Are They A One-Hit Wonder?

[HecticArt]

Escape Club is not a one-hit wonder.

Who's fault is it that a song that was a decent hit in its day gets little if any airplay these days, or airplay only on certain shows or formats? Definitely not the artist's. Having a definition of "one-hit wonder" status that depend on "everybody" remembering the song is a crime against art.

Rupert Holmes doesn't think of himself as a one-hit wonder. If you never heard of him until you read his bio on his website, you wouldn't think of him as one; he barely mentioned his "one hit."

And he HATES Pina-Coladas!

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I saw a meme on Facebook:

Do you think the guy that coined the term "one hit wonder" ever came up with any other popular phrases?

 

[HecticArt]

I saw a meme on Facebook:

Do you think the guy that coined the term "one hit wonder" ever came up with any other popular phrases?

Not till now.

 

[Channel98]

The Oxford English Dictionary says the phrase "one-hit wonder" was first used on April 29, 1956 to describe Giants pitcher Ramón Monzant, who pitched a one-hitter against the Phillies. The Giants won the game 8-1.

Whoever was the first to apply to the term to rock'n'roll artists should have been charged with plagiarism – but the term was never trademarked or copyrighted. Here is a one-hit wonder: a singer who was much better known as a comedic actress and a sex symbol. I Like A Guy What Takes His Time, from the Mae West/Cary Grant movie She Done Him Wrong, reached #5 in 1933. West released 11 more singles (including a version of the Beatles' Day Tripper), eight albums and two EPs but never had another chart hit.

 

[sadchild]

Great White - #1 & #30

Just noticed, this should be #5 & #30

 

[HecticArt]

 

[sadchild]

How about Eddie Murphy? Technically not a one hit wonder, but subjectively? I say yes. Most people would probably call him a zero hit wonder - due to the quality of both songs!

Eddie Murphy
#2 "Party All The Time" (1985)
#27 "Put Your Mouth On Me" (1989)

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

How about Eddie Murphy? Technically not a one hit wonder, but subjectively? I say yes. Most people would probably call him a zero hit wonder - due to the quality of both songs!

Eddie Murphy
#2 "Party All The Time" (1985)
#27 "Put Your Mouth On Me" (1989)

If you talk about quality, some HOF members are 0 hit wonders.

For subjective lists, he qualifies (the same lists that have a-ha as a one-hit wonder). But for the "real" list, he is not a 1 hit wonder.

 

[Aaron]

I don't remember the song that peaked at #27

 

[HecticArt]

I think most people blocked that song from their memories.

I vaguely remember him having a second song, but would never be able to place it.

 

[MonoStereo]

Pretty sure I've never heard that Eddie Murphy song, or even heard of it before. Proof that I wasn't paying attention to this kinda stuff then. But boy, production-wise it sure sounds like 1989 ( read : all treble, high-end & awful, IMO ).

 

[sadchild]

I don't remember the song that peaked at #27

I vaguely remember him having a second song, but would never be able to place it.

We may get to hear it this weekend on the VJ, since it's 1989 this week.

Eddie Murphy: The entertainer went from stand-up to NBC’s Saturday Night Live to the big screen… and then to the Hot 100, where he scored a smash single in 1985 with “Party All the Time.” The single, which was written and produced by Rick James (who also provided background vocals and drums on the track), climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Murphy would return to the Hot 100 once more, with “Put Your Mouth On Me” (No. 27 in 1989).

 

[Channel98]

On page 1 – Go look! – I noted ten true one-hit wonders, artists who had a number-one hit and never placed another song on the Top 100. I found three more: Tell Me, Pretty Maiden (July 1901) by the Floradora Vocal Sextette, from the Broadway musical Floradora; Pagan Love Song (July 1929) by Frank Munn and the Copley Plaza Orchestra, from the Ramon Novarro movie The Pagan; and Mister Gallagher & Mr. Shean--"Positively, Mister Gallagher?" "Absolutely, Mister Shean!" (November 1922), a novelty song by vaudeville duo Ed Gallagher and Al Shean.

 

[sadchild]

Here's another "technically" not a one-hit wonder. But "subjectively" is he?
Reminder: this thread is only for acts with TWO top 40's - at least one of them in the top 10.

Owl City
#1 Fireflies
#8 Good Time

I say yes, he's subjectively a one-hit wonder.

 

[scotchandcigar]

Here's another "technically" not a one-hit wonder. But "subjectively" is he?
Reminder: this thread is only for acts with TWO top 40's - at least one of them in the top 10.

Owl City
#1 Fireflies
#8 Good Time

I say yes, he's subjectively a one-hit wonder.

Coincidentally, this was one of of the first bands I listed as having a really bad name.

 

[HecticArt]

I hope I replied with a Bear City video.

 

[sadchild]

Technically not a one-hit wonder. But are they subjectively?

Dead Or Alive
#11 You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)
#15 Brand New Lover

I say yes. The only time I ever hear Brand New Lover is 80s on 8 during a VJ or a "Remember this gem?" segment. And frankly, I don't even remember hearing back it in the 80s.

 

[Aaron]

I'm going with no on that one. I think both songs are familiar to fans of music of that era.

 

[scotchandcigar]

I'm going with no on that one. I think both songs are familiar to fans of music of that era.

Agree. As an avid 1st Wave listener, both get played a lot.

 

[Jon]

Definite no on that one. I do remember hearing both back during the 80's, both got played on a lot of 80's request shows over the years.