Best one hit wonders

**SkStu** · 14/03/2007, 3:43 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

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...

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

Originally Posted by gustavo

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

Was it even a hit?

**Lev Yashin** · 14/03/2007, 4:00 PM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

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

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

Originally Posted by Wolfie

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

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

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

Originally Posted by Wolfie

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

**stann** · 14/03/2007, 4:48 PM

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

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

Originally Posted by stann

Cornershop as one-hit wonders!!!

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

**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...

)

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

**gustavo** · 14/03/2007, 5:08 PM

Originally Posted by SkStu

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

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

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

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

Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

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.

**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!!

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.

**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