hit wonders. He died far too soon.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Swayze was uber-talented...acting, dancing, singing...and an all-around good guy in real life (from what I've heard). Life cut way too short

Some songs have lyrics that have deeper meaning than the casual listener picks up on, and there's a line in "She's Like the Wind" that always stick out to me:

"...and all I see, is a young old man with only a dream..."

Dittos with the old song, "You Don't Own Me", by Leslie Gore when she sings,
"I'm young and I love to be young
I'm free and I love to be free
To live my life the way I want"

Young people who grow up in the U.S. don't appreciate the true meaning of how great real freedom is and how great being young is...until it's too late. A large percentage of the world (especially hundreds of years ago) never get to live the way they want and to dream of things that are possible

Or maybe because I'm in my 70's, and getting sentimental in my old age...looking back at what could have been if I only knew then what I know now

[Ed Vette]

Swayze was uber-talented...acting, dancing, singing...and an all-around good guy in real life (from what I've heard). Life cut way too short

Some songs have lyrics that have deeper meaning than the casual listener picks up on, and there's a line in "She's Like the Wind" that always stick out to me:

"...and all I see, is a young old man with only a dream..."

Dittos with the old song, "You Don't Own Me", by Leslie Gore when she sings,
"I'm young and I love to be young
I'm free and I love to be free
To live my life the way I want"

Young people who grow up in the U.S. don't appreciate the true meaning of how great real freedom is and how great being young is...until it's too late. A large percentage of the world (especially hundreds of years ago) never get to live the way they want and to dream of things that are possible

Or maybe because I'm in my 70's, and getting sentimental in my old age...looking back at what could have been if I only knew then what I know now

He starred in some of my favorite movies.

[Sem]

Swayze was uber-talented...acting, dancing, singing...and an all-around good guy in real life (from what I've heard). Life cut way too short

Some songs have lyrics that have deeper meaning than the casual listener picks up on, and there's a line in "She's Like the Wind" that always stick out to me:

"...and all I see, is a young old man with only a dream..."

Dittos with the old song, "You Don't Own Me", by Leslie Gore when she sings,
"I'm young and I love to be young
I'm free and I love to be free
To live my life the way I want"

Young people who grow up in the U.S. don't appreciate the true meaning of how great real freedom is and how great being young is...until it's too late. A large percentage of the world (especially hundreds of years ago) never get to live the way they want and to dream of things that are possible

Or maybe because I'm in my 70's, and getting sentimental in my old age...looking back at what could have been if I only knew then what I know now

Indeed Ric, and I have some thoughts I could add but am not allowed.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I love(d) Leslie Gore, may she rest in peace. Her mother told her not to smoke 

But Australian singer SAYGRACE has great pipes and actually improved over Leslie's rendition (IMHO), not only because she has such great chops, but she puts the emotion into her words...and those few words are powerful if anyone knows something about how this nation was made

This rendition was made for the movie Suicide Squad and is intertwined with rapper G-Easy. It would be great if she released the song by herself

Anyway, to avoid all the rap interjections, skip forward to mark 2:12, and you'll see what I mean. Whenever I hear those words I love to be young, I love to be free, I get a frog in my throat. When our Revolutionary rebels envisioned the future for their descendants...it's what they fought and died for. I wish more kids understood this

[squibber]

I think 96 Tears by ? and the Mysterians should be on that list.

The Troggs are not one hit wonders. Love Is All Around is another hit that was played a lot on the radio.

Friday on My Mind by the Easybeats is another one hit wonder. I had the 45 record. The song on the flip side might be the worst rock song ever recorded. It was called Rare. Rare(pronounced Rah-Ray) is one of the most shrill recordings.

I wonder if a lot of these one hit bands were handed a hit song by the recording company to help launch their careers.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Interesting Lou, you are right. Don't know about the song "rare", but sounds awful

One 45 I had as a kid and played it til it became chalky, was "Incense and Pepperments" by Strawberry Alarm Clock. I have no recollection of that band having any other hits. Another song I played with equal diligence, was "Green Tambourine" by the Lemon Pipers. Pretty sure that is their only hit song

A couple others (thinking back on my stack of 45s). I had "Walk Right In", by the Roof Top Singers (heard it on the radio a couple weeks ago for the first time in literally decades and could still sing along with all the words (not that the lyrics are particularly complicated...LOL), and "Little Bit of Soul", by The Music Explosion

"Little Runaway", by Del Shannon is (I think anyway) a one hit wonder. There is some history that is depressing. Shannon shot and killed himself in his California mansion because he couldn't come up with another hit song and had gone into extreme depression...that and possibly drugs. The song resurfaces when Tom Petty sings "Runnin' Down a Dream", where Petty sings, "...It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down, I had the radio on...me and Del were singin' little Runaway...

[squibber]

Ric, I listened to Incense and Peppermints a lot too. I remember reading the band didn't like the name of their band. The recording company gave them their name. The band achieved modest success and they blamed their band name for that.

As far as the Lemon Pipers, I liked Green Tambourine too. They had another and lesser hit, Rice Is Nice.

My cousin might have broken a record for playing the 45 Lighter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum.

[LennG]

I have been late to this thread, but need to add some things.
In the original list, they say the Brooklyn Bridge Band had only one hoit. This could be as far from the truth if you said the Beatles had just one hit. First of all Johnny Maestro originally sang with the Crests and had monster hits. He was no flash in the pan and is considered to have one of the greatest voices from that era. After that, he joined the Brooklyn Bridge and had at least 10 other hit songs with them. I Fully understand Ed just posted a link, but after I read that, no need to go any further.

If any of these have been mentioned, I apologize but here is a short list of true One Hit Wonders
'I'm Too Sexy' by Right Said Fred
'The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia' by Vicki Lawrence
'Kung Fu Fighting' by Carl Douglas
'Afternoon Delight' by Starland Vocal Band
 "Short Shorts" Royal Teens
 "The Purple People Eater"  Sheb Wooley
"Chantilly Lace"   Big Bopper
Rockin' Robin" Bobby Day
 "Kansas City"  Wilbert Harison
"The Deck of Cards" Wink Martindale
"Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)  Barry Mann
 "Stranger on the Shore"  Mr. Acker Bilk
"The Monster Mash"  Bobby Pickett

I'll come back with more soon

[Ed Vette]

I worked with a manager who said he was in the band Gun Hill Rd. He's not mentioned in Wiki. But their one hit wonder was,

Back when my hair was short.