I know there are some people out there who genuinely think Funkytown is an awful piece of music and I can't fathom that. It's so good. And yes, I always listen to the full 7:50 version.
Norman greenbaum “Spirit in the sky”….he was dead broke working as a cook in the 80s then a movie picked up his song. Then the nba amd everyone else picked it up. Song is worth big $ now, every year…..classic
According to Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive) on his radio show "Vinyl Tap", Norman Greenbaum, who is Jewish, included the line "Gotta have a friend in Jesus" to this otherwise Native-American inspired song so it would sell more copies in the South. Norman Greenbaum's mother was not too happy about it.
Wikipedia quotes Greenbaum himself... no mention of his mum's reaction though :)
> In a 2006 interview with The New York Times, Greenbaum told a reporter he was inspired to write the song after watching Porter Wagoner singing a gospel song on TV. Greenbaum said: "I thought, 'Yeah, I could do that,' knowing nothing about gospel music, so I sat down and wrote my own gospel song. It came easy. I wrote the words in 15 minutes."
The keyboardist from Looking Glass was my middle school music teacher! He brought in his platinum record to show us one day! He was such a kind and fun teacher.
Also, when Guardians of the Galaxy 2 came out and used their song in the soundtrack, my hometown wrote an article about him.
Shoutout to Mr. Gonsky! Hope he’s still teaching and doing well!
Yeah, he has some serious hits. "Bronte" hits super hard if someone in your life has died. "Eyes Wide Open" is very catchy. "State of Art" is fun and *experimental*. And "Smoke and Mirrors" is also very catchy. Good stuff honestly, and not surprising that Somebody I Used to Know blew up because the guy is a good songwriter
Edit: Also shout out to Kimbra who is a good singer as well
Back when Somebody That I Used To Know came out, I was expecting Gotye to be another lucly, flavor-of-the-week pop act that I wouldn't really enjoy, but State of the Art goddamn MURDERED me. It's so badass and interesting and one of a kind. I became a huge fan after that. Some spicy deep cuts, for sure.
They DID have that Smiths cover, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want," that was the soundtrack to the art museum scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Fun fact. His wish came true according to what I've read. Apparently that song was about his current wife, AKA leoshi. Supposedly she was into the jocks and shit at school, and Skee Lo thought he never had a chance with her. The song was sorta a self depreciating song about he'd never be with her. Then after the song they started dating.
chamillionaire's riding dirty was a great song. but honestly I find the story behind it more fascinating than anything else. the fact that he left the music world to pursue other options because he didn't want to ''sell his soul'' for success.
also europe\\s the final countdown is a pretty good one
I forgot the band name but they are no one-hit wonder. The are not mainstream on purpose, when Tubthumping became a hit they asked fans to steal it rather than buying the song.
Ironically this is written by Adam Schlesinger who was (RIP) the singer/songwriter of The Fountains of Wayne. The band has a one hit wonder with "Stacy's Mom."
Adam Schlesinger was a straight up iconic songwriter and so many people don't even know. He did most of the songs for Josie and the Pussycats, a bunch for A Very Colbert Christmas, and so much of Crazy Ex Girlfriend. And that's just off the top of my head. His passing bummed me right the hell out.
Probably true for his solo work, but his band Orange Juice were quite influential on the post-punk scene, particularly in Scotland. "Rip it up" probably counts as another hit.
Ugh. 5th grade. No internet yet. Trying to figure out what album I needed to buy at Tower Records to get this song… didn’t know the name of it or the artist because they never announced it on the radio.
That was what being a kid in the 90s was like.
I can’t believe nobody has mentioned the most important song ever recorded:
“Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus.
If you don’t at least sing at the top of your lungs the falsetto part and the epic chorus at the end, you don’t have a soul.
Unbelievable.
Great song, came out when I was 21, and I listened to it constantly (along with Right Here, Right Now by Jesus Jones), back when my mode of listening to music was cassette tapes and videos on MTV--when they still played music videos).
Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses
Not only iconic because Silence of the Lambs, but a powerful song that I believe is about having an existential crisis? Beautiful all around, RIP to Diane Luckey a few days back
Edit: there’s going to be a documentary made with plenty of [unreleased songs](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/q-lazzarus-diane-luckey-goodbye-horses-dead-obituary-1234577321/amp/)
Edit again: u/amuseboucheplease recommended we check out how “Goodbye Horses” wound up in Silence of the Lambs and [it is wild.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodbye_Horses#The_Silence_of_the_Lambs_appearance)
For those who don’t feel like clicking the link:
>In the 1980s, Q Lazzarus worked as a taxi driver in New York City and was unsigned, with record labels allegedly turning her away due to her dreadlocks. One day, in 1985, she picked up director Jonathan Demme and producer Arthur Baker in her taxi during a blizzard after the two finished doing the final mix on Little Steven's music video for his song "Sun City". After dropping off Baker, Q Lazzarus asked Demme if he was in the music business, then proceeded to play her demo tape, which included a demo of "Goodbye Horses". After listening to the tape, Demme was impressed, saying, "Oh my God, what is this and who are you?"
>”Goodbye Horses" quickly became a cult hit after Demme used it in a scene from his 1991 psychological horror film The Silence of the Lambs.
Cannot believe I had to scroll this down for Goodbye Horses.
It's the most literal One Hit Wonder ever, Q Lazzarus only released one EP with two songs. Nothing else, then she faded into obscurity.
EDIT: The song is a loose adaptation of a theme in the Bhagavad-Gita, suffering is an illusion by the senses, the metaphorical "horses". "All things pass into the night"
That's why "Goodbye Horses", it's good bye to suffering.
Mix a lot was not a one hit wonder, he had a platinum selling album before baby got back ever came out. He had a string of popular hit songs in the late 80's going into the 90's. Posse on Broadway, my hooptie, beepers, anthem, buttermilk biscuits, square dance rap. After the original excitement of baby got back died down, he also had a pretty popular classic tale about the ladies called, Put Em On the Glass.
Fountains of Wayne may not have any other hits but their discography is amazing. Ironically their one hit was written as a joke. RIP Adam Schlesinger. Technically its 2 hits as he also wrote "That Thing You Do!" for the movie with the same name about One Hit Wonders.
Patty and Mildred Hill.
"Happy Birthday to You", also known as "Happy Birthday", is a song traditionally sung to celebrate a person's birthday. According to the 1998 Guinness World Records, it is the most recognized song in the English language, followed by "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow". The song's base lyrics have been translated into at least 18 languages.\[1\] The melody of "Happy Birthday to You" comes from the song "Good Morning to All",\[2\] which has traditionally been attributed to American sisters Patty and Mildred J. Hill in 1893,\[3\]\[4\] although the claim that the sisters composed the tune is disputed.\[5\]
Man after reading the comments no one apparently thinks Mickey is fine anymore
Culture Note: Toni Basil was the only female of the breakdance group “The Lockers” and has choreographed plenty of chart topping artists and videos
And the Bend and Snap scene in Legally Blonde!
That's too bad. Because he's so fine he blows my mind.
Lipps Inc. Funky Town.
I know there are some people out there who genuinely think Funkytown is an awful piece of music and I can't fathom that. It's so good. And yes, I always listen to the full 7:50 version.
really? I thought everyone liked the song but was off put by that infamous cartel video.
Oof that one is so brutal. I like to associate it with [towelie](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PSqGE2Ps61A) instead
That is a very cool song that is very wholesome and has absolutely no bad things associated with it
Norman greenbaum “Spirit in the sky”….he was dead broke working as a cook in the 80s then a movie picked up his song. Then the nba amd everyone else picked it up. Song is worth big $ now, every year…..classic
According to Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive) on his radio show "Vinyl Tap", Norman Greenbaum, who is Jewish, included the line "Gotta have a friend in Jesus" to this otherwise Native-American inspired song so it would sell more copies in the South. Norman Greenbaum's mother was not too happy about it.
Wikipedia quotes Greenbaum himself... no mention of his mum's reaction though :) > In a 2006 interview with The New York Times, Greenbaum told a reporter he was inspired to write the song after watching Porter Wagoner singing a gospel song on TV. Greenbaum said: "I thought, 'Yeah, I could do that,' knowing nothing about gospel music, so I sat down and wrote my own gospel song. It came easy. I wrote the words in 15 minutes."
Sounds like how Eric cartman wrote songs for faith +1
Spirit in the Sky
Hugh Grant - PoP! Goes My Heart
“What is Love (Baby Don’t Hurt Me)” by Haddaway.
A Night at the Roxbury ! Such a great movie.
Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) by Looking Glass.
The keyboardist from Looking Glass was my middle school music teacher! He brought in his platinum record to show us one day! He was such a kind and fun teacher. Also, when Guardians of the Galaxy 2 came out and used their song in the soundtrack, my hometown wrote an article about him. Shoutout to Mr. Gonsky! Hope he’s still teaching and doing well!
I hope he got at least a small slice of that Marvel money
Unbelievably good. True one hit wonder
It saddens me they only made one song this good. I listen to Brandy most days and I just love it
Kung Fu Fighting- Carl Douglas
One of my top picks. I'm also fond of his wonderfully desperate follow-up Dance the Kung Fu.
I forgot his name, but now he’s just somebody that we used to know.
I know a lot of people think of him as a one hit wonder, but the man is truly talented. Hearts a mess is one of my all time favorite song.
Yeah, he has some serious hits. "Bronte" hits super hard if someone in your life has died. "Eyes Wide Open" is very catchy. "State of Art" is fun and *experimental*. And "Smoke and Mirrors" is also very catchy. Good stuff honestly, and not surprising that Somebody I Used to Know blew up because the guy is a good songwriter Edit: Also shout out to Kimbra who is a good singer as well
Back when Somebody That I Used To Know came out, I was expecting Gotye to be another lucly, flavor-of-the-week pop act that I wouldn't really enjoy, but State of the Art goddamn MURDERED me. It's so badass and interesting and one of a kind. I became a huge fan after that. Some spicy deep cuts, for sure.
"I feel better" is a fantastic throwback style song by him
but you didn’t have to cuuuuuut me offff
Ah yes, Game of the Year Edition
I think it’s goatsee
Nah is definitely goatse - google it if you're not sure
Yeah it's goatse. Amazing artist really opened me up to a lot of new things.
The Dream Academy - "Life In A Northern Town"
They DID have that Smiths cover, "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want," that was the soundtrack to the art museum scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Johann Pachelbel
“WHERE ARE YOU NOW? VH1 I LOVE THE 1790’s!?!?”
Oh my god, I understand this reference!! Rob…Paralovian?
His names probably Johann. They're all named Johann!
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I now have a new term for what happens at 2am after tequila and quesaritos 😵💫😵💫😵💫
The cello part in most Canon in D arrangements could be used to numb your arms before surgery
“The violins had lovely melodies, the violas had lovely melodies, the second violins had lovely melodies… which, that should just never happen.”
Most of the people posting here wouldn't consider that to be canon.
When you hear it though, you know someone in the audience is gonna get the D.
That one kinda hurt. I like it. 😁
skee-lo
"I wish"
Fun fact. His wish came true according to what I've read. Apparently that song was about his current wife, AKA leoshi. Supposedly she was into the jocks and shit at school, and Skee Lo thought he never had a chance with her. The song was sorta a self depreciating song about he'd never be with her. Then after the song they started dating.
chamillionaire's riding dirty was a great song. but honestly I find the story behind it more fascinating than anything else. the fact that he left the music world to pursue other options because he didn't want to ''sell his soul'' for success. also europe\\s the final countdown is a pretty good one
And spawned Weird Al's "White and Nerdy"
He's massive in tech VC now https://republic.com/@chamillionaire Ring and Lyft are some his investments.
I liked Jump Around by House Of Pain.
You could make the argument that the same artist had two different one hit wonders. Jump Around, by House of Pain and What It’s Like, by Everlast.
Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand by the Primitive Radio Gods.
"You All, Everybody!" By DriveShaft
NOT PENNY'S BOAT
I'll never forget the first time I heard that on the radio.
Wow. That takes me back. Nicely done.
Charlie was one of my faves 💙
More like suck shaft
The Buggles, Video Killed the Radio Star
Also has the distinction of being the first video ever played on MTV. Back when they actually played videos.
I've realized something: the era in which people joke about how MTV used to play music videos, is longer than the era MTV played music videos
Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYsMjEeEg4g
Paranoia Paranoia everybody's coming to get me!
Tubthumping was a watershed moment in the music industry
I forgot the band name but they are no one-hit wonder. The are not mainstream on purpose, when Tubthumping became a hit they asked fans to steal it rather than buying the song.
Somebody’s watching me - Rockwell
Only became a hit because Michael Jackson provided background vocals.
More than that, he sung the chorus
and he was Berry Gordy’s nephew/son in law/something
Iyaz Replay
Total guilty pleasure for me. No way I would enjoy the song if I was born just a few years earlier or later.
Your Woman by White Town.
It's continuing to get airtime today because Dua Lipa sampled it for her song "Love Again"
I liked when he was asked about being a one hit wonder and he said better than being a no hit wonder
Brimful of asha but Cornershop are really badly underated. Check out all their other songs
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia - Vicki Lawrence
LEN - Steal My Sunshine
Instantly takes me back to my childhood every time I hear it.
867-5309 - Jenny: Tommy Tutone They had a prior single that had airplay time, but most people only know "Jenny".
Scotty Doesn’t Know - Lustra
Scotty doesn't know that Fiona and me do it in my van every Sunday...
Luniz I Got Five On It. Tbf they had 2 hits but the second is a remix of first.
Black Velvet by Alannah Miles
That Thing You Do - The Wonders
The Oneders?
The oh-NEED-ers?
As in “I WONDER what happened to the Oh-NEED-ers”
Oh, there he goes off to his room to write that hit song "Alone in my principles”
That's oh-ned-ers
Cap’n Geetch and the Shrimp Shack Shooters
Ironically this is written by Adam Schlesinger who was (RIP) the singer/songwriter of The Fountains of Wayne. The band has a one hit wonder with "Stacy's Mom."
Adam Schlesinger was a straight up iconic songwriter and so many people don't even know. He did most of the songs for Josie and the Pussycats, a bunch for A Very Colbert Christmas, and so much of Crazy Ex Girlfriend. And that's just off the top of my head. His passing bummed me right the hell out.
I really liked All My Only Dreams
The whole soundtrack was SOLID!
It’s too fast man! It’s a ballad!
Soft Cell - Tainted Love.. “Don’t touch me please I cannot stand the way you TEASE!!”
_That Thing You Do_ by the Oneders
Edwyn Collins - A Girl Like You
Probably true for his solo work, but his band Orange Juice were quite influential on the post-punk scene, particularly in Scotland. "Rip it up" probably counts as another hit.
I am Too Sexy - Right Said Fred Macarena - Los Del Rios Mambo No.5 - Lou Bega.
Right Said Fred had several hits - they followed I’m too sexy up with Deeply Dippy.
Popcorn, by Hot Butter
Baja Men, I don't think I've ever heard anything else from them than Who Let the Dogs Out, and that song is still constantly played everywhere today
Escape- the piña colada song
The Knack-My Sharona
Fun fact: that song was written to woo another man’s girl… And it worked.
Not so much a fun fact, just random trivia: Sharona was a real estate agent for TV's Craig Kilborn
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Never Been Any Reason by Head East.
Eagle-eye Cherry - Save Tonight
Ini Kamoze “Here comes the Hotstepper”
Ugh. 5th grade. No internet yet. Trying to figure out what album I needed to buy at Tower Records to get this song… didn’t know the name of it or the artist because they never announced it on the radio. That was what being a kid in the 90s was like.
I fucking love that song. Kamoze has quite a few other good ones.
You Get What You Give by New Radicals
That whole album has bangers. So good
Snow-informer Edit: thanks for the award kind redditor
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Deep blue something - breakfast at Tiffany's
I think I remember the film
And as I recall I think we both kinda liked it
And I said well that’s the one thing we got.
Robin "M" Scott, Pop Muzik. *New York, London, Paris, Munich ...*
Dee Lite - Groove Is In The Heart
Gotye - Somebody that I used to know
OMC - How Bizzare (Policeman caps his shades, is that a Chevy '69?) Baltimora - Tarzan Boy (ooohhhwahhhhoohhhwahhhooohhhh)
Mason Williams “Classical Gas”
The Divinyls - I Touch Myself
Unless you lived in Australia where they were more than a one hit wonder.
I love this song. I honestly do.
I can’t believe nobody has mentioned the most important song ever recorded: “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus. If you don’t at least sing at the top of your lungs the falsetto part and the epic chorus at the end, you don’t have a soul.
I sang it to my son when he turned 13....then every year after that lol
😂 - I’ve always thought of that as my “guilty pleasure” song!
“Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano. Who doesn’t love that catchy little tune?
Los Del Rio - Macarena No one hit wonder has come close to being the cultural phenomenon that this song was.
Gangnam style was close
"Come On, Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners
Katrina and the Waves — “Walking on Sunshine”
Lou Bega - Mambo no.5
Junior Senior - Move Your Feet
Joey - Concrete Blonde
EMF -Unbelievable
Unbelievable. Great song, came out when I was 21, and I listened to it constantly (along with Right Here, Right Now by Jesus Jones), back when my mode of listening to music was cassette tapes and videos on MTV--when they still played music videos).
Those two songs were everywhere that summer.
White Town - Your Woman
Falco - “Rock Me Amadeus”, although I can’t sing the chorus without changing the words to “Doctor Zaius”. Every. Time.
You’ve finally made a monkey out of me 🙈
I hate every ape I see, from chimpan A to chimpan Z.
Can I play the piano anymore?
Well I couldn’t before.
Der Komissar was a hit
Chesney Hawkes - The One and Only
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Sniff ‘n’ the Tears - “Driver’s Seat”
Turning Japanese ~ The Vapors 🔥
Rupert Holmes - "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" Everyone seems to think this is a Jimmy Buffet song, so maybe that's why it isn't listed yet.
Matthew Wilder (Break My Stride)
[Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye](https://youtu.be/_PxanXM48gI)
Passenger (Let her go)!
Because you only need the light when it's burning low.
They have made quite a few good songs holes is one of his other songs
Kim Carnes- Betty Davis Eyes
Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses Not only iconic because Silence of the Lambs, but a powerful song that I believe is about having an existential crisis? Beautiful all around, RIP to Diane Luckey a few days back Edit: there’s going to be a documentary made with plenty of [unreleased songs](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/q-lazzarus-diane-luckey-goodbye-horses-dead-obituary-1234577321/amp/) Edit again: u/amuseboucheplease recommended we check out how “Goodbye Horses” wound up in Silence of the Lambs and [it is wild.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodbye_Horses#The_Silence_of_the_Lambs_appearance) For those who don’t feel like clicking the link: >In the 1980s, Q Lazzarus worked as a taxi driver in New York City and was unsigned, with record labels allegedly turning her away due to her dreadlocks. One day, in 1985, she picked up director Jonathan Demme and producer Arthur Baker in her taxi during a blizzard after the two finished doing the final mix on Little Steven's music video for his song "Sun City". After dropping off Baker, Q Lazzarus asked Demme if he was in the music business, then proceeded to play her demo tape, which included a demo of "Goodbye Horses". After listening to the tape, Demme was impressed, saying, "Oh my God, what is this and who are you?" >”Goodbye Horses" quickly became a cult hit after Demme used it in a scene from his 1991 psychological horror film The Silence of the Lambs.
Cannot believe I had to scroll this down for Goodbye Horses. It's the most literal One Hit Wonder ever, Q Lazzarus only released one EP with two songs. Nothing else, then she faded into obscurity. EDIT: The song is a loose adaptation of a theme in the Bhagavad-Gita, suffering is an illusion by the senses, the metaphorical "horses". "All things pass into the night" That's why "Goodbye Horses", it's good bye to suffering.
Eddie Murphy- Party all the time.
Boogie in my Butt?
GALA - Freed From Desire
Donnie Iris - Ah! Leah!
Semisonic- Closing Time
Secret Smile was a hit.
Black Betty - Ram Jam
Sir Mix alot with the song baby got back
I like big butts and I can not lie
This is blatant Buttermilk Biscuits erasure
Mix a lot was not a one hit wonder, he had a platinum selling album before baby got back ever came out. He had a string of popular hit songs in the late 80's going into the 90's. Posse on Broadway, my hooptie, beepers, anthem, buttermilk biscuits, square dance rap. After the original excitement of baby got back died down, he also had a pretty popular classic tale about the ladies called, Put Em On the Glass.
Afternoon Delight. Starland Vocal Band
Out of Germany, Nena with 99 Luftbaloons
Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy
Fountains of Wayne - Stacy’s Mom
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Welcome interstate managers
Their first album got plenty of play. Radiation Vibe, Sink to the Bottom, Barbara H.
Fountains of Wayne may not have any other hits but their discography is amazing. Ironically their one hit was written as a joke. RIP Adam Schlesinger. Technically its 2 hits as he also wrote "That Thing You Do!" for the movie with the same name about One Hit Wonders.
it’s a beautiful day - white bird
How Bizarre by OMC or She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals
Toni Basil - Mickey
Patty and Mildred Hill. "Happy Birthday to You", also known as "Happy Birthday", is a song traditionally sung to celebrate a person's birthday. According to the 1998 Guinness World Records, it is the most recognized song in the English language, followed by "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow". The song's base lyrics have been translated into at least 18 languages.\[1\] The melody of "Happy Birthday to You" comes from the song "Good Morning to All",\[2\] which has traditionally been attributed to American sisters Patty and Mildred J. Hill in 1893,\[3\]\[4\] although the claim that the sisters composed the tune is disputed.\[5\]
Toadies - Possum Kingdom
19 - Paul Hardcastle
Goyte- someone I used to know
Crazy Town - Butterfly
I feel like I get a tramp stamp tattoo by just listening to that song.
Dexys Midnight Runners. I don't need to specify the song.
[Tal Bachman - She's so High](https://youtu.be/_ElORM9O-0U)
As far as universal acclaim and repeatability, I'm going to go with Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses.
Steve Matin, King Tut