One-Hit Wonders: Twenty Songs That Still Hit the Spot

One-hit wonders. We love them and we hate them. We all have some of these irrepressible songs seared in our brain. But what really is a one-hit wonder? What’s the criteria? Wikipedia defines it as being named as such in “at least two media sources even though the band may have had multiple hits.” Huh? Many others define it as having only one hit on Billboard’s Top 40. In that case, Devo (“Whip It”), The Church (“Under the Milky Way”), and Midnight Oil (“Beds are Burning”) go down in history as one-hit wonders. That doesn’t feel right at all, either. Hence, the dilemma. There’s no singular definition; it comes down to some basic parameters with individual instinct. My list contains bands that truly just had one hit and were basically never heard from again and those that had a longer career with a couple other hits in addition to the big song, but the signature song so overshadows the rest of the band’s discography that only that tune remains familiar to later audiences.

The ’80s, particularly new wave bands, are especially known as emblematic of one-hit wonders. But there are hundreds of them no matter how defined across many decades of popular music. Picking only 10 was an impossible task. So, you get a top 20 in no particular order with five (1960s), two (1970s), seven (1980s), five (1990s), and one from the 2000s. Plus, five new wave honorable mentions and five more in the trivia, giving us 30 one-hit wonders to hark back upon.

– “Venus” by Shocking Blue (1969): This Dutch band struck gold in 1969. “Venus” was a #1 hit in nine countries and to this day is still appearing in television and film.

– “Take on Me” by A-ha (1985): Norwegians A-ha actually had a lengthy career and another Top 40 hit (“The Sun Always Shines”), but it’s safe to say that this is the song that has endured. Fair or not, A-ha is remembered as a one-hit wonder.

– “Macarena” by Los del Rio (1993): I happened to be in Cabo San Lucas when cruise ships brought to shore the initial “Macarena” dance craze. (The re-mix with English lyrics in 1995 by the Bayside Boys really set it off.) I’ll admit I hit the dance floor and even learned the moves at Cabo Wabo.

– “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum (1969): This blend of gospel, boogie, blues, and rock made a lasting impression but Greenbaum faded into obscurity.

– “China” by Red Rockers (1983): These guys from New Orleans started off as punks but morphed into polished new wave. I always liked the ringing guitars and smooth vocals.

– “Counting Blue Cars” by Dishwalla (1995): This song is most remembered for its depiction of God as a woman.

– “You Get What You Give” by New Radicals (1998): One thing one-hit wonders have in common is that they’re undeniable catchy songs. This is Exhibit A. It’s commercial and Wham-like and irresistible.

– “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne (2003): Actually, a song about a friend’s grandmother. Model Rachel Hunter stars in the video. The band’s love of the Cars is on full display here.

– “Something in the Air” by Thunderclap Newman (1969): Interesting backstory here. Pete Townshend and the Who’s manager Kit Lambert formed the band to showcase Speedy Keen who wrote “Armenia in the Sky” on The Who Sell Out. Pete arranged the strings and played bass on “Something in the Air” under the pseudonym Bijou Drains. Despite the pedigree, another one and done.

– “Turning Japanese” by the Vapors (1980): The Vapors also had backing from the members of a well-known group; The Jam. Vic Coppersmith-Heaven produced the song and John Weller (father of Paul) and Bruce Foxton were the Vapors’ managers. Again, they couldn’t maintain the momentum after their huge bouncy, sing-along hit.

– “Melt With You” by Modern English (1982): This song’s enticing guitar melody, danceable beat, and sincere call and response vocals still provide an uplift today. Pretty good for a song about making love while an atomic bomb is dropped.

– “Come on Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners (1982): Another defining new wave hit. There was no “Eileen;” she was a composite to signify Catholic repression. What most people remember about the song starts and ends with that Celtic-like fiddle.

– “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” by Crash Test Dummies (1993): A shout out to life’s misfits complete with a baritone for the ages, shimmering melodies, and a beautiful chorus (the album is chock-full of gorgeous harmonies). However, it didn’t take long for the novelty to wear off. I’ll agree that they haven’t stood the test of time too well. This is one of those songs that shows up on best-of and worst-of lists.

– “There She Goes” by The La’s (1988): Is it about heroin or love? That’s not clear, but the perfect simplicity of the song is immediately apparent. A bigger hit in the U.K. than the U.S.

– “Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger (1997): A response to the Seattle grunge scene that takes a cue from Pavement’s “Fame Throwa” for its title. This song has always cracked me up. It’s a “happy hour” of apathy and sarcasm. “Been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding.”

– “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls (1982): Another new wave institution and one-hit wonder representative. The song was HUGE in the U.S. and ever present on MTV. Mike Score’s hair is an indelible image. To their credit, they had a couple other songs that registered (“Space Age Love Song” and “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You”) and are still out there touring (they just played this summer at my county fair on the free stage). But this song reigns supreme.

– “Ride Captain Ride” by The Blues Image (1970): Another true one-hit wonder. It’s a song about traveling on a boat to a new land of freedom. The mystery ship is never heard from again…just like the band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAnGe40-o9Q

– “I Know What Boys Like” by The Waitresses (1978): Not a big hit, but the sassy deadpan of singer Patty Donahue lives on. “Nyah, Nyah, Nyah, Nyah, Nyah!”

– “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” by Steam (1969): Have you heard this one? Ha, ha. If you have watched any sporting events since the Chicago White Sox started playing it in 1977, it’s a familiar part of the experience. The humiliating “see ya!” anthem to the losing team or ejected player was recorded in one session by a band, that wasn’t really a band. A fictitious group with a keyboard player in the studio, spliced drum tracks, and one long chorus. The rest is history.

– “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly (1968): A 17-minute song that takes up a whole side of an album was a risky move at a time when AM radio ruled. The 2½ minute drum solo midway through is practically a song all by itself. The 2:52 single version brought this love song from Adam to Eve to the masses.

Five More New Wave One-hit Wonders: “The Safety Dance” (Men Without Hats), “99 Luftballons” (Nena), “The Promise” (When in Rome), “Obsession” (Animotion), “Relax” (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)

Trivia: Name the one-hit wonders associated with these songs:

1. “Lunatic Fringe”
2. “I Don’t Like Mondays”
3. “What’s Up”
4. “Video Killed the Radio Star”
5. “In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)”

Answers:

1. Red Rider
2. Boomtown Rats
3. 4 Non Blondes
4. The Buggles
5. Zager & Evans