One Hit Wonders (# 022)

One Hit Wonders (S2-E7)

Inside Rock and the JabberGuys search the charts for those 1 Hit Wonders that everybody knows… but the bands that did them were rarely heard from again.

• Listen to the playlist on SPOTIFY

What is a One Hit Wonder? … a band that has a major hit, but could never duplicate that success.

1961 – “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” – The Tokens
Cover of a 1939 Zulu song called ‘Mbube’
Also covered by Robert John in the 1970s
One of the original founding members of the Tokens was Neil Sedaka

1962 – “The Monster Mash” – Bobby ‘Boris’ Picket and the Crypt Kicker 

1963 – “Wipeout” – The Safaris
Peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100

1969 - “Sugar, Sugar” - The Archies
4 weeks at No. 1 in 1969, and stayed on the charts for 22 weeks
Andy Kim co-wrote
Wilson Picket (1970 version)

1969 – “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” – Steam
Famously used at sporting events to taunt the losing team

1972 - “Rock n Roll Part 2” – Gary Glitter
1970 - “Spirit in the Sky” - Norman Greenbaum
Written in 15 minutes
Covered by Doctor and the Medics (1986)

1972 - “Brandi” – Looking Glass

1972 – “It Never Rains in Southern California” – Albert Hammond

1974 – “Hooked on a Feeling” – Blue Swede

1972 - “Me and Misses Jones” - Billy Paul

The JabberGuys’ Mission Statement? - “Who Gives a F*ck, No One Is Listening Anyways”

1974 - “Magic” – Pilot

1976 - “Play That Funky Music White Boy” – Wild Cherry

1976 - “The Boys are Back in Town” - Thin Lizzy
The JabberGuys don’t classify these guys as a one hit wonder

1976 – “Afternoon Delight” – Starland Vocal Band
Won the Best New Artist at the 1976 Grammys

1979 - “Video Killed the Radio Star” - The Buggles
First MTV music video played in 1981

1981 - “Tainted Love” – Soft Cell
No. 5 on the Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of Best 1 Hit Wonders 

1981 – “867-5309 (Jenny)” – Tommy Tutone

1982 - “The Safety Dance” - Men Without Hats

1982 – “Come on Eileen” – Dexys Midnight Runners
Hit No. 1 

1984 – “Take on Me” – A-ha
Hit No. 1
They also did a James Bond theme, 1987 ‘The Living Daylights’

1985 – “Walking on Sunshine” – Katrina and the Waves
Spent 21 weeks on the charts

1987 – “Died in Your Arms” – Cutting Crew

1984 - “Sunglasses at Night” - Corey Hart 

1991 - “I’m Too Sexy” – Right Said Fred
Hit No. 1

2012 - “Gangnam Style” – Psy
Over 4 billion views on YouTube

1993 - “I’m Gonna Be” - The Proclaimers

1999 - “She’s So High” - Tal Bachman
Another Canadian musician

2004 – “The Reason” – Hoobastank
Hit No. 2
Queex thinks “Hoobastinks”

1974 - “Kung Fu Fighting” – Carl Douglas 

1984 - “Ghostbusters” - Ray Parker Jr.

1971 - “Layla” - Derek and the Dominos

Honourable mentions
Dancing in the Moonlight – King Harvest
The Hustle – Van McCoy
Please Come to Boston – Dave Loggins
You Light Up My Life – Debbie Boone
Tubular Bells – Mike Oldfield (“Five Miles Out”)

• Listen to the playlist on SPOTIFY

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