One Hit Wonders

[Chewie]

Re: One Hit Wonders

Some of the posts in this thread have had me remembering old times... while others have had me wondering how people could forget follow-up hits and such.
For my own part, I used to consider a 1HW in the Guinness Hit Singles sense but nowadays think it's more about magnitude, really.

I see many non-1HW suggestions being pointed out and wouldn't like to hammer on an already embedded nail, but...
BA Robertson wasn't a UK 1HW, having major hits with Bang Bang, Knocked It Off, Kool In The Kaftan, Flight 19 and I believe also We Have A Dream (with the Scottish World Cup Squad). He was also Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs (1HW with Seaside Shuffle)
The Rah Band had a major chart hit in the 70s called The Crunch (the follow-up was banned due to sales-rigging activities for this single) well before Clouds Across The Moon was a huge crossover club hit.

Someone asked very early in the thread why they can't find The Timelords Doctorin' The Tardis on iTunes? Might be 'cos they were The KLF, who weren't terribly interested in working the music business in the usual manner, so to speak.

My UK 1HW suggestions:
The Charlie Danilels Band The Devil Went Down To Georgia
Yellow Dog Just One More Night
Our Child You Just Might See Me Cry
Yellow Magic Orchestra Computer Game/Firecracker
Piero Umiliani Mah-Nah Mah-Nah
Violinski Clog Dance
Los del Rio The Macarena
Telly Savalas If
Mike Read The Ugly Duckling
Clive Dunn Granddad

Oh dear, this is all getting a bit silly!

[Elbmek]

Re: One Hit Wonders

Its very easy to forget a follow on, especially if it failed miserably.

DLT - Convoy (1HW)

[sixtyten]

Re: One Hit Wonders

BA Robertson wasn't a UK 1HW, having major hits with Bang Bang, Knocked It Off, Kool In The Kaftan, Flight 19 and I believe also We Have A Dream (with the Scottish World Cup Squad). He was also Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs (1HW with Seaside Shuffle)

Fraid' Not.
That was Jona Lewie again

[dwain-dibley]

Re: One Hit Wonders

amii stewart-knock on wood
patrick hernandez-born to be alive
the vapors-turning japanese
redbone-witch queen of new orleans
ram jam band-black betty

[sixtyten]

Re: One Hit Wonders

Nope
Amii Stewart also had a hit with Light My Fire

[g4ran]

Re: One Hit Wonders

I have to say Owen Paul's 'My Favourite Waste Of Time' has to be one of those songs that stick in your head classics.
Do any of you remember a song called 'Platinum Blonde'? I can't find it on youtube and no one remembers is. The words go something like this...
(I forget the first verse but the first chorus goes like this)
'Mother and Father, I'm doing alright, I'm goin' away for a while so don't write. It's not for the money you know, it's a respectable show called
the platinum blonde. Can you read between the lines?
Can you read between the lines? Can you read between the liiiines'
It's about this girl who goes off to do some nudey stuff on stage somewhere but lets on to her parents she's doing some kind of play. Her parents arrive to watch her show without her knowing and are disgusted. Her father waits behind the stage door and shoots her only to arrive home to find a letter from her saying how she feels **** and wants to come home.
'Through the red lights and smoke on the stage, he watched his daughter perform, in shame and rage, he turned his head away. He could almost hear her say...Mother and Father you've got it all wrong, I like it right here this is where I belong. It might not be Shakespeare but I'm happier here as the Platinum Blonde'....Can you read between the lines.....etc.
Then when he goes home he finds the letter saying -
'Mother and Father I'm coming back home, I've missed you so much and I've been so alone. I always knew you were right, this is my very last night as The Platinum Blonde'. This song depressed me as did 'Hello this is Joany'.

Hi the group was called Prelude

[ann22]

Re: One Hit Wonders

Thanks a mil G4ran. Just watched it on Youtube. First time I've heard it in years.

[80sChav]

Re: One Hit Wonders

I hope it's ok to re-add a few more songs to this thread (with the thread being created over a year since).

Another artist and song what came to mind the other day was Nikki French from 1995 with her version of Bonnie Tyler's "A Total Eclipse Of The Heart". I admitt to liking Nikki as a singer who is very talented and this was proved with her version of A Total Eclipse Of The Heart" but I think her roots lied more in dance music. It is just a shame though I feel for Nikki, as this version should of given her a career to last many many years with unique songs and possible unique cover versions I feel/think!

80sChav

[Knight Ranger]

Re: One Hit Wonders

All positions from the UK singles chart.

and of course Chesney Hawkes and the aptly named "One and Only"!

The follow-up, I'm a Man Not a Boy, peaked at #27.

I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany

Tiffany had several hits, including ballad Could've Been and a gender-switched cover of The Beatles' I Saw Her Standing There which both hit the top 10 (#4 and #8 respectively). Radio Romance got to #13. Sadly most of her best songs were either b-sides or album tracks where she displayed more of a pop-rock vibe in the style of Stevie Nicks' solo work. I think she would've had a longer career if she hadn't been sacrificed to the gods of cheesy bubblegum-pop.

sabrina- boys boys boys

She had a follow-up called All of Me. #25 hit.

The first time - Robin Beck

Robin had a minor hit with a cover of Bonnie Tyler's Save Up All Your Tears the following year. Underrated singer.

What happened to living in a box? They did 2 songs to my memory so not strictly a one hit wonder. "Living in a box and Room in your heart"

Another band that actually had a few hits, but no-one really remembers them. Blow the House Down was quite big in 1989. Reached #10.

Was America's "Horse with no name" A 1HW?
I'm not really sure myself.

It was their only top 40 hit, but they had another couple which made it into the top 75. Ventura Highway just missed the top 40.

How about Camio with the nasty looking cod piece .. 'word up'

Cameo had several too. Back and Forth reached #11, Single Life #15. They were the most notable. A bunch of other singles littered the 20s and 30s.

Only You by The Flying Pickets

When You're Young and in Love got to #7.

Imagination-Belouis Some

The re-release of Some People sneaked in, reaching #33.

Kriss Kross - Jump

Warm it Up got to #16, It's a Shame to #31.

Berlin - Take My Breath Away (86)

Follow-up, You Don't Know, just scraped in at #39. Like Flames (their best track for me) just missed the top 40.

As far as I'm aware :

Pop Muzik ( M )

Moonlight and Muzak was a minor hit at #33.

Nothing's Gonna Change my Love for You ( Glenn Medeiros )

He did a song with Bobby Brown called She Ain't Worth It which got to #12.

The Only Way is Up ( Yazz )

Several follow-ups including Stand Up for Your Love Rights (#2), Fine Time (#9), Where Has All the Love Gone? (#16) and Treat Me Good (#20). She also featured on Coldcut's Doctorin' the House (#6) and Aswad's How Long (#31).

Black-Wonderful life

He had a couple more. Sweetest Smile got to #8, Paradise to #38.

Owen Paul - favourite waste of time......did he have another hit?

Had other records out, but none that even got as far as the top 75.

I was Made for Dancing ( Leif Garrett )

Leif Garrett's Feel the Need scraped in at #38.

Mouldy Old Dough ( Lieutenant Pigeon )....

Almost. There was one follow-up, Desperate Dan, which reached #17.

Here's a "One hit wonder"(at least in the states) i'm suprised no one said. To me, it was the best pop song of the 80's. "Your Love" by The Outfield. Great tune.

Agreed. Sadly The Outfield never had a top 40 hit here Their best effort was Voices of Babylon which reached #78. Your Love only got to #83.

Breakfast at Tiffany's ( Deep Blue Something )

Josey reached #27.

See that glow - This Island Earth (bought this single after seeing the band on Swap Shop, kool track too.)

It didn't actually reach the top 40. Peaked at #47 with the follow-up, Take Me to the Fire, tapping out at #86.

Leona Lewis _ A moment like this

Im only hoping on this one!!!!!!!!

Not here at any rate. She's had a dozen UK top 40 hits up to now.

Love Rears its Ugly Head ( Living Colour )

Solace of You and Leave it Alone reached #33 and #34 respectively.

ok i'll try.......Mungo Jerry - in the summertime

7 more UK hit singles. Baby Jump got to #1.

Seasons in the sun - Terry Jacks

The follow-up, If You Go Away, reached #8.

Rock Your Baby ( George McRae )

Another 6 top 40 hits, It's Been So Long (#4) and I Can't Leave You Alone (#9) among them.

Some of the greatest "one hit wonders" - mostly from the 70,s; Video killed the radio star - the Buggles

Follow-up, The Plastic Age, reached #16. Clean Clean got to #38.

Didn't Berlin also have a hit with " No more Words"?

Only in the USA.

Benny Hill - 'Ernie The Fastest Milkman in The West

Surprisingly had another three hits in the early 1960s.

Sweet Sensation - Sad Sweet Dreamer

Purely by Coincidence reached #11.

Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock - It Takes Two

Get on the Dance Floor was a bigger hit at #14.

Tracy - The Cufflinks

When Julie Comes Around was a hit for them in 1970, peaking at #10.

Cinderella Rockerfella - Esther & Abi Ofarim

One More Dance reached #13.

Montego Bay - Bobby Bloom

Heavy Makes You Happy was a #31 hit.

Ooh. Boris Gardiner - I Wanna Wake Up With You!

He had another one way back in 1970 - Elizabethan Reggae - which reached #14.

The Ultimate Warlord, by "The Immortals" very strange electric dance disco 12" from the 1980's, I have it on 12" disco mix, I believe it was something to do with a big pop star but I can't remember who.

John Deacon, the bass player from Queen put together a group by this name to do the music for the film version of Biggles made in the mid 1980s.

I may be wrong, but I don't think they're the same band.

Also I think "spirit in the sky"Doctor and the medics .

They had another one, Burn, which reached #29.

"Einstein-A-Go-Go" by Landscape

Norman Bates scraped the back end of the chart at #40.

"Hey Little Girl" by Icehouse

Crazy charted briefly at #38.

Icehouse had many hits in Australia but also another huge worldwide hit with the song ELECTRIC BLUE.

Electric Blue could only make #53 here, I have no idea why it failed so badly. Icehouse should have been big, but they just never really got anywhere in the UK.

Aussies! Men At Work - "Down Under"! Ripper!

They had another three UK hits, including Overkill (#21).

Oh, and what about "Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo - the one that made it big cos of a jeans advert.

The one that gypped everyone by being nothing like the version on the ad except for a few seconds at the start and end, aye, I remember. Unfortunately they disgraced the top 40 another twice.

YouTube - Pussycat - Mississippi (Original Promo)

Hello!
this is one of my fave ...
one hit wonders.

Pussycat had another track, Smile, make it to #24.

Dance Yourtself Dizzy (LIquid Gold)

Substitute was a #8 hit for them.

blackfoot sue-standing in the road

The equally good Sing Don't Speak charted briefly at #36.

Im sorry to have to bring this up...Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy breaky Heart LOL!

Could've Been Me got to #24.

Another artist and song what came to mind the other day was Nikki French from 1995 with her version of Bonnie Tyler's "A Total Eclipse Of The Heart".

She had one more song which broke the top 40. Don't Play That Song Again, which reached #34 in 2000.

[cmac]

Re: One Hit Wonders

FR David - Words (I always used to say Father David !!)
Breathe - Hands to Heaven
MARRS - Pump up the volume
Marti Wilder - Nobody gonna break my stride
The Blessed - Highway 5
Ten sharp - You
Candy flip - Strawberry fields forever
Northside - Shall we take a trip
Where I find my heaven - Gigolo aunts
Mental as anything - live it up
Brilliant mind - furniture
Life in a northern town - dream academy
Story of the blues - Mighty Wah !
Soup dragons - Free
Taffy - Radio romance
Taja Sevelle - Love is contagious
Kon kan - I beg your pardon (??)
May not all be strictly one hit wonders but just about
I shall post more as I recall them (or hear on forgotten 80's)

[stud1al]

Re: One Hit Wonders

I know F.R David had a follow up to 'Words ",which was called "music" but how well it did i n the U.K i do not know.
The Mentals had many hits in Oz .

Apart from those 2 songs there's only 3 other songs on your list i have heard of .

[darren]

Re: One Hit Wonders

baddiel and skinner football is coming home for euro 96 i just remembered.

[Jay Mc]

Re: One Hit Wonders

baddiel and skinner football is coming home for euro 96 i just remembered.

Technically its the lightning seeds with Baddiel and Skinner and the lightning seeds have had several hits

also this song has been re released several times under slightly different tiles (3 lions 96 then 3 lions 2000 etc)

But i give you this one

[philipdalton]

Re: One Hit Wonders

I don't know if the name Yellow Dog is familiar to any users of this website, but the band were something of a one-hit wonder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1pVZIEbCME
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Dog_(band)
The band did have another single in the charts apart from 'Just One More Night' but it only reached number 54 which can hardly be called a hit.

[80sChav]

Re: One Hit Wonders

Nilsson and Without You is another that instantly springs to mind as too does Suzi Qautro and Devil Gate Drive - I rerally thought after that song Suzi would have had more major inconic hits like so!!

it was similar too for Helen Shapiro and Walking Back To Happyness in a way I think and off course Scott McKenzie and If Your Going To San Fransisco (Be Sure To Wear some Flowers In Your Hair). That was such ana amazingly brilliant song that had such a catchy tune etc, but Scott never seemed to follow it up with other great sonfs - where I really felt he would have done (though sadly not)!

80sChav