That's Entertainment : One Hit Wonders 1991-2001
This week, leading in to the Xmas parties and late nights trying to catch a late night taxi, I've compiled a list of artists who only ever once troubled the compilers of the ARIA Chart [actually - upon a further inspection, ONE artist listed here actually hit #40 with their 2nd single...so really, I should have cut them, but hey.]. DOUBLE POINTS IF YOU CAN GUESS WHO.
Imagine. You slog you guts out for probably years. You refine your sound, practice your chops and most of the time, out of nowhere, you suddenly get gifted a song that hits the pointy end of a lot of countries' Top 50s. For those fifteen minutes, you're on all the music programs, you do all the interviews, you take all the photos for Smash Hits and the like.
So that magic moment passes you by, your left to rue missed opportunities or the like. And then suddenly, you never repeat that success. You're naff, you're forgotten...except by drunken screechers like me warbling at a party or bleating on and on and on about how unfair it was that you're a sad one hit wonder.
But fear not, for clods like us love nothing better than to sip a few lemonades and go to Xmas parties where DJs trot out songs from this list. Most of them are party anthems. I had to cut it down, so I arbitrarily chose 1991-2001. There are soooooo many more songs that could be included but there isn't time or space.
I've chucked in a few other little one hit wonders - not your classic 'novelty' type songs that the Brits seem to love and cherish and send hurtling to the #1 spot on their charts. Like Stiltskin - a band that had their song used for a Levi's ad in the mid-1990's before the singer went on to a short lived stint as vocalist for Genesis when Phil Collins moved on. And Linda Perry (singer of 4 Non Blondes) actually is a hit factory for Pink [Let's Get The Party Started], Gwen Stefani [What You Waiting For?] and Christina Aguilera [Candyman]. And did you know that Shannon Hoon [singer from Blind Melon] provided backing vocals for Guns N Roses on their song Don't Cry from their Use Your Illusion sets? And the Electric Hippies? Well they were 2 of the other blokes from Noiseworks. And did you also know, there's a song on here that I use to annoy the crap out of my wife? Yep...the very simple chorus repeated over and over drives her insane.
Anyway, all these singles are either annoyingly catchy ear candy or great little pop hits from almost 20 years ago.
And I'm sure you'll be out there during this Xmas Party season, commandeering the Karaoke microphones and ensuring that all these fine artists score their 2 and 1/2 cents per spin and have that 15 minutes of fame stretch out for another three and half minutes.
Oh, by the way, did you guess the band with the 2nd minor hit? It was the Crash Test Dummies who hit #40 with their follow up single Afternoons and Coffeespoons.
Londonbeat : I've Been Thinking About You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGw3w_njQ4g
EMF : Unbelievable http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waacof2saZw
KWS : Please Don't Go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w1TzLR2tYc
Blind Melon : No Rain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmVn6b7DdpA
4 Non Blondes : What's Up? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NXnxTNIWkc
Crash Test Dummies : Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIbcqgXh5-4
Stiltskin : Inside http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuTVKO0RScI
Francis Dunnery : American Life In The Summer Time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML8fJKUgB7M
Electric Hippies : Greedy People http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAkbxSfcI08
Deep Blue Something : Breakfast At Tiffany's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ClCpfeIELw
Babylon Zoo : Spaceman http://vimeo.com/68450506
OMC : How Bizarre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2cMG33mWVY
White Town : Your Woman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIQWt3oMids
Los Del Rio : Macarena http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiBYM6g8Tck
Blue Boy : Remember Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Eah_EGiDc
Chumbawamba : Tubthumpin' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS-zK1S5Dws
Cornershop : Brimful of Asha http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LBnMRWeV-E
Lou Bega : Mambo No 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unlc89KvLt4
Len : Steal My Sunshine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1fzJ_AYajA
Bomb Funk MCs : Freestyler http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymNFyxvIdaM
Baha Men : Who Let The Dogs Out? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkuu0Lwb5EM
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