Hidden Treasures - One Hit Wonders

[Scott]

We’ve had some conversations about one hit wonders on this site from time to time and I think a playlist or two was posted, but it’s been a long enough time and with new folks on here and a relatively new Facebook group its worth revisiting… Besides it’s a terrifically fun topic to talk about and maybe even more fun to explore and put together.


Some quick criteria for my playlist before we start. I was looking for American Top 40 hits, so if a band had release several singles that hit the top 100 or whatever those didn’t count, peaked at #41? Didn't count... It had to be a Top 40 at the least. Also, I looked a US charts alone, so if the band had more hits than one but it was in the UK for example, I didn’t count that either… Your list, your responses, your rules, so lets leave the discussion wide open, but my playlist came together that way.


In the countless times I’ve sat and looked through my personal collection there’s always a fresh perspective that emerges with each visit, even if the topic has been done before… So, heres a sorta/kinda fresh take on One Hit Wonders, hopefully some of these tracks surprise you in the best way possible… I say sorta/kinda because the last track Im posting has been featured in SHT before, but its a must have on this list because its my all-time favorite one hit wonder. So maybe, just maybe, theres one of those songs in this weeks playlist for you... If not, name your favorite!


PLAYLIST --> http://www.podsnack.com/sgabbert/avxi2jcc

	Ace Five-a-Side 1974 1 - How Long Before the recording of their debut album, Five-A-Side, ex-Bees Make Honey drummer Fran Byrne replaced Steve Witherington. The single "How Long?" (a song about Comer considering to leave the group; he later remained with the band) was taken from this record, and was a significant chart success, achieving a Top 20 place in the UK Singles Chart, and reaching number three in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in the spring of 1975. The Five-a-Side album did well on its own, too, peaking at #11 on the Billboard album charts. The band eventually moved to the United States, and replaced Phil Harris with Jon Woodhead in June 1976, releasing their third and final album No Strings in January 1977. They disbanded in July 1977, when Carrack, Comer and Byrne joined Frankie Miller's band. It reached No. 3 in the US and Canadian charts, and No. 20 in the UK chart.
	GTR GTR 1986 2 - When The Heart Rules The Mind The album peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 chart, and the single "When the Heart Rules the Mind" reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Another single, "The Hunter", peaked at No. 85. The instrumental piece by Steve Howe, "Sketches in the Sun", resurfaced on his solo album Motif Volume 1 and again on his Anthology album. As for Steve Hackett's "Hackett to Bits", it was largely inspired by the latter's "Hackett to Pieces" from his Highly Strung solo album. The group, founded by ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett and then ex-Yes and ex-Asia guitarist Steve Howe, disbanded in 1987. Geoff Downes, another former Yes member, produced the album. The band's name, anecdotally, comes from the marking on the studio mixing console that indicates the 'guitar' volume control.
	Pete Townshend Empty Glass 1980 3 - Let My Love Open The Door "Let My Love Open the Door" was released as the second single from Empty Glass in Britain, where it was backed with the non-album tracks "Classified" and "Greyhound Girl." The song was a minor British hit, reaching #46. The song saw more success when it was released as the debut single from Empty Glass in America, where the song reached #9. It was Pete Townshend's only solo top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, but The Who's song "I Can See For Miles," which was written by Townshend, reached the same position on the chart 13 years earlier. Initially, Townshend's manager despised the track due to it "not sounding like Townshend," and wanted it to be removed from Empty Glass. However, upon the song's chart success, his manager called to apologize. Despite the song's critical and commercial success, Pete Townshend did not consider it one of his best songs. He told Rolling Stone in an interview that the "Let My Love Open the Door" was "just a ditty," also claiming that he preferred his minor US hit "A Little Is Enough" from the same album.
	Benny Mardones Benny Mardones - "Blue Album" 1980 and 1989 4 - Into The Night '89 An American pop singer and songwriter who is best known for his hit single "Into the Night", which hit the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart twice, in 1980 and again in 1989. Due to the success of "Into the Night," Curb Records signed Mardones and he recorded "Into the Night '89." The track appeared on his self-titled release (known as the "Blue Album" by his fans.) Not long after that, Mardones appeared on a Showtime tribute to Roy Orbison, alongside such luminaries as Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Johnny Cash and k.d. lang. Elvis Presley's band was the house band for the evening. When Mardones came on stage to sing "Running Scared," few people knew his name, but when he finished the song, he received a standing ovation. Even though his lone hit charted twice, Mardones is still considered a "one-hit wonder." He continues to have a substantial fan following in Syracuse, New York with his band, the Hurricanes. Several of his songs ("Into The Night" and several others) have remained since their original release in rotation on radio station 95X and several other rock music stations in the Central New York area.

[Niels (Mod)]

When I think "One Hit Wonders", Pete Townshend certainly isn't popping up in my head.

[Scott]

thats what makes him such a good addition to this list...

[Jon]

I didn't like the GTR album when it came out, it kinda bored me. But, that hasn't stopped me from checking in on the Deeeeluxe version every so often, just to see if the price goes down. I remember this song and "The Hunter" and that's about it. 

Hey, my Benny Mardones album is black and has a different picture of Benny. Wonder why that is.

"Empty Glass" is a fantastic album, someone should post a PT album on this site. Oh, wait.......

Yeah. That's all I can remember from Ace. I'd look it up if I wasn't lazy, but is that Paul Carrack? If it is, he was in a couple other bands that had quite a few hits, off the top of my head I can remember two from diferent bands he was in (other than Ace) that most probably were top 40. Well, one definitely was.

With your rules, I'm going to take a wild stab without looking (laziness, still) and say "Mexican Radio" by Wall Of Voodoo. For some reason, I think of 80's bands. Wait, The Buggles! Split Enz? Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....Bow Wow Wow? The Escape Club! Cutting Crew? Dream Academy?

Tell you what, go ahead and check on those bands and I'll wait for your response.  I'll probably be waiting for awhile, but it is what it is.

[Scott]

OK, I checked...

How about these...

Romeo Void, Haircut 100, Gary Newman, and what I think may be your personal fave...  CW McCall...

[Jon]

I still know the words to that song. Freaky, I know.

But, there's a nice topic there. SONGS that were made into movies.

So those bands I mentioned met the criteria?

[Scott]

According to wiki...

• Wall of VooDoo did not meet the criteria as the song Mexican Radio only hit #41 on the US mainstream chart
• Video Killed the Radio Star made it "barely in the top 40 in the United States", so that one qualifies...
• I see nothing showing a US top 40 single from the band Split Enz...
• I Want Candy as recorded by Bow Wow Wow did not break the American Top 40, their not in play here
• The Escape Club hit #1 with Wild Wild West.  Thanks for reminding me!  But they also had a top ten hit in 91, so they're a Two Hit Wonder and off this list
• Cutting Crew followed up their #1 hit, I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight, with another song that actually hit #38- they're outta here...
• Dream Academy had one hit and we'll leave that unmentioned...  but yes they qualify.

Thanks that was fun!

[Jon]

So, see, I watched the latest episode of "Bates Motel" last night and "How Long" was featured. Isn't that funny?

[RJhog (Admin)]

Ace - Chain of events: I noticed Paul Carrack had a new album coming out (released a couple of weeks ago).  I'd heard the name but didn't really know who he was.  I read that he sang this song, then I read that he sang Tempted by Squeeze.  And I wanna say that I read he sang for Mike and the Mechanics.  All of that sparked my interest in his work, but I haven't taken the time to dig yet.  Then you feature this song.  Way cool.  It's a great track.  I even like Rod Stewart's cover.

GTR - Another excellent song.  I, like Jon, have watched the price on the Deluxe version, but it's likely I'll never pick it up. I do think that I own the album on vinyl.  I'm pretty sure I found it for a buck a couple of years ago.

PT - I can see why you included Pete as a solo artist.  This is another terrific and fun song.  I can tell his and Daltrey's voices apart now, but at one time I couldn't.  I used to think this was The Who.  Silly me.

BM - I'd like to go out on a limb and say you are a fan of this guy and especially this song.  With good reason, it's incredible, if not a bit creepy.  It has the listener feeling sorry for a potential criminal of the worst sort.  But it's just a song, so I guess it's okay.  By the way, if I haven't already mentioned it, I do like this song.

I'd say good choices on your part Scott.  I posted some of my choices on FB, but I forgot one:

[Scott]

I bit on the GTR Deluxe package, I don't regret it, just sayin'...

Into The Night is my #1 One Hit Wonder of all time.  I love original (the one Jon eluded to) more than the 89 version I posted here, mostly because of the production of the drum sound, but also because his voice is cleaner.

Thanks for chiming in...