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My countdown list of one hit wonders- 1. Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry) (1 Viewer)

timschochet said:
How do you like the list so far, Krista? I’m anxious to get your opinion since you inspired the thread. 
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I'm loving the thread.  To me it's really hard to come up with great songs that were the only hits for an artist; as you've been doing this it's struck me that most one-hit wonders only had one hit for good reason.  As a result, there are quite a few songs on your list so far that I don't much care for, but I'm having a hard time thinking of many one-hit wonder songs that I do love.  Your list is nicely diverse in terms of musical styles and eras. 

 
timschochet said:
54. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”- The Tokens (1961) 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_LBmUwi6mEo

Originally recorded in South Africa in the 1920s, based on an even older folk song, this was adapted by the Doo *** group the Tokens in 1961 and pop music history was made. 

Doo *** music with very few exceptions tends to sound dated to me, significant only to its time and era and lacking the timeless quality of great popular music. But this song is an exception, probably because it is such a merger of styles (30 years before Paul Simon did the same thing). There’s a quality here that still makes it worth listening to in the 21st century. It’s great music. A weem a way. 
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I don't understand this comment.  Are you saying great pop music doesn't sound like the era it comes from?  I have a hard time thinking of any great pop music songs that don't have distinct qualities of the era it came from.

 
timschochet said:
54. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”- The Tokens (1961) 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_LBmUwi6mEo

Originally recorded in South Africa in the 1920s, based on an even older folk song, this was adapted by the Doo *** group the Tokens in 1961 and pop music history was made. 

Doo *** music with very few exceptions tends to sound dated to me, significant only to its time and era and lacking the timeless quality of great popular music. But this song is an exception, probably because it is such a merger of styles (30 years before Paul Simon did the same thing). There’s a quality here that still makes it worth listening to in the 21st century. It’s great music. A weem a way. 
Click to expand...
The evolution of the song is fascinating to me. The earliest known version was recorded in South Africa in 1939:

"Mbube" by Solomon Linda. Many people have assumed that the song was based on an old South African tribal song, but no such song has ever been discovered. At any rate, Linda's song contains melodies which correspond to "ayyy-up-ahhh", "wimoweh" and "the lion sleeps tonight", but it is missing the part the corresponds with "in the jungle, the mighty jungle".

In 1952, The Weavers adapted the song into "Wimoweh". This version does contain the melody which corresponds to "in the jungle, the mighty jungle", but it doesn't have any of those lyrics. It really doesn't have any lyrics at all, aside from "ayyy-up-ahhh" and "wimoweh".

THEN, in 1961, George Weiss added English lyrics to the previous melodies ("the lion sleeps tonight", etc.) and then The Tokens recorded it and the rest is history.

In 2004, Solomon Linda's estate filed a lawsuit to reclaim authorship of the song, and reached a settlement with the song's publishers as well as Disney (who had been using the song in their "Lion King" musical).

 
timschochet said:
54. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”- The Tokens (1961) 

Doo *** music with very few exceptions tends to sound dated to me, significant only to its time and era and lacking the timeless quality of great popular music. 
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Sound anymore dated then the Jefferson Airplane? How about Gary Numan or Lipps Inc? More dated than that "Mmmmmmmm" thing you posted a while back?

 
Uruk-Hai said:
Sound anymore dated then the Jefferson Airplane? How about Gary Numan or Lipps Inc? More dated than that "Mmmmmmmm" thing you posted a while back?
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Yes. Certain types of music sound more dated to me than others. Now that’s a subjective attitude and it’s no doubt related heavily to my age and background, but there you go. 

Of the songs you mentioned, the Gary Numan song sounds especially dated to me which is why it’s not higher on this list. 

 
krista4 said:
I'm loving the thread.  To me it's really hard to come up with great songs that were the only hits for an artist; as you've been doing this it's struck me that most one-hit wonders only had one hit for good reason.  As a result, there are quite a few songs on your list so far that I don't much care for, but I'm having a hard time thinking of many one-hit wonder songs that I do love.  Your list is nicely diverse in terms of musical styles and eras. 
Click to expand...
Glad you like it. Based on my (limited) understanding of your musical tastes, I suspect you will like the top 50 songs a lot more than the bottom. 

 
53. “Mr. Big Stuff”- Jean Knight (1970) 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bn6NhL60KHM

The video is from Soul Train- check out her awesome hair! That alone makes the song worthwhile. 

Actually, she’s not the greatest singer IMO. But the professionalism of the musicians and backup singers and the funkiness of the song make the whole thing work great and puts it squarely in the “classic soul” category. 

 
timschochet said:
53. “Mr. Big Stuff”- Jean Knight (1970) 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bn6NhL60KHM

The video is from Soul Train- check out her awesome hair! That alone makes the song worthwhile. 

Actually, she’s not the greatest singer IMO. But the professionalism of the musicians and backup singers and the funkiness of the song make the whole thing work great and puts it squarely in the “classic soul” category. 
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Have you heard about the 1990 cover version by the all-female hair band Precious Metal?

Take a guess at who demanded $250K to appear in their video after previously agreeing to do it for $10K? :lol:

 
timschochet said:
53. “Mr. Big Stuff”- Jean Knight (1970) 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bn6NhL60KHM

The video is from Soul Train- check out her awesome hair! That alone makes the song worthwhile. 

Actually, she’s not the greatest singer IMO. But the professionalism of the musicians and backup singers and the funkiness of the song make the whole thing work great and puts it squarely in the “classic soul” category. 
Click to expand...
Heavy D's first single was a cover of this song

 
timschochet said:
53. “Mr. Big Stuff”- Jean Knight (1970) 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bn6NhL60KHM

The video is from Soul Train- check out her awesome hair! That alone makes the song worthwhile. 

Actually, she’s not the greatest singer IMO. But the professionalism of the musicians and backup singers and the funkiness of the song make the whole thing work great and puts it squarely in the “classic soul” category. 
Click to expand...
Freddy Snakeskin would play this often back in the early days of KROQ. Love it.

 
timschochet said:
52. “Lovefool”- The Cardigans (1996) 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NI6aOFI7hms

Really a catchy tune. It sticks with you (not in a bad way.) That singer is amazingly beautiful too. (I’m allowed to say that right?) 
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Yes on the singer. But the song itself drove me insane when it was released and still does.

My Favourite Game, OTOH, was a surprisingly kick-### follow-up. If not for the slight inherent anachronism it would've made a great addition to the Captain Marvel soundtrack.

 
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timschochet said:
Sorry I considered Blue Swede, just don’t think enough of that tune. 
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I'm guessing song recognition between Hooked on a Feeling and Lovefool would be about 5000:1 in favor of Blue Swede. there's no way it can not be one of the top 100 one-hit wonders. That's a travishamockery.

 
apalmer said:
I'm guessing song recognition between Hooked on a Feeling and Lovefool would be about 5000:1 in favor of Blue Swede. there's no way it can not be one of the top 100 one-hit wonders. That's a travishamockery.
Click to expand...
Some of the most famous one hit wonders of all time are not going to make this list. 

 
Halfway done! Now it’s about to get serious. 

Up next is a song about a guy who’s been the subject matter of a few songs by a different, much more famous artist. 

 
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