Best one hit wonders [Archive]

Neish

13/03/2007, 5:52 PM

Risteard i was just thinking of spaceman when I read the thread title. Heres is a few that spring to mind:

Ice Ice Baby- Vanila Ice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp-is6S_b_g

Tubthumping - Chumbawamba
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lJIjdajBww

Jump around- House of Pain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZZADbubu0Y

SkStu

13/03/2007, 6:39 PM

White Town - Your Woman is by far and away the best one hit wonder of all time

good call

add
Spaceman - Babylon Zoo and
Brimful of Asha - Cornershop

to the list

TonyD

13/03/2007, 10:25 PM

Splodginessabounds - Two Pints of Lager and A Packet of Crisps Please.
The Only Ones(I think?) Another Girl Another Planet

and, not sure if it was a hit or not, but "Punk Rock Girl" by the Dead Milkmen is a scream.

Oh, and I nearly forgot - probably my vote for the best one hit wonder, The Vapours - Turning Japanese

Marked Man

13/03/2007, 11:44 PM

Splodginessabounds - Two Pints of Lager and A Packet of Crisps Please.
The Only Ones(I think?) Another Girl Another Planet

Two absolute classics. And the former has a serious shot at best band name.

Neish

14/03/2007, 6:46 AM

The Only Ones(I think?) Another Girl Another Planet

Quality song. Its been hearing every where lately as due to the vodafone ad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3vd6lL_uec

Wolfie

14/03/2007, 8:31 AM

Can you Dig it? - The Mock Turtles

BohsPartisan

14/03/2007, 8:48 AM

Brimful of Asha - Cornershop

Cornershop had a few top Forty hits and several relatively successful albums so I don't think they qualify for this. Good call on the Mock Turtles Wolfie.

Powder - Afrodisiac (thats the way they spelled it)
Great tune. They disapeared when the singer got knocked up.
(Obviously the "Afrodisiac" worked)

Afrodisiac shrinkwrapped prepacked... (http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=66676)

gustavo

14/03/2007, 8:57 AM

fW_hSNHZiBc
p9YAKrgqtVw

superfrank

14/03/2007, 9:27 AM

Cameo-Word Up

I like them alot but I doubt most other poeple have kept up with them.

noby

14/03/2007, 10:14 AM

Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking
Trio - Da Da Da
Martha & the Muffins - Echo Beach

BohsPartisan

14/03/2007, 10:25 AM

Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters
Giorgio moroder / phil oakey - Together in Electric Dreams
M/A/R/S - Pump Up the Volume
Black Box - Ride on Time
S-Express - Theme from S-Express
Tiffany - I think we're alone now
Smoke City - Underwater Love

noby

14/03/2007, 11:39 AM

You're missing a /R there BP.

There must be a few Northern Soul singles that made no impression first time round, but broke into the top 40 in the mid '70s.

gustavo

14/03/2007, 11:59 AM

Blue Oyster Cult - Dont Fear the Reaper

Wolfie

14/03/2007, 1:35 PM

The Breeders - Cannonball

(Their one notable tune anyway)

Lev Yashin

14/03/2007, 3:22 PM

The Breeders - Cannonball

(Their one notable tune anyway)

i know someonw who would lynch you for saying they are one hit wonders!!!

musical youth--pass the dutchie...CHOON!!

SkStu

14/03/2007, 3:43 PM

Cornershop had a few top Forty hits and several relatively successful albums so I don't think they qualify for this.

fair enough, i didnt really follow their career... :o although does getting a single into the top 40 qualify it as a hit? Hits in my book are top10, maybe top20... i blame the thread starter for not being clear. ;)

Lionel Ritchie

14/03/2007, 3:51 PM

fW_hSNHZiBc

While Istanbul Not Constantinople, the follow up to Birdhouse In Your Soul (single of the year 1990), didn't chart in the UK it did chart pretty much everywhere else.

They Might be Giants have had several hits since including of course Boss Of Me from Malcolm in the Middle.

Pretty certain those Mmm-bop lads follow up single(s) charted as well.

Generally in this thread there seems to be a confusion as to the difference between a bone fide "one Hit wonder" (who only had one record chart in a top 30 or 40) and maybe a "one radio hit wonder" (someone who only had one hit that you remember because it's their only one that still gets the odd radio play)

Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters Don't think this is RPJs only hit

Giorgio moroder / phil oakey - Together in Electric Dreams Not a one hit wonder

M/A/R/S - Pump Up the Volume Isn't M/A/R/R/S one of Bill Drummonds working monikers? If so -Not a one hit Wonder.

Black Box - Ride on Time Not a one hit wonder

S-Express - Theme from S-Express Not a one hit wonder

Tiffany - I think we're alone now Not a one hit wonder

Smoke City - Underwater Love Never heard of it or them :D Was it even a hit?

Lev Yashin

14/03/2007, 4:00 PM

While Istanbul Not Constantinople, the follow up to Birdhouse In Your Soul (single of the year 1990), didn't chart in the UK it did chart pretty much everywhere else.

They Might be Giants have had several hits since including of course Boss Of Me from Malcolm in the Middle.

Pretty certain those Mmm-bop lads follow up single(s) charted as well.

Generally in this thread there seems to be a confusion as to the difference between a bone fide "one Hit wonder" (who only had one record chart in a top 30 or 40) and maybe a "one radio hit wonder" (someone who only had one hit that you remember because it's their only one that still gets the odd radio play)

Don't think this is RPJs only hit

Not a one hit wonder

Isn't M/A/R/R/S one of Bill Drummonds working monikers? If so -Not a one hit Wonder.

Not a one hit wonder

Not a one hit wonder

Not a one hit wonder

Never heard of it or them :D Was it even a hit?

you need to get out more!!!!
think that bottom ione was from an ad...cant think of which one though!!!

Wolfie

14/03/2007, 4:01 PM

I think the Mock Turtles "Can you Dig it" still fulfills the ever growing list of criteria for the thread.

Although can't say for sure that a follow up didn't hit top 40.

Lionel Ritchie

14/03/2007, 4:13 PM

I think the Mock Turtles "Can you Dig it" still fulfills the ever growing list of criteria for the thread.

Although can't say for sure that a follow up didn't hit top 40.

I'm sure I can.

I fcuking HATE the Mock Turtles and their horrible trippy dippy madchester bandwagon jumping wah-wah peddle overlaiden tripe of a nonsense.

Saw them at Feile 91 and only during them and perhaps Nancy Griffith did I truly understand why we weren't allowed bring in glass bottles.

Wolfie

14/03/2007, 4:21 PM

I'm sure I can.

I fcuking HATE the Mock Turtles and their horrible trippy dippy madchester bandwagon jumping wah-wah peddle overlaiden tripe of a nonsense.

Saw them at Feile 91 and only during them and perhaps Nancy Griffith did I truly understand why we weren't allowed bring in glass bottles.

Not a classic by any stretch of the imagination - but was catchy at the time in a throwaway kinda way.

I think the lead singer was Steve Coogan's brother.

Called it right though, Lionel - they did jump the Madchester Bandwagon and brought little or nothing to the party.

Lionel Ritchie

14/03/2007, 4:46 PM

Not a classic by any stretch of the imagination - but was catchy at the time in a throwaway kinda way.

I think the lead singer was Steve Coogan's brother.

Called it right though, Lionel - they did jump the Madchester Bandwagon and brought little or nothing to the party.

ah don't be minding me ...long day, bad humour:mad:

:D

stann

14/03/2007, 4:48 PM

Cornershop and The Breeders as one-hit wonders!!! :eek: :eek:

Some hip-hoppery:
Sugar Hill Gang - Rapper's Delight
Morris Minor and the Majors - Stutter Rap

and a classic that I haven't seen yet, apologies if it's been said:
Mungo Jerry - In the Summertime.

SkStu

14/03/2007, 4:58 PM

Cornershop as one-hit wonders!!! :eek: :eek:

okay, okay, my bad, i get it. They were multi-hit wonders. :D

SkStu

14/03/2007, 5:02 PM

Deep Blue Something - Breakfast at Tiffanys (now someones probably gonna tell me they released 5 platinum selling albums... :D )

How Bizarre - cant remember who sang it, some NZ bloke i think. From the mid 90's.

gustavo

14/03/2007, 5:08 PM

How Bizarre - cant remember who sang it, some NZ bloke i think. From the mid 90's.

O.M.D i think , Oh the hours i've spent wanting to know the rest but didnt know how to go about buying the rights,

gustavo

14/03/2007, 5:09 PM

While Istanbul Not Constantinople, the follow up to Birdhouse In Your Soul (single of the year 1990), didn't chart in the UK it did chart pretty much everywhere else.

They Might be Giants have had several hits since including of course Boss Of Me from Malcolm in the Middle.

Pretty certain those Mmm-bop lads follow up single(s) charted as well.

Generally in this thread there seems to be a confusion as to the difference between a bone fide "one Hit wonder" (who only had one record chart in a top 30 or 40) and maybe a "one radio hit wonder" (someone who only had one hit that you remember because it's their only one that still gets the odd radio play)

Don't think this is RPJs only hit

Not a one hit wonder

Isn't M/A/R/R/S one of Bill Drummonds working monikers? If so -Not a one hit Wonder.

Not a one hit wonder

Not a one hit wonder

Not a one hit wonder

Never heard of it or them :D Was it even a hit?

I believe most people here are going on the proviso that the songs stated are probably the only one by the band that the public at large are aware of not your music fans

Jerry The Saint

14/03/2007, 5:23 PM

How Bizarre - cant remember who sang it, some NZ bloke i think. From the mid 90's.

OMC - O_______ (something) Millionaires Club.

We need a ruling as to whether one-hit-wonder applies strictly to bands/artist who only ever had one song in the Top 400 (or whatever) or if we broaden it to people who only ever had one hit that anyone remembers but used their success to bounce 2 or 3 more completely dull songs into the charts (like Hanson - before they grew up - Right Said Fred, Chumbawamba etc).

Special mention should go to 'Spirit in the Sky' which was a one hit wonder 3 times over - Norman Greenbaum; Doctor and the Medics; and the Gareth Gates/Kumar family from the telly combo for Comic Relief a few years back (bit of a stretch I know:) but Gareth Gates would love to be classed as a one-hit wonder if it meant that anyone remembered who he was)

Marked Man

14/03/2007, 6:44 PM

When I started the thread, I was thinking of bands that had one hit (i.e. one top 40 charting tune), and either that was it, or there was maybe an accompanying album that few people bought.

I'm actually glad I didn't specify things any more clearly though, as I've been enjoying the different notions of what counts as a one-hit wonder.

Chumabwamba, for example. I've got 5 of their albums, three of which are from the mid/late eighties. OK, there were no hits off any of these, but still. they are more enduring than a typical one hit wonder.

Let a thousand flowers (or criteria for one-hit wonders) bloom.

Lev Yashin

14/03/2007, 7:15 PM

The scatman...think it was b scatman john?
no jokes about poo!

Lionel Ritchie

14/03/2007, 8:52 PM

OMC - O_______ (something) Millionaires Club.

We need a ruling as to whether one-hit-wonder applies strictly to bands/artist who only ever had one song in the Top 400 (or whatever) or if we broaden it to people who only ever had one hit that anyone remembers but used their success to bounce 2 or 3 more completely dull songs into the charts (like Hanson - before they grew up - Right Said Fred, Chumbawamba etc).

Special mention should go to 'Spirit in the Sky' which was a one hit wonder 3 times over - Norman Greenbaum; Doctor and the Medics; and the Gareth Gates/Kumar family from the telly combo for Comic Relief a few years back (bit of a stretch I know:) but Gareth Gates would love to be classed as a one-hit wonder if it meant that anyone remembered who he was)

Doctor & The Medics follow up single -the wonderful 'Burn' reached no.29 in the UK in august 1986. The LP Laughing At the Pieces - which contains 'Spirit in The Sky' and is if I may say so an absolute classic, reached no.7 in the UK album chart. Not sure on Irish chart positions as the irish charts didn't have much of a profile at the time -not to a 13 year old at any rate.

The scatman...think it was b scatman john? the follow up to that no.1 single reached no.5 in the singles chart. I think it was called 'Scatmans World' and frankly I'm starting to frighten myself now. :o

Paddyfield

14/03/2007, 10:20 PM

.

"Driving away from home" - It's Immaterial

"Brilliant Mind" - Furniture

"The Bridge" - Cactus World News

.

cheifo

14/03/2007, 11:32 PM

I seem to remember a song from a German band Propaganda, cant remember
name of song.Oh yeh and what about yer wan with her "99 Red Balloons" and that other crowd "You can dance if you want to but you leave your friends behind."
God my memory is dreadful, is their something I can eat?

SkStu

15/03/2007, 12:38 AM

well theres somethin you can stop smokin!! :p

another one i just heard on the radio over here...

Len - Steal My Sunshine

brother and sister apparently... a bit too close in that video if you ask me.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/images/mixtape2.jpg

stann

15/03/2007, 4:29 AM

Following up Lionel Ritchie's post at the top:

Chumbawamba had a follow up hit with 'Amnesia', I'm sure. With the immortal couplet "Do you suffer from long-term memory loss? / I don't remember".

Propaganda had at least two hits - 'Dr. Mabuse' and the wonderful 'Duel'.

Cameo had any number of hits other than 'Word Up' I think. 'Single Life' and the utterly brilliant 'Candy' spring to mind.

OMC is Otara Millionaires Club BTW.

And back on topic:
Fiddler's Dram - Day Trip To Bangor
MC Miker G & DJ Sven - Holiday Rap :D

Wolfie

15/03/2007, 8:33 AM

PM Dawn - Set adrift on Memory Bliss

True to my current form on this thread - not a clue if this geezer had hits with some other band or indeed as PM Dawn.

Anyone?

BohsPartisan

15/03/2007, 8:46 AM

Who did Sunshine on a rainy day? Zoe or something?

noby

15/03/2007, 9:34 AM

Dexy's would be classed as a one hit wonder in the US. But what do they know

I think the lead singer was Steve Coogan's brother.
I believe he still is Steve Coogan's brother.

Cornershop is an interesting one - most djs believing that the 'Norman Cook awful remix' is their only output ever. Way to destroy a song, jive bunny.

Roadend

15/03/2007, 9:42 AM

Captain Sensible - Happy talk ;)

MyTown

15/03/2007, 10:04 AM

Captain Sensible - Happy talk ;)

Have to disqualify this one. He had a few chart appearances as lead singer with punk rockers The Damned.

Mind you we could do with him for our next home game:(

noby

15/03/2007, 10:06 AM

He also had a couple more solo "hits"

MyTown

15/03/2007, 10:43 AM

Okay its give away my age time but who remembers

Northern Lights by Rennaisance?
Story of the Blues by Wah
Matchstalk Men by Brian & Michael
I shoulda known better by Jim Diamond (was he also Phd? - okay leave him out!)
Kayleigh by Marillion
I've never been to me by Charlene (I know, I know, pass the si*k bag)

My favourite is 'Airport' by the Motors. Coldplay's CLOCKS sounds like a sample of it. I also liked Echo Beach which got an honourable mention above.

Is it worth starting a new thread for Irish One Hit Wonders?
There were a few decent bands in the late 70s early 80s, before we got arrogant and prosperous and if we had an economy then, they could have been contenders....