Entertainment For Lively Minds
It's Spotify Friday: One Hit Wonders
Posted by Fraser Lewry on 22 January 2010 - 9:37am.
It's been a while since Spotify Friday has made an appearance, so we've decided to get 2010 rolling by building a playlist entirely devoted to one-hit-wonders.
The rules:
1) they've got to be good one-hit-wonders. So no Joe Dolce, no Charlene, and certainly no Macarena. We want quality.
2) there are no other rules.
You can contribute to the Spotify list here. We've added a few tracks to get the list going, but apart from that it's all yours. We'll be playing your selections in the office and scrobbling them to our LastFM account, where you can follow what we're listening to in almost-real time.
That's it. Go mental.
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'No Charlene'
Bah!
The magnificence of I've Never Been To Me is under-appreciated.
"Hey, lady. YOU, lady...."
And what are those
"things that a woman aint supposed to see" ?
Always intrigued me.
Me too
*imagination runs riot*
She saw her husband cracking
She saw her husband cracking one off over the Freeman's catalogue.
no Joe?
uh, i really like shaddupa your face
and i like that it kept Vienna off the top spot
am i alone? :- D
I suspect you may well be...
I suspect you may well be... ;D
You are not alone
but I may be alone in preferring the version by Manuel i.e. Andrew Sachs, released at the same time as Joe's original effort.
You're not alone - it was
You're not alone - it was Joe's one saving grace...
White Town
Your Woman
I'm already seeing....
...acts on the list which are not one-hit wonders. Hue & Cry and Musical Youth for starters.
Um...
Didn't Black Box, Marillion, Public Enemy, Neneh Cherry and a few others in there have quite a few more hits respectively?
(And cheers for whoever put Charlene in anyway. Heh heh! PS: It wasn't me.)
Neneh Cherry
surely had an even bigger hit with "7 Seconds" with Youssou N'Dour?
I would suggest
that if the track is from an album called "The Very Best Of..." then it does not belong on a one-hit-wonder list. (Don Henley)
Interesting...
Don Henley hit the Top 20 twice in fact. (Granted it was with the same song, but it's a Very Good Song Indeed.)
US vs. UK
In the US, he's had 4 top 10 singles as a solo artist (according to wikipedia). So even he's a UK one-hit-twice-wonder, I still don't think he belongs on the list.
I'm with ya
I'd imagine being a member of that obscure Californian beat combo would automatically disqualify him at any rate. ;)
I'm owning up to Charlene
Although I prefer the slightly psychedelic cover by Neds Atomic Dustbin from the early 90s ;o)
JoBoxers...
...also had Just Got Lucky, so they're not OHWs. Come on, people...
I give you..
Dan assisted, Rosie Vela. Great track - and she was a honey.
everyhit.com
Here's a site to check things out: http://everyhit.com
That said, I reckon if an act's follow up track limped to no. 38 or something, I'd still let them qualify as one hit wonders.
A pedant notes
Kind of agree with the above posters
Surely the 'fun' of a OHW is that they only had OH - with what makes a H being defined, say UK Top 40 Singles?
Pedantry aside...
I think someone like Musical Youth is acceptable - while they may have had more than one hit, most people associate them with a single song.
Agree with you totally, although
I actually remember more lyrics to their follow-up than Pass The Dutchie :o)
Black Box, Danny Wilson, Survivor, Eric B and Rakim, Climie...
...Fisher, Reel 2 Real, The Farm, Aztec Camera, Buggles
Not OHWs. I could go on...
The Farm, not a OHW
I'd agree with that one - actually I think of them more for Groovy Train anyway. I s'poose a riposte would be to add another song by the act proposed as a OHW.
I take Fraser's point re:Musical Youth and The Buggles.
LOLs at Joe McElderry.
LOLs at Joe McElderry.
Flippin 'eck
Dr Feelgood & Argent? Both had 3 top 40 smash hits
Jo Jo Gunne
Run Run Run
As I'm about the only one in this parish without Spotify can someone else add this please?
Also, just how do I join Spotify? As a tightwad I want to join the free option but apparently need an invite from an existing member.
Anyone care to do the honours?
No prob
Jo Jo Gunne = done
Send me your email and I'll get an invite to you.
I've just tried
But it tells me your e-mail address is already associated with a Spotify account. See what happens if you insert your e-mail address at http://www.spotify.com/en/password-reset/
mmmmmmmmmmmm
Thanks for your efforts Fraser and Daddy.
I have a vague recollection coming back to me now about half setting it up when it first appeared, but then getting distracted and not finishing off.....will see what I can do now!
See other thread for "mind like a sieve" comments!
I'm
in.......whoopee!
Decisions, decisions..
Stretch - Why Did You Do It
or
Windsor Davies & Don Estelle - Whispering Grass
??
Why...
...one or t'other?
I can't access it from work
Has anyone added Zager & Evans's In The Year 2525?
Or Norman Greenbaum's Spirit In The Sky?
Steely Dan?
Some mishtake shurely?
A few goodies..
but I can't add them.
Richard Harris - MacArthur Park
Thunderclap Newman - Something in the Air
Humble Pie - Natural Born Boogie
Barbara Gaskin - It's my Party
B.J.Thomas - Raindrops keep falling on my Head
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
The Smoke - My Friend Jack
Young Disciples - Apparantly Nothing
Young Rascals - Groovin'
Sam & Dave - Harlem Shuffle
Love Sculpture - Sabre DanceBilly Paul - Me and Mrs Jones
Deelite - Groove is in the Heart
Marrs - Pump up the Volume
Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Rankin'
Rush - Spirit of Radio
Boston - More than a Feeling
Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
Not on Spotify and not THAT Dave Stewart.
Can You Dig It?
The Mock Turtles, glorious.
Can we have Status Quo ?
Granted they hit the Top 40 lots of times, but it was essentially with the same song each time.......
A little question...
I've added the playlist to my playlist, and am now adding a few tunes - but does that mean it'll only appear on mine, or will it add to the one everyone sees and hears?
everyone should see it
not just you
(that's what the unlocked padlock means in the top right of the Spotify screen)
Anyway...
I've added Twilight Cafe by Susan Fassbender, and And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going. I wish I could delete Kiss The Rain by Billie Myers, one of my least favourite songs ever.
Am with you there on Kiss the Rain
A dirge of the highest order. It was enormously popular as well, mystifyingly so.
One hit, two hits, no hit?
What constitutes a one-hit wonder?
Soundgarden had at least two singles in the UK in the top 20, and contrastingly 'Endless Art' (a great track) only made it to no 46 - does that even count?
Have I The Right?
by The Honeycombs (who were also remembered for having a lady on the drums).
Another question
Two, in fact. Firstly, do you have to be a premium subscriber to invite someone to spotify? It looks that way from the site, but I couldn't find it actually stated.
Secondly, is it possible to search the playlist? I've seen quite a few duplicates, and added at least one myself; it's an awful lot of songs to scroll through to ensure the one you want to add isn't already there.
Presumably it's ok to delete a duplicate if you find one.
I usually
just put the list in artist order (click the artist field header at the top) and scroll through it - it's pretty quick.
As regards invites, it may be that you have to be a premium subscriber to invite now, but I've never subscribed and still have invites.
Hmmm...
If I were to email you my friend's email address, would you be able to invite her? There'd be a pint in it for you ;-)
Yes
No problem with that.
Don't drink though!
Yes
You need a premium account.
To search a playlist, click on "track". It'll put it into alphabetical order. To put it back to the original list, click on the little (blank) grey box next to "track"
And, yes it is. I've done it.
*Edit. Fraser, for the next Playlist, it might be worth advising people to list the tracks alphabetically before adding a track, thus avoiding duplication of songs.
Andrew Gold
Surely some mistake!
He also had "Never Let Her Slip Away" which was even bigger than "Lonely Boy" (though not as good, admittedly!).
I don't want to seem pedantic
Actually. I probably do. You're right about Andrew Gold but there are several on the list that aren't actually by one hit wonders, good music though they are.
Bobbie Gentry, on for "Ode to Billy Joe" had a number one (I think) with "I'll never fall in love again" (horrible song) and a couple of hits I think with Glen Campbell.
The Tornadoes had at least one more hit, other than "Telstar" with "Globetrotter".
I'm sure Dave Davies had another hit with something about Susannah being still alive.
Gary Puckett and Union Gap had Lady Willpower.
Etc Etc.
Bloody good playlist, though
You can't get the staff
But all power to their elbow. They are quite rightly busy putting the next beardy bloke to bed.
When can we have non-hit wonders? Records with loads of airplay or those that are just pretty tasty but never dented the wunnerful Radio One top 40.
That Billie Ray Martin had some pipes, what?
I added Your Loving Arms to the playlist, remembering that I liked it at the time. When I actually listened to it later, I was mightily impressed. That woman could really sing. I went back to Electribe 101's Tell Me When The Fever Ended, and that impression was confirmed.
Anyone seen her live? Know what she's up to now?
Sorry, but...
Can the following really be classed as one hit wonders?
Howlin' Wolf
Jeff Buckley
Joni Mitchell
Robbie Robertson
I mean, I don't want to seem uncharitable or pedantic, but...seriously?
And I wish Spotify had this (there's a dodgy live version lurking, but it's not the same):
Surely...
A true pedant would agree with these selections:
Robbie Robertson: one hit (Somewhere Down The Crazy River, 1988)
Joni Mitchell: one hit (Big Yellow Taxi, 1970)
Jeff Buckley: one hit (Hallelujah, 2008)
While Howlin' Wolf, strictly speaking, is a no-hit-wonder.
Well, ok
I see what you're saying. I'll admit, Howlin' Wolf is the one that really hurts: architect of electric blues, influence on countless musicians and yet seemingly summed up by the fact that one of his songs was in a beer commercial!
Thanks, Fraser. Good work as ever.
one hit wonders
surely milk and alcohol by dr feelgood?
I know they also did roxette, but let's face it - only geeks liie us have even heard of that one.
JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZus! HE
JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZus!
HEY LITTLE GIRL BY ICEHOUSE.
how could this NOT be at the top of the list??
(Capitals and extra question mark due to excess alcohol intake ...)
Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe cos
'Crazy' was a reasonably substantial hit in 1988?
Chaep Trick - I want you to Want Me.
Cheap Trick - I Want You to Want Me.
I hope someone's writing these down, because I can't upload them.
Some excellent choices by the way guys ...
I'm assuming we're all men. Women have got better things to do.
my girlfriend's away for the
my girlfriend's away for the weekend.
Can you tell?
betty boo - doin the do.
.................
New Music - This World of Water
Surely the prototype for the Buggles, ()
great song too.
living by numbers - another
living by numbers - another one hit wonder by New Musik ...
please please me ...
Please please me by the beatles.
Whatever happened to them?
I'll go now ...
Still enjoying this playlist
I've just added a few more songs to this playlist. Amazing how many of those one-hit wonders there were, isn't it? Anyway, one of the songs I've just added is this gem from J Blackfoot. It was a pleasure to hear it again.
One thats missing
Not on Spotify, but luckily YouTube comes up trumps
Leyton Buzzards - Saturday Night Beneath the Plastic Palm Trees
Flash in the pan
Great name for a one hit wonder ~ Waiting for a Train ~ Just added !!
Oh! Yeah & Funky Nassau - The Beggining of the End !! Get down Y'all !!