One Hit Wonders

[jimmyp58]

We were doing a little trivia at work the other day and the topic of one-hit wonder songs came up.

So, which ones rank up there with you?

Here's the one that stumped everyone. Who sang "Convoy"?

Jim

[Burke Strickland]

Here's the one that stumped everyone. Who sang "Convoy"?

CW McCall sang a song named "Convoy" that was used a couple of years later as the theme song of a movie by the same name starring Kris Kristofferson and directed by Sam Peckinpah. Kristofferson was an accomplished singer in his own right, but he's for sure not a "one hit wonder", and although "Convoy" was his movie, it wasn't his song.

Speaking "one hit wonders", who sang the cheezy, pantingly vulgar pop hit "You Turn Me On", and later became a music historian who wrote several scholarly books?

Burke

[Bam!]

Good call Burke...I did a google search and was just about to post the answer ops:

I'd like to add as far as one hit wonders go.....

Twisted Sister...fo' sure!

and Men at Work....well they had 2 and THAT was it!

[jimmyp58]

Nothing like stumping us off-the-bat Burke. There were a few folks that actually sang this song. If you say 'vulgar', then it would be Rick James. But this is a one-hit wonder thread so it can't be him.

Dang....looks like I'll be racking my brains a tad more on this one!

[Kevin P]

As a die-hard fan of 80s music I probably have more than my fair share of one hit wonders in my collection... A-Ha, Animotion, Van Stephenson, Katrina & The Waves, the list goes on.

How about two-hit wonders? Mr. Mister anyone?

[JOY DIVISION]

Matthew Wilder- Break my Stride
Gary Numan-Cars
DEVO-Whip it
Talk Talk- It's my Life
Dead or Alive- You spin me round

[George Bellefontaine]

This one goes way back : CRY -- JOHNNIE RAY
Hew did another one called Little White Cloud That Cried, but he soon faded after a couple of albums.

[Bing Fung]

Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy

Billy Ray Cyrus - Achey Breaky Heart

Here is a cool site

http://80music.about.com/library/weekly/aa073001a.htm

[jimmyp58]

Burke:

You gonna keep us hangin'????!!!!

[ekkoville]

How abut Tommy Tutone.....8675309!

[jimmyp58]

O.K., name the song the Bay City Rollers sang in 1976....

[Burke Strickland]

The answer is...

You gonna keep us hangin'????!!!!

Nope. The artist who shot all the way to number 8 on the US charts by panting his way through "You Turn Me On" with a falsetto remniscent of Tiny Tim (who was another one hit wonder with his "Tiptoe Through The Tulips", which must be heard to believe such a performance is possible) :>) was Ian Whitcomb

You can listen to his version of "You Turn Me On" here The Very Best Of... and see why I like this song so much (and hear for yourself why none of his other songs ever really made it). In a way his pop recording career reminds me of The Proclaimers and their one hit "500 Miles" which was played over the credits of "Benny and Joon". (They have produced many other CDs which are sort of hilarious and sad at the same time. They don't really seem to know how dreadful they sound on so many of their covers.)

If you look him up via Google, you'll find that over the years he has produced a number of CDs and now even a DVD of period songs which he has arranged and a group he participates in has recorded. (This an extension of his music scholarship.) But even though one of these won a Grammy (an historical recreation of the songs played on the Titanic -- the actual ship, not the movie CGI ship) :>) he hasn't really had another pop hit since 1969's "You Turn Me On".

Burke

[jimmyp58]

Seriously, that is who I was going to guess but...

Great one Burke!

[dave]

Jim, I do beleive the answer that your looking for is, Saturday Night, by the Bay City Rollers, and no I do not own a copy of it!!! Ha/Ha..

Burke I do wish I had been on line when your question of You turn me on,by Ian Whitcomb and Bluesville popped up!!!
OK you guys,,, who did the tune titled Hello, Hello??? heres another, Green Tamborine

[Burke Strickland]

"Green Tamborine" --> The Lemon Pipers (I have that one on a CD with a bunch of 1960's hits -- now that I've dug that one out, it's playing right now) :>)

There was a "Hello Hello" by Groovie Ghoulies -- is that the one you are thinking of?

How about "San Francisco" (Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair)

The artist had a follow up song, "Like An Old Time Movie" which was a minor hit. Despite that, these days he is known as a 'one hit wonder' for "San Francisco", a song I still like a lot. (It's on the same compilation disc as "Green Tamborine", so it's up next.) :>)

Burke

[dave]

You be correct Burke,,,
Lemon Pipers- and green tamborine thats a great tune
we still need an answer to the original version of Hello, Hello though,,,

I do know who did Sanfrancisco however I don't want to bogart all the fun here so I will wait, I bet Danbry39 has the answer to this one!!!

Heres another one for the list,

Sanfransisco Girls (return of the native)

[jimmyp58]

Scott McKenzie performed the song but I think John Phillips (Mamas & Papas) wrote it.

[DelRay]

One hit wonders. How about most of the singers from the last 10 years. :B Just kidding. Here's one. Seasons in the sun. It also ranks as one of the worst.

[Burke Strickland]

Jim -- you are right about Scott McKensie singing "San Francisco" and John Phillips, of Mammas and Pappas fame, writing it -- allegedly in less than half an hour before a live show when the performers wanted some new material in a hurry. I'm glad Phillips handed the song off to his buddy McKensie to record. Because even as good as they were on their own hits, I can't imagine The Mamma and the Pappas doing much with "San Francisco".

One hit wonders. How about most of the singers from the last 10 years.

As in "one wonders how they got a hit"? :>) Were you thinking of Celine Dion? (I'd rather not.) :>)

And what's this about "Seaons In The Sun" ranking as "one of" the worst? Unless you go gaga over pseudo-profound teary-eyed treacle, it may well be THE worst. :>) I'd name the "artist" but I hate to admit I know who did it. :>)

Kind of reminds me of "Honey", that sappy 1960's paen to a dead lover sung by Bobby Goldsboro who weeps along for nearly four excrutiating minutes of sonic torture. (OK, maybe "Seasons In The Sun" ISN'T "the worst".) :>) Goldsboro also mistreated us to the ludicrous "See The Funny Little Clown" and “Watching Scotty Grow” among his 16 hits, so, alas, he doesn't qualify as a "one hit wonder". (As H. L. Mencken said, "No one ever went broke underestimatiing the taste of the American public.") :>)

Burke

[dave]

I will cringe and name the Seasons in the Sun question, it was "Terry Jacks"
that song has always drove me NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!! it ranks up there with Sugar Sugar
by the Archies.

heres yet another one,
The Night Chicago Died
who did that one???

[jimmyp58]

Paper Lace....Dave.

How about, who did the song 'Sky High'?

[Kevin P]

It's funny how songs I grew up on are considered to be so corny now... I remember hearing Seasons In The Sun as a kid and hearing it now (bad as it is) it brings back those childhood memories. How about "Afternoon Delight?" Remember that one?

What's scary is I have both of these in my collection: Have A Nice Decade: The '70s Pop Culture Box

And who's pickin' on Celine Dion!? She's great... for testing audio systems and speakers for harshness. Besides, she's one of my wife's favorites. ops:

Here's another one of my favorite 80s one-hit-wonders: 99 Luftballoons, by Nena.

[jimmyp58]

Ah yes, the Starland Vocal Band!!!

Hey, I've got the whole flippin' collection of 'Have A Nice Day...'! ops:

[dave]

Jim, the artist that did "Sky High" is Jigsaw.
the answer to Sanfrancisco Girls (return of the native) is "Fever Tree" and the original version of Hello/Hello qas done by "Sopwith Camel"

Heres another one, Who did the hit version of Tighter and Tighter???
and one more Who did Walk away Renae???

[jimmyp58]

Was Tighter and Tighter done by Alive and Kicking?

Walk Away Renee was done by Left Banke.

[Danbry39]

Of course, I would have known Ian Whitcomb and Scott MacKenzie, but my question is................................................ ...

Burke, how the heck do you know who the Groovie Ghoulies are.

They're a local band here in the Sacramento area who can put on a very fun punk styles show. My daughter even wears one of their T-shirts and I bought a CD of theirs which I had the female guitarist...I mean very good looking female guitarist...sign for her.

I never in my life thought anyone out of my area even knew who they were, even though they've been around for ages and have a million CD's it seems.

[Danbry39]

Hey, I'm sorry I'm so late to this thread. This is fun.

Dave, back to "Hello, hello", I only know Lee Michaels performed a song called, "Hello", but that's probably not it.

OK, here's an easy one for you old timers, and one of the ultimate one hit wonders. Who made "Tip Toe Through the Tulips" and, bonus question, what was the name of his wife.

[Danbry39]

One more, who sang, "Those Were the Days"? Bonus question: Who produced and played guitar on the song?

[jimmyp58]

Tip Toe....was Tiny Tim and his wife was Miss Vickie!

I'm going to say Mary Hopkin on the 'Those Were the Days' song but the bonus has me stumped. Of course the theme song for 'All In The Family' was of the same title.

[dave]

Hey the answer to you're Mary Hopkin question is ,,,,,,,,,,
Sir Paul McCartney at least it is a fact that he produced the tune as well as the album
"Postcard" regarding his guitar playing on Those Were The Days, I really can't be absolutley positive that it was actually McCartney, as also Donovan played and actually wrote a few of the tunes on the record as well, his contributions to the record were "Lord Of Reedy River" Happiness Runs (peeble and the man) and "Voyage To The Moon" the Lp even had tunes by Irvin Berlin and George Gershwin this was really one of Apple Records best offerings other than the Beatles output.

Good job Jim, Tighter and Tighter was done by Alive and Kicking, the tune was actually written by Tommy James and Bob King specifically for the group!!!

And of coarse The Left Banke did do Walk away Renae.

for more fun, Who did the next offerings to the kettle???
#1 Brother Louis'
#2 Vehicle
#3 Liar Liar

[jimmyp58]

Got 'em all but I'll wait to see if anyone else chimes in.

Paul McCartney....wow!

[jimmyp58]

How about the one-hit wonder from 'The Capitols'?

[Burke Strickland]

Groovie Ghoulies may be from Sacramento, but they tour all over the place. They've even played in Houston. :>)

Who made "Tip Toe Through the Tulips"

Anyone who read the first paragraph of my post answering the "You Turn Me On" question much earlier in the thread would have already seen the answer to that one since I compared Ian Whitcomb's falsetto on that song to Tiny Tim's, but they would have had to rack their brain or look elsewhere for the answer to the bonus question. Double bonus question: Where did Tiny Tim and Miss Vickie get married?

"Liar Liar" The Castaways (pants on fire ...you've been out all night, know you've been bad...)

Burke

[dave]

Yep, The Castaways all the way back to 1965 you've got a good memory Burke!!!

[dave]

No clue to the Tiny Tim Question, you,ve got me stumped!!!

[DelRay]

Didn't Tiny Tim and Miss Vickie get married on the Dick Cavett show. Don't know if it was that one but it was one of those type of shows. Maybe the Tonight Show.

[jimmyp58]

Tonight Show....

[jimmyp58]

Brother Louie was done by Stories

Vehicle by the Ides of March --- great tune!!!

Who's the group that did 'One Fine Morning'?

[Spearmint]

Hey fantastic thread....

Here is a couple

Brooklyn Bridge - Worst that could happen.
Oliver - Jean.

[jimmyp58]

Nice job Spearmint!

[Spearmint]

Thanks Jimmy

While on a roll...

Kyu Sakamoto - Sukiyaki

I realise Kyu was popular in Japan, although I am sure this was his only hit outside of Japan.

[Danbry39]

Did they get married on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson?

[Burke Strickland]

Oliver - Jean

Oliver also had a hit before that with "Good Morning Starshine", a song from "Hair". That song made it to number 3 in 1969.

I actually met Oliver in Tucson Arizona where I was living at the time (early 1970s) when he performed at a local nightclub that was shaped (externally) like a big sailing ship. Some of my neighbors were excited that he was in town, and insisted that a group of us go for his show. I went along even though I didn't know who he was. (When they said they were going to see Oliver, at first I thought they were planning to see to a stage production of the musical by that name.)

We got there early enough to get a table, which means we got there early enough to have quite a few drinks before the show started. :>) I knew I wasn't going to make it through the show without getting rid of a few of those drinks, if you catch my drift. So I found my way from our table near the back of the hall to the men's room which was downstairs toward the front of the club. When I came back upstairs, they were flashing the lights and telling everyone to take their seats since the show was about to begin.

The aisles were jammed and I had to wait for a while at the head of the stairs. There was a fellow standing a couple of feet away holding a guitar and doing some deep breathing exercises to relax. I asked him if he was in the show and he said that he was, adding that he had brought his guitar to accompany the singer. We chit chatted for a couple of minutes about very ordinary things like how crowded the club was and how hot the weather had been that day in Tucson until the aisles cleared, about which time, the MC announced that the show was about to begin and the other fellow headed toward the backstage area while I went back to my table.

When the curtain opened, there was only one person on stage -- the dude I had been talking to a moment before. Since I had never seen a picture of him and we didn't introduce ourselves in the short time that we talked, I had no idea until the show starrted that the dude I had been talking to was Oliver. He accompnied his own singing with the guitar, which he played very well.

He came across as a very down-to-earth, self-effacing fellow who just happened to have the extraordinary gift of musical talent. I was saddened when I read a few years ago that he had died of cancer after careers in building construction management and pharmaceuticals following his singing career.

Burke

[Spearmint]

Thanks Burke... Sorry for getting that one wrong ops:

Although, fantastic story and good on you for sharing it...

[Burke Strickland]

Did they get married on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

Yep, that was the venue. They announced it well in advance when Tiny Tim was a guest on a previous show. In fact they arranged it so it looked like Johnny talked Tiny Tim into the plan while he and Johnny were talking during that program. The broadcast of the wedding, which I watched along millions of others, (I guess we could all claim to be "invited guests"), :>) was one of Carson's highest rated shows.

Burke