80s "omg I loved that one" one hit wonders mix tape thread

The last week or so, we've waxed nostalgic on Sly Fox and Boys Don't Cry, along with Kajagoogoo, The Breakfast Club, Baltimora and The System. Instead of starting a thread for each of them (and others), here's a new catch-all thread.

Let's go nuts!

1. Sly Fox - Let's Go All the Way
2. Boys Don't Cry - I Wanna Be A Cowboy
3. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
4. Breakfast Club - Right on Track
5. Baltimora - Tarzan Boy
6. The System - Don't Disturb This Groove

7. The Partland Brothers - Soul City

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtcCC_Y24FQ

8. When in Rome - The Promise

one hit wonder is used here more as a concept than an actuality, btw. No need for pedantry.

xp YES love "The Promise"!

9. Scarlett & Black - You Don't Know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6qPno9wOhw

10. Animotion - Obsession

a million times YES to Animotion

11. The Icicle Works - "Whisper (To A Scream)"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIxgHu5U1v4

12. Ready For The World - "Oh Sheila"

okay I know we said no pedantry and I LOVE "Oh Sheila" but... "Love You Down"?????????

Funny that Ready For The World turned up. I was just looking them up since my iTunes has Don't Disturb This Groove twice. Once listed as The System and once as Ready For The World. Searched for Oh Sheila after visiting the RFTW discogs page and all I have is the Prince version. Gotta head to youtube I guess.

I had multiple RFTW albums so I can't really argue.

Mental As Anything - Live It Up

13. Freur - Doot-Doot

Ha! I went away for a few minutes and "Oh Sheila" and "Obsession" were the next two songs I'd planned to post. Thanks for reading my mind, ILM! (Though I guess "Oh Sheila" might be disqualified.)

I might be in the distinct minority -- holding this song in any sort of regard -- but:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1EH9vGJ2gI

Wait a minute. This blows my mind. I thought this was Prince the whole time and 'Sheila' = Sheila E. durrr.....zzzzzprttaslznad

Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride

lol after my pedantry fit re: RFTW it seems fitting that say:

15. Level 42 - "Something About You"

I never knew who "Whisper (To a Scream)" was by before just now. Thanks DJP!

16. General Public - "Tenderness"

17. Big Country - "In A Big Country"

Had completely forgotten that "Holiday" song! Obvious touchstone for Alphabeat.

Gah! This thread is crazy. I just clicked on Level 42 in iTunes, refreshed page and bam!

18. Glass Tiger - "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)"

19. Oran Juice Jones - The Rain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dZW1C3neao

Gonna go ahead and add this:

20. Electric Avenue - Eddie Grant

yeah, yeah, i know. but if level 42 counts...

lol I messed up that song title, it's "Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)"

21. Timex Social Club - Rumours

We've already got on cd's worth of "all killer, no filler". Keep them coming.

yeah it's semi-terrifying to me how much I like every single one of these songs

22. Mai Tai - Body and Soul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaL0fs1FYcA

what, "groove is in the heart" was 1990??

23. Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride

(hope i didn't ruin the killer/filler run)

that was already listed!

23. Maria Vidal - Body Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv79obqPI-Q

24. Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-11

25. T'Pau - Heart and Soul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwrYMWoqg5w

25. Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait

doh, 26. Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait

"Body and Soul"! haven't thought of that in a dog's age.

How are we on novelty tracks? Cuz "Pac-Man Fever" is awesome.

lol I'd just put together a T'Pau post.

27. Wall of Voodoo - Mexican Radio

28. ROCK ME AMADEUS!!

itt a bunch of dudes read each others' minds

29. Nena - 99 Luftballons

Did Shannon have other hits besides "Let the Music Play"? Because if not, she deserves to kick off the mix.

30. Shannon - Let the Music Play

I only know one song by Joe Jackson so to me he's a one hit wonder so, with that in mind...

31. Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out

It's def his biggest US hit of the 80s (may have had some others in the late 70s).

he did "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" so he's kind of a two-hit wonder, though that was in the 70's so I guess yeah

TS: Red Balloons vs. Luftballons? (better in its native tongue imo)

Shannon had "Give Me Tonight" as well

really going deep into the bag here (that bag is labelled 'embarrassing songs you loved when you were 12')

32. Debarge - Rhythm of the Night

Oh no Mai Tai had two hits! And 'History' was better than 'Body and Soul'.

33. Denice Williams - Let's Hear It For The Boy

subtitle this section, songs from movies I saw with my sister

34. Company B - "Fascinated"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b-6ksMdkrU

On the Debarge tip...

35. El Debarge - Who's Johnny?

(this was the first 45 I ever bought)

The vocals on the chorus of "Heart and Soul" are so great.

36. 'Til Tuesday - Voices Carry

37. Taylor Dayne - Tell It To My Heart

Taylor Dayne was all over the charts for at least two solid years.

there's at least a handful of these on Now That's What I Call Music albums 1 thru 16 (uk versions)...

Taylor Dane had like 7 top ten hits!

xp, i mean a handful on every one of the 16...

Yeah, but that's her best song! Ok, nix it if you want. I searched for her on Youtube before posting and I couldn't sing any of the others that showed up.

In that same category, it's a shame Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam had so many good songs during this period.

See also: Jody Watley (but i'd put Don't You Want Me on there if it was my mix)

38. Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me

39. Harold Faltermeyer, Axel F

40. Pebbles - Girlfriend

41. Donnie Iris, "Ah Leah" ftw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyTu_ZdcBCo

42. Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID_N7rv-iN8

(this is the most potent earworm ever)

43. Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses

44. Real Life, "Send Me An Angel"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6zBjYIyz-0

Drat. was just about to post htat Jermaine Stewart one.

I'd heard "Aw Leah" and the name Donnie Iris, but had never put the two together.

45. Herbie Hancock - Rockit! (obviously HH shouldn't be classified as a one-hit wonder but not only does this track stand in its own, it was his first relevant release in more than a decade)

46. Eddie Murphy - "Party all the Time"

I think it's just... we're sort of chronicling awesome flukes here.

speaking of which:

47. Limited Warranty - "Victory Line"

also if we're including a Pebbles song it should be "Mercedes Boy"

48. Men Without Hats - Safety Dance

50. Jan Hammer - Theme from Miami Vice

Err. 49.

then 51. Men at Work - Down Under !!!

52. The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star

(this is starting to look like a VH1 show now. I'm trying to dig deeper, but I'm gonna have to put some thought into it.)

but before I forget...

53. The Georgia Satellites - Keep Your Hands to Yourself

54. Hair Cut 100, "Love Plus One." Waiting for Vampire Weekend or someone to cover this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7ayawh378Q

55. Paul Hardcastle - 19

ok, here's a deep cut that no one should love:

56. "Macho Man" Randy Savage - Speaking From the Heart

57. Oingo Boingo - "Weird Science"

yes I know that the definition of "hit" is being stretched there

58. Peter Schilling, "Major Tom (Coming Home)"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEG7OzvSMBA

Excellent one!

59. Nocera - Summertime, Summertime

Weird Science is probably the best-known Oingo Boingo song by people who don't listen to Oingo Boingo, but my pick would've been Private Life.

60. Kim Carnes, "Betty Davis Eyes" (first hit with a syndrum, I think):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Al9blQOhNw

xp: Prefer 'The Different Story' to Major Tom, especially because the video features a white horse and a man playing pan-flute, but you got there first.

my real Boingo pick would have been "Nothing Bad Ever Happens" but apparently despite there being a video it was never released as a single

62. John Waite, "MIssing You"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4HY1vc4c38

63. Boy Meets Girl - Waiting for a Star to Fall

hahahahaha I was just humming that to myself

64. Swing Out Sister - Breakout

I love "Waiting for a Star"

65. Mysterious Art - Das Omen

bit of an obscure german pop hit but i love it and it fits the vibes here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyD8dfyj_Jo

for the longest time I thought Everything But The Girl and Boy Meets Girl were the same band

66. Trio - Da Da Da

I guess they probably had more hits in Germany, and this probably wasn't even a hit until years later in the US thanks to a VW ad. I'm retroactively including it, though.

YES YES YES YES YES YES

67. Opus - Live Is Life

68. Laid Back - "White Horse"

I don't know that Opus song at all.

69. Kim Wilde - Keep My Hanging On

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8j2ej5jqQw

for longest time I didn't hear the word "don't" in the lyrics

I thought it was "If you wanna ride/Then ride the white horse"

my parents were... concerned

re: Kim Wilde..."Kids in America" definitely put her on the map a few years beforehand.

70. Taco - Puttin on the Ritz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_W5QnO5UGk

71. Katrina and the Waves - Walkin on Sunshine

by the way, did you know there was a Taylor Swift song called "White Horse"

I am never listening to it so that I can claim it's a cover

ah, yeah, Kids In America. I associate that song with Kids Incorporated for some reason.

72. Pigbag - Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNDccgakPvo

I wish Bananarama had never released "Venus" so I could put "Cruel Summer" on this list.

73. Noel - Silent Morning

Banarama had 10 top tens over here!

74. It Bites - Calling All the Heroes

75. Dino - Summergirls

(mining the Freestlye genre now)

I'd never heard Silent Morning before, but wau I love it.

Silent Morning got played next to True Faith a bunch back when I used to ride in the back seat of my parents car.

OMG I just realized that "Pump Up the Volume" totally counts here. So...

76. M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up the Volume

77. Double - The Captain of Her Heart

<3

yesss

oh shit! forgot all about that song. there's a recent song that sampled/replayed that opening and now it's going to drive me crazy trying to track it down.

Massive xposts , but Men At Work had a handful of hits.

78. Rebbie Jackson - "Centipede"

http://youtu.be/a8SdzwoIcwo

UGH:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8SdzwoIcwo

79. Gregory Abbott - Shake You Down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc8wmLul3uw

xp: lol, itt etc 79. Gregory Abbot - Shake You Down

uncanny

80. Evelyn 'Champagne' King - Love Come Down

BA DUM DUM...really surprised it took us 80 songs before anyone thought of this

81. Stacey Q - Two of Hearts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aINmJ5ieM6Y

82. The Escape Club - Wild Wild West

also I heard Tarzan Boy recently for the first time in about 20 years, has not aged well at all

has not aged well at all

GTFO

Johnny, I played Two of Hearts and thought about posting it but didn't.

I want to put

83. Falco - Rock Me Amadeus

but I think that only counts in certain countries (also I have five of his albums so)

I will be turning this into a CDR700 btw.

xp Rock Me Amadeus already accounted for fwiw

Rock Me Amadeus is a weird one too because there are about 40 different mixes/edits to pick from.

also there's "Vienna Calling" and "Der Kommisar" to consider

I don't know that Opus song at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vashrNoXTE

ah, I even did a text search for "falco", oh well

also there's "Vienna Calling" and "Der Kommisar" to consider

― Dreaded Burrito Gang (DJP), Tuesday, 3 May 2011 08:39 (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

This is when the whole one-hit-wonder thing gets murky imo (and why I was hesitant to put Falco (which is annulled now anyway coz frogsbs beat me to it))

83. Falco - Rock Me Amadeus

83. The Firm - Star Trekkin'

84. Stacy Lattisaw - Attack of the Name Game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvB0rn4SPpg

not one hit wonders in other incarnations, but...

85. The Assembly - Never Never

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIJc4Hx3OVc

not one hit wonders in other incarnations, but...

86. Colourfield, Thinking of You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL66n6icM2g

87. johnny hates jazz - shattered dreams

not one hit wonders in an other incarnation, but...

88. Big Audio Dynamite, E=MC^2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHTDkJ-bQqM

89. Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew

also I heard Tarzan Boy recently for the first time in about 20 years, has not aged well at all

this is patent nonsense

hmmm I wonder....

90. Killing Joke, A Love Like Blood

91. Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling (am willing to drop this if moderate UK success is convincing)

92. Limahl - Neverending Story (on a technicality imo)

93. Landscape, Einstein-A-Go-Go

94. Mickey - Toni Basil

95. I Know There's Something Going On - Frida

96. They Don't Know - Tracey Ullman

Streamlined the list, took out questionables

1. Sly Fox - Let's Go All the Way
2. Boys Don't Cry - I Wanna Be A Cowboy
3. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
4. Breakfast Club - Right on Track
5. Baltimora - Tarzan Boy
6. The System - Don't Disturb This Groove
7. The Partland Brothers - Soul City
8. When in Rome - The Promise
9. Scarlett & Black - You Don't Know
10. Animotion - Obsession
11. The Icicle Works - Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)
12. Mental As Anything - Live It Up
13. Freur - Doot-Doot
14. The Other Ones - Holiday
15. Level 42 - Something About You
16. General Public - Tenderness
17. Big Country - In a Big Country
18. Glass Tiger - Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)
19. Oran Juice Jones - The Rain
20. Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue
21. Timex Social Club - Rumors
22. Mai Tai - Body and Soul
23. Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride
24. Maria Vidal - Body Rock
25. Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-11
26. T'Pau - Heart and Soul
27. Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait
28. Wall of Voodoo - Mexican Radio
29. Nena - 99 Luftballons
30. Shannon - Let the Music Play
31. Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out
32. Debarge - Rhythm of the Night
33. Denice Williams - Let's Hear It For The Boy
34. Company B - Fascinated
35. El Debarge - Who's Johnny?
36. 'Til Tuesday - Voices Carry
37. Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me
38. Harold Faltermeyer - Axel F
39. Donnie Iris - Ah Leah
40. Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off
41. Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses
42. Real Life - Send Me an Angel
43. Herbie Hancock - Rockit!
44. Eddie Murphy - Party All the Time
45. Limited Warranty - Victory Line
46. Men Without Hats - Safety Dance
47. Jan Hammer - Theme from Miami Vice
48. The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
49. The Georgia Satellites - Keep Your Hands to Yourself
50. Haircut One Hundred - Love Plus One
51. Paul Hardcastle - 19
52. "Macho Man" Randy Savage - Speaking From the Heart
53. Oingo Boingo - Weird Science
54. Peter Schilling - Major Tom (Coming Home)
55. Nocera - Summertime, Summertime
56. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
57. John Waite - Missing You
58. Boy Meets Girl - Waiting for a Star to Fall
59. Swing Out Sister - Breakout
60. Mysterious Art - Das Omen
61. Trio - Da Da Da
62. Opus - Live Is Life
63. Laid Back - White Horse
64. Taco - Puttin' on the Ritz
65. Katrina and The Waves - Walking on Sunshine
66. Pigbag - Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag
67. Noel - Silent Morning
68. It Bites - Calling All the Heroes
69. Dino - Summergirls
70. M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up the Volume
71. Double - The Captain of Her Heart
72. Rebbie Jackson - Centipede
73. Gregory Abbott - Shake You Down
74. Evelyn 'Champagne' King - Love Come Down
75. Stacey Q - Two of Hearts
76. The Escape Club - Wild Wild West
77. The Firm - Star Trekkin'
78. Stacy Lattisaw - Attack of the Name Game
79. The Assembly - Never Never
80. Colourfield - Thinking of You
81. Johnny Hates Jazz - Shattered Dreams
82. Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew
83. Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling
84. Limahl - Neverending Story
85. Landscape - Einstein A-Go-Go
86. Toni Basil - Mickey
87. Frida - I Know There's Something Going On
88. Tracey Ullman - They Don't Know

looks a lot like Rhino's Like Omigod! box.

95. I Know There's Something Going On - Frida

Holy shit yes

Silent Morning got played next to True Faith a bunch back when I used to ride in the back seat of my parents car.

These two songs and Company B's "Fascinated" were the sound of Miami in summer '87.

neu-89. The Takeaways - Sweet and Sour

Has anyone mentioned Romeo Void's "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)"?

Because some of these were not one hit wonders, let me propose alternates better than their biggest hits:

Level 42 - Lessons in Love
Taylor Dayne - Prove Your Love
Eddie Grant - Romancing The Stone

xpost Wasn't "Der Kommisar" a hit by a British band covering Falco?

Anyway, musn't overlook this dubious hit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s05jcrJw0as

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4gZg3-Kvlo

SO many bands excluded because they had TWO hits, bastards.

xpost Wasn't "Der Kommisar" a hit by a British band covering Falco?

Falco did it, then ATF (After the Fire) covered it in English. Fair call for a one-hit wonder imo.

I Wanna Be A Cowbow was listed in first post.

I love Hipsway's Honeythief but thought I was the only one!

90. Arcadia - Election Day

Good one. So is "Goodbye is Forever."

Romeo Void TS: Girl In Trouble vs. Never Say Never. This reminds me, I need to get original mixes of both of these songs, the remixes I have are pretty terrible.

Speaking of which, Power Station were a three hit wonder, but "Communication" is the best of the lot and would fit splendidly in sequence.

Romeo Void TS: Girl In Trouble vs. Never Say Never.

I love both, but the former has a sadness and resignation that I've never forgotten.

91. Dramarama - "Last Cigarette" (though calling it a hit in any sense of the word is pushing it)

btw, was "Goodbye Horses" ever actually a hit? I guess were playing w/o many rules here anyway, but that seems like a stretch.

Naked Eyes: Always Something There To Remind Me vs. Promises Promises

92. Tommy Tutone - 867-5309

91b. Don Dixon - "Praying Mantis" (another non- hit that shoulda been huge. Feel free to skip them both)

93. Crowded House - "Something So Strong" (over "Don't Dream It's Over" -- I said it.)

If we're considering Dramarama, wouldn't Anything Anything be the most broadly memorable track?

yeah, I just don't like it as much.

94. "Boom Boom (Let's Go Back to My Room)" - Paul Lekakis

95. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIxHhmQE2kQ&feature=related

96. Pretty Poison - Catch Me I'm Falling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNQUhqFZ3h8

^^^ another HUGE Miami freestyle hit. Lekakis is not a gay porn star.

re "Boom Boom Boom"

"Boom Boom Boom"! So good.

^ that reminds me, I need to see Hiding Out. xps to Pretty Poison.

I lived in FLA at the time of the Lekakis & it was huge; same time as "Barbara's Bedroom" by Whistle but apparently Whistle had a bunch of hits or hits-ish. But "Barbara's Bedroom" is great.

97. Newcleus - Jam on It

Lekakis' hit was HUGE a couple of months before "Silent Morning."

98. Nolan Thomas - "Yo Little Brother"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L0H_w9kBx8

99. Junior - Mama Used to Say

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwTTGnDcwoA

Calling out Crowded House on the basis that no way was that band a one-hit wonder.

iawtc

I mean there can be a fuzzy line between what does and doesn't constitute a one-hit wonder but Crowded House is cut and dried xp

Yeah -- they were a TWO hit wonder in the States.

I know they were huge everywhere else in the world except the US.

we're missing all the hard rock/hair metal one hitters.

100. Autograph - "Turn Up The Radio"

Was this actually a hit? For some reason, it has a permanent spot on WXRT's (Chicago) playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJou-XIUywQ

I've always loved this, but I have no idea if it was a hit, or if they had others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZbdoCMdZn8

SHAME ON ALL OF YOU FOR NOT MENTIONING THIS:

101. Dazz Band - "Let It Whip"

102. Robbie Nevil - C'est La Vie

"Shake You Down" -- Gregory Abbott
"Da Butt" -- EU

I know probably not technical one hit wonders but I'll be surprised if anyone can name > 1 Gregory Abbott song

i'll see your Dazz Band and raise you one...

103. Deele - Body Talk

"Shake You Down" was mentioned upthread.

104. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnejLmQGYhg

Robbie Nevil's "Wot's It To Ya" is SO much better than "C'est La Vie" though!

105. World's Famous Supreme Team - Hey DJ
I don't know if that was ever really a hit though

I remember that! Off to youtube...

xpost to Alfred

106. The Passions - I'm in Love With a German Film Star

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkismiXva3M

Icehouse - Electric Blue? I have no idea if these guys had any hits.

other than "Crazy," no. But, wow, I love "Electric Blue"'s chorus. Cowritten by John Oates!

Crazy was the bigger hit at the time iirc, but Electric Blue is the one more people remember now.

"Electric Blue" hit the top ten, "Crazy" didn't, but it's possible "Crazy" got more airplay.

Did we make a decision on Romeo Void? Never Say Never would be my choice between the two, but I haven't looked at any chart data. (I guess the fact that there's any debate should strike them from contention.)

Icehouse had a handful of hits but only here so who cares. Also they were shit.

107. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmWxUGStTj4

108. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-mQyRuHIuA

Good call on The Church!

Painful to think of The Church as a ohw, but they probably are as far as the US is concerned.

109. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bOjc70f4p8

okay look, if you're going to limit what counts as a one-hit wonder to "what counts in the USA only" you need to change the subject line

if Jim Carroll fits, then we should add

110. Nails - 88 Lines about 44 Women

111. Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill

112. Alison Moyet - Invisible

BTW, distant xpost, my midwest friends often cite Oran Juice Jones' "The Rain" as a regional one hit wonder (east coast) that never made it here, and "Switchin' to Glide" by the Kings as a monster regional hit 'round here that never made it out east. Man, I miss the days of regional hits ...

113. Soft Cell, "Tainted Love"

"The Rain" was a top ten pop hit.

114.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT6Lv5iBsLM

115. Animotion v. 2.0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87vA2hx0je8

I actually remember that one! From the My Stepmother is an Alien soundtrack.

Animotion did "Obsession" too, right? That was the theme song for the MTV style show.

Is Quarterflash "Harden My Heart" on this list yet?

okay look, if you're going to limit what counts as a one-hit wonder to "what counts in the USA only" you need to change the subject line

That's one of the pitfalls of ILM being largely US/UK-centric, because bands from outside those two markets who may have had numerous hits (like The Church) in Australia or elsewhere seem like odd picks (and even within the US/UK dynamic, a band like Bananarama was minor in one market and major in another).

And songs that may have hit in the US or UK and nowhere else at all leave some people scratching their heads.

I'm fine with say an Aus-heavy band being considered a one-hit wonder if it only charted once pretty much everywhere else (I even nominated Falco despite his huge success in Germany & Austria), but there does seem to be some arbitration based solely on US chart success.

My original intent for this was to list songs by bands who have absolutely zero cache today (and may have only existed long enough to release one album or two). Going back to the original 7 songs in the opening post is a good example.

Oingo Boingo or The Church or Kate Bush etc may technically qualify as one hit wonders on one country's metric vs. another's, but these are all bands or artist's which have an impressive body of work despite little Top 40 success.

I'm perfectly fine letting the thread/list develop organically as people visit and add suggestions, though.

Flesh for Lulu "I Go Crazy"?

imo that would count, even though they had 3 (or more?) albums and even another single from that album that was popular ("Postcards From Paradise"). But tbh Flesh For Lulu is a total relic, trapped in the amber of the 80s.

A lot of the ones I'm thinking of have already been mentioned. Can't believe I didn't see this until tonight. Boo!

My original intent for this was to list songs by bands who have absolutely zero cache today (and may have only existed long enough to release one album or two). Going back to the original 7 songs in the opening post is a good example.

Yeah, that's the spirit of this thread imo and the arbitration worries me a bit (including my own).

Sorry but I have to. "Now isn't that nice, like Miami Vice". lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ppLzUo9O3w

OK what about Wall of Voodoo “Mexican Radio”?

Fuck - n/m someone else suggested that. Gdammit.

The song so nice, it had to be mentioned twice.

On the I.R.S. tip, though...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qrriKcwvlY

(Though wiki is telling me that they released a shitload of records)

Did The Dream Academy have any other real hits besides Life in a Northern Town?

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rdHOyrS72jg"; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

hmmm. well...

http://www.youtube.com/embed/rdHOyrS72jg%22

Just paste the url from your browser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdHOyrS72jg

don't remember this song at all

One of the better Bowie clone vocals.

Aldo Nova - "Fantasy"

The Firm - "Radioactive"

bowie covered one of his songs according to allrovi so i guess that worked out xp

personal fave:

Mary Jane Girls - "In My House"

Yup -- "Criminal World," one of Let's Dance less onerous album tracks.

and "Switchin' to Glide" by the Kings as a monster regional hit 'round here that never made it out east. Man, I miss the days of regional hits ...

YES, "The Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide" could be heard every 10 minutes on WLS-AM in 1980-81. Probably my most enduring memory of that song is that it was the first non-Beatles/non-Lennon song WLS played after Lennon was killed (which is to say, about five days after Lennon was killed).

Modern English - "I Melt With You"

rational youth "i want to see the light"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJh11ngyIHQ

best lost synth pop song ever

The Timelords - "Doctorin' the Tardis"

You guys!!!

Electric Dreams: Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9foZ7KVSng

Both of those guys are responsible for numerous hits.

Rocky Burnette - Tired of Toein The Line

I hope I'm not the only person who liked this. The video is kinda crepey now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPBwbdRuKPc

Anyway...hairbands

Vixen: Edge of a Broken Heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQOmDUnt8Hs

I like that Rocky Burnette song, but I'd never heard it before just now.

Speaking of Rocky...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTRBueh2j6w

LOL I forgot about that!!!

He looks like the saxophone-on-the-beach guy from the Lost Boys

I dunno if she had more hits in other places, but "Touch Me" is the only thing I remember Samantha Fox for in the US..

However, youtube just reminded me of "Naughty Girls Need Love Too". Oh well.

Murray Head - One Night in Bangkok.

Corey Hart - Sunglasses at Night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4O1A-mmBWw

Total Ceolo - I eat cannibals.

Not sure if this was a hit in the US but it got to No. 5 over here (also big across Europe apparently):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weMrzt6W8V8

Ryan Paris - Dolce Vita

Jimmy the Hoover - Tantalise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr9h5xBQz3k

Aw I was going to open my posts today with "I Eat Cannibals"

Scritti Politti - Perfect Way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs7Jy2y-33A

Madness that in the US, er, Madness was a one hit wonder. But what a wonderful hit!

Has Spandau Ballet made an appearance yet?

I have that Rocky Burnette song on a 45 at home, amazingly enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMAGI7zRqj8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfttQrCGtyw

Has Spandau Ballet made an appearance yet?

Let's hope not!

P. sure this was Rainbow's only Top 40 in the US. (It peaked at 40 lol.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WukfC-6Gpc

I know Deep Purple is hardly a one-hit wonder but it blows my mind that this nearly made the Top Ten in the year of Bruce, Madonna and Prince.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ_kez7WVUU

Ollie & Jerry - "There's No Stoppin' Us (Theme from 'Breakin')"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x5JqZNYpRQ

Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days

(actually they had another hit or two... this was the only one to make it to ·1 tho...)

I would have sworn "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" was a bigger hit.

Yeah, in the US anyway "Dance Hall Days" hit 16 and "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" hit 2 and "Let's Go" hit 9.

Their best song, "Fire In The Twilight" from "The Breakfast Club" soundtrack, wasn't a hit at all ;_;

Yeah, Fire in the Twilight is great.

Yeah, in the US anyway "Dance Hall Days" hit 16 and "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" hit 2 and "Let's Go" hit 9.

I'd include Benjamin Orr's 'Stay The Night' here but I don't know if that technically counts as a One Hit Wonder because of Orr's vocals on The Cars 'Drive'. Two hit wonder then? Sure.

I would count it.

I would too, and it's a better song than "Drive."

There I said it.

Orr-sung Cars singles that hit the Top 40: "Just What I Needed, "Let's Go," "Why Can't I Have You," "You Are The Girl."

huh

I don't think I realized until just now that he sang all of my favorite Cars songs

Ric Ocasek's a one hit wonder too! "Emotion in Motion," remember.

Oh how come noone has mentioned this one:

Don Henley - Boys of Summer

Because Henley had a lot more hit singles?

Orange Juice - Rip it Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESy-Z8vqMrE

They did release several albums and still have some present-day cache, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psT7pKuayYc

xxpost I had never that Orange Juice track and it immediately reminded me of Annie's "Me Plus One".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6zBjYIyz-0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJou-XIUywQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRnNpLOhn1Q

Love love love this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-kfmuGHtxo

at what point did we wander away from posting hits

because I have a shitload of things I would post but they are not hits at all

except for this, this was a hit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzwstJmxbuY&feature=related

Oh man, Joboxers, had forgotten about that song! (Although I remembered the Trouser Press review starting "Responsible for a brief Dead End Kids fashion fad in Great Britain...")

Daryl Hall's "Dreamtime" is a good choice.

Eurogliders went to #21 on the Billboard US Mainstream Rock tracks chart, Cock Robin went to #35, and Joboxers went to #36.

"I don't remember this son" != "not a hit"

I was under the impression we were using high placement on the Hot 100 as criteria, not every ancillary Billboard chart that contains songs we like

I am not trying to be Judgy McDouchebag, I just didn't think those charts were in play

The very first song you posted on this thread went all the way to #37 on the Hot 100, so uhhhh . . . xp

I consider Top 40 to be high placement, mostly because that's where the countdown starts.

This is basically jumping up and down upon and mooning the "please don't be a pedant" request but the whole conversation/thread started because we were reminiscing about quirky mid-80s Top 40 songs; I was surprised you were posting stuff that never hit the top 40 and mostly asking if the floodgates were open for me to be a pathetic goth.

(although Gene Loves Jezebel didn't chart as high as I thought they did ;_l)

Is that an emoticon of, like, Ace Frehley crying?

it is now!

Yeah, the original spirit of the thread was to include stuff I actually heard on normal Top 40 radio between the ages of 10 and 14 or so, which is basically how it started out. Now if someone wants to post Joboxers because he or she heard it on the radio as a kid, it's not my place to piss in the punchbowl. It really doesn't have any resonance for me, though.

Wiki for JoBoxers just says it made the American Top 40. I never heard it on the radio, but I saw the video a ton at my local danceteria as a young adult.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sq8VDXlWQk

Had more semi-hits in the UK, but this was the only Top 40 for the US.

oh my God YES

LOVE that song.

I'm going to sully this thread with something that really doesn't qualify, because it was no more a hit than any other song he released in the US in the 80s (though it was big in Canada). I just remember loving it whenever it would play on the radio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD77kyQYifc

okay now you are REALLY making me want to post Mel & Kim

Which single? I looked at Wikipedia and tbh I can't recall any of them by title alone.

"Showin' Out"

it's a big ball of SAW goodness

S-Express - "Theme from S-Express"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKCW3RJNRIw

Danny Wilson - "Mary's Prayer"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hqgC3W9GUI

Just because I'm now obsessively stuck on the pedantry, I checked and Joboxers were #39 on Casey Kasem's "American Top 40" the week of Nov. 5, 1983. If Casey got to say your record's name on the radio, it was a hit AFAIC! And Cock Robin was at #36 the week of Aug. 4, 1985. Eurogliders, not so much, but it's still a great tune.

Okay, I remember that Mel & Kim song (barely).

Black - "Wonderful life"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMXz3TQOS_c

I remembered the name Danny Wilson (probably because I'd seen the record a lot when flipping through dusty lp bins), but I'd forgotten completely the song they were famous for. That's NICE.

According to my Joel Whitburn Billboard book, "Just Got Lovely" was a top forty hit, yes.

OMIGOD "Mary's Prayer"! that's a gorgeous one.

Big Pig - "Breakaway"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBCcnazy88U

I was going to post Breakaway on Monday during the initial burst of activity, but never did. Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4KQnM5ogtw

Video is sweetly ridiculous.

i heard blow monkeys, digging your scene, US TOP 40, 14 (Billboard 1987), in safeway yesterday, i'm not posting it because "omg i hated that one."

Jane Child - "Don't Wanna Fall In Love"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWd__w5UWVc

Digging Your Scene went to #14?

Hated Jane Child then, hate it now. Also, 1990 right?

citation dont lie

I thought it came out in 89. I loved it and still do!

Anyway, Jocelyn Brown - "Somebody Else's Guy"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdGNeC2G1AU

Indeep - "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtfZbj4J71A

How have I never heard that Jocelyn Brown song before? It's delicious.

It's amazing and sampled by Georeg Micheal in "Too Funky".

George Michael

Nacht und Nebel - "Ready to dance"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVZD3iPWYuM&feature=related

http://i.imgur.com/31U3u.jpg

Heaven 17 - "Let Me Go"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJrU9RIurFE

B-Movie - "Nowhere Girl"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQfC7Ow5GHo

Boys Town Gang - "Can't take my eyes off of you"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWHZxXuJFzw&feature=related

Better than Gloria Gaynor.

Cherrelle - "I didn't Mean to Turn You On"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BV1Ft4BQ1o

Doctor and the Medics - "Spirit in the Sky"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X2fdGEWOhA

Cutting Crew - "(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua26qTEK25U

I liked it then, but can't stand it now.

Madonna wannabe E.G. Daily - "Say It, Say It"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW2LOaCHhOg&feature=fvwrel

The Flying Lizards - "Money"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-P2qL3qkzk

Frankie Smith - "Double Dutch Bus"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr7QvpHsJBg

Roni Griffith - "Desire"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRMN4IDJomQ

Scandal - "The Warrior"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT9t5nkZn8I

Vanity 6 - "Nasty Girl"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvDh1zHLAjU

Weather Girls - "Its Raining Men"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGLZqDXau98

ebn-ozn - aeiou sometimes y

Imagination - "Just An Illusion"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rkr0LUnSVA

Hey, wait, Scandal had 5 singles in the Hot 100!

Forever and ever and ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFtLONl4cNc

Scandal had 5 singles??!! My bad, I'm only familiar with "The Warrior".

And THIS is the good version of the Jocelyn Brown song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWPaCabQrlU&feature=related

re: Scandal - you've probably heard "Goodbye to You" before, even if you didn't realize who it was by.

Two lesser known Scandal songs that are great:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6LZ7uhzgjs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nryxAPlmdE4

Is she still married to McEnroe?

You're right I heard "Goodbye to you"! I checked and it only hit #65 though. There's been plenty of acts listed here who even had more than one top 10, such as Glass Tiger and Corey Hart.
(x-post)

Yeah, I knew that about Glass Tiger and Corey Hart w/o even looking it up, but I was trying to be non-pedantic at the time.

Surprised "Goodbye to You" charted that low, though. I hear it more often now than even "The Warrior".

Can't believe Corey Hart had nine Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100!

Wow, I didn't realize it was NINE! I only remembered Sunglasses, Never Surrender and I Can't Help Falling in Love With You.

Nine? Crikey. I only know Sunglasses and Never Surrender.

it's a mystery to me how anyone could hate jane child's "don't wanna fall in love"

but i still love u johnny forever

You guys don't remember "Boy in the Box"? or "I Am By Your Side"?

Madonna wannabe E.G. Daily - "Say It, Say It"

Another Miami freestyle station favorite, but, alas, not a Top 40 hit. Neither was the sublime "Just An Illusion."

deniece williams "let's hear it for the boy"

no idea if she had more hits or not but whatevs

I remember the album was called Boy in the Box, but I don't remember the song at all. Nor the other one.

it's a mystery to me how anyone could hate jane child's "don't wanna fall in love"

I probably didn't at first, but overexposure at the time didn't help matters. Also, at the same time, I was turning my back on popular music and become a mopey gothy teenager with my mopey gothy teenager friends. Silly now, but important distinction then.

but Jane Child was totally goth -- lookit the nose ring!

that's actually a good point but i get what yer sayin

Omg Al, I do remember "I Am By Your Side"...Corey hart knowledge appears to be wedged deep into the sofa cushions of my subconscious

He had a pretty good singing voice...also v crush worthy

okay the video is lololol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWlOQgeR-ek&sns=em

Canadian Emilio Estevez?

Nope, don't remember that at all.

but it's your new favorite now, right?

ALWAYS NEVER SURRENDER

(that reads strangely)

Sunglasses is good lolsy fun, though.

never surrender is great, sunglasses is fun for the shouty-pouty part

I found this one too...rings no bells at all. .Eurasian Eyes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1QOxms_yvI&sns=em

Listening to all this Corey Hart stuff is making me think he was kind of an autonomous type in the 80s landscape. The closest parallels would be maybe Springfield (but he was never SERIOUS) and John Waite (but his solo career between Babys and Bad English was really too brief to make a mark). Corey Hart is kind of on his own.

He was a total pinup boy, which is why, like Springfield, he had time getting cred. But, boy, his attempts at seriousness suuuuucked (Springfield was a better songwriter and musician).

*he had a hard time

I'm very fond of his last hit, "A Little Love." It actually rocks!

I actually DO remember that one for some reason.

(watching the video and thinking "JESUS! Is there ANYONE Kenny Aronoff HASN'T drummed for?")

Well, that explains why the thing even swings a little...

If the Oakey/Moroder collabo and Daryl Hall solo things count, then so do ELP meant Powell instead of Palmer for one album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYaIlFK5uGQ

ELP when it meant...

Pat Wilson - Bop Girl

I'm shocked "Just An Illusion" didn't hit the Top 40 in the US. It is such a huge and well-known hit here in Canada (and Europe according to Wiki).

I only heard it (Just an Illusion) for the first time last year when someone posted it on facebook. Great great song.

I'm assuming you're talking about the song by Imagination, right?

Champaign-"How 'Bout Us"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziQBMIBdB9g

Al B. Sure!-"Nite and Day"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IlHq3n3hy0

MC Miker G & DJ Sven-"Holiday Rap"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LtYaCm5njY

corey hart tries out some falsetto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oajop2DGrA8

^^^ I'd the same thought when I saw the movie.

I'd forgotten about "Holiday Rap"! lol

Another classic that incredibly didn't make the US Top 40, but was a huge hit everywhere elses: Bronski Beat - "Small Town Boy".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuz94ZIPfJk

<3 Jimmy Sommerville

speaking of Jimmy Somerville:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifAtvI48R_0

Can't say that I loved it, but it's pretty funny now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsTH3w4oeMk&feature=related

I'm surprised these two haven't been mentioned yet:

Lipps Inc. - "Funky Town"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izWRKl06XEY&feature=fvsr

The Vapors - "Turning Japanese"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWAwrMFtSvM

Cameo only had one big hit, but what a song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZjAantupsA

Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - The Message
Chris Isaak - Wicked Game
Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses

xp:

"Candy" hit 21 (but yeah, not as massive as "Word Up")

I never include them on these lists because I was introduced to them circa Alligator Woman and always think they had more mainstream hits than they actually did.

Another great one: Ashford & Simpson - "Solid"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3PoTnkLfxE

The Sugarcubes - Birthday

Womack & Womack - "Teardrops"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8AOAap6_k4&feature=related

I love and adore The Sugarcubes but "Birthday" didn't chart anywhere except for the UK indie chart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSNWeXGZMcU

^ Colonel Abrams was a one hit wonder in the UK iirc, awesome song this

Kon Kan - "I Beg Your Pardon"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se-QYEgAU8E

I love and adore The Sugarcubes but "Birthday" didn't chart anywhere except for the UK indie chart

― Dreaded Burrito Gang (DJP)

Just checked and you're right... have no idea why I thought it was big in the day. I remember the video got played on Mtv frequently but that was certainly in the post-80s era.

Also Chris Isaak is surely a 1 hit wonder and "wicked game" was technically released in 1989 but it became a hit until 1990/1991 so I guess we can count that one out too...

aw, boo

Kon Kan - "I Beg Your Pardon"

oh yes -- the best New Order rip ever.

will powers : kissing with confidence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp-4o0IodsE

or did they have another hit ?

Sa-Fire-"Thinking of You"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd5XgFvKfnk&feature=related
Not a fave, but def induces some memory waves

Londonbeat - "I've Been Thinking About You"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y-suQWFOfg

I don't think it charted as high as Say it Say it, but IMO Mind over Matter (From the "Summer School" movie soundtrack) was EG Daily's best single. Might have been a decent hit here in Canada as I do remember hearing it quite a lot. Song is a freakin' time machine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cN7AS40CLg&feature=related

Q Feel's Orbital Bebop didn't chart much either I guess, though I really want to post it

Boris Badenough-"Hey Rocky"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ3-5aoyoh8
Would only realize years later that it was my first exposure to Trax.

Londonbeat charted in early '91 in the states.

;_;

Dead Milkmen-"Punk Rock Girl"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJYjr-vUKZM
Surely many folks' only exposure to Philly's faves

Regina-"Baby Love"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4IwsyBFoS0

bah I can't add "No More Lies" either

Noel-"Silent Morning"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzA6yO7BO10

Is this only for pop and r & b hits or are alternative and club hits welcome? Mix tape lists would be appreciated.

Feels like I always post the same four predictable songs to these threads:

Lotus Eaters - First Picture of You
Swans Way - Soul Train
Furniture - Brilliant Mind
The Mighty Wah! - The Story of the Blues

Liz, I remember "Mind Over Matter" and love it too (and saw the movie in the theatre at the time)! But I don't think it was that much of a hit though.

Alfred, I was going to write the same thing about the Kon Kan song!

Brenda Russell-"Piano in the Dark"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNeyF1khFA8

Good call on "Piano in the Dark."

Will to Power-"Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5bludP3TVU

That one is GROTESQUE.

To their credit, Will to Power recorded several awesome freestyle hits before and after "Baby I Loved Your Way." Remember "Dreamin'," "Say It's Gonna Rain," and "Fading Away"?

Jump 'N the Saddle Band-"The Curly Shuffle"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuTzsi6WT6Q

Re Will to Power, I recall there being an even more grotesque version that tacked "I'm Not in Love" to the front of the medley. Maybe I'm mis-remembering though.

xp: I don't think I like this path we are on

I recall there being an even more grotesque version that tacked "I'm Not in Love" to the front of the medley

Nope -- that was another hit, and a top ten in '90!

I found a large number of these songs on 12" for $1-$3 dollars yesterday. Seattle peeps desperate for One Hit Wonders and the unsuccessful records that followed, hit me up. I'll tell you where they are stashed.

Ugh Will To Power late 80s jamz please go away

I really, really hate Londonbeat

I thought I hated Londonbeat too, but then I just relistened to it and those guitars are pretty delirious and basically I could listen to them all day.

Matos is absolutely right in arguing that those guitars are pure Congolese rumba/soukous.

I can totally hear that now. Also it's not entirely unlike some of the stuff Fine Young Cannibals were doing. Obviously there are the vocal similarities but also those bright fluid guitar sounds over that machine-like backing track.

they were the FYC's backup singers, I think.

Oh really? That would obviously explain a few things!

I dunno...theyre too smooth-sounding. Like if there is a smooth jazz equivalent for pop, that is Londonbeat. and that damn song is an earworm of the highest order

I want every single one of these songs on my iPod and I want to listen to them non-stop for the next six months.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rbMt2-U7TU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK5y91US4Zk

Ooh, this one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN5OgiwprP8

87. johnny hates jazz - shattered dreams

I almost forgot that song existed. O.O

Danny Wilson- marys prayer

Deon estus - heaven help me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezFgMfL39c4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g06TP17rSA4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The Immortal Swayze
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVi4PUx8bXk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FBUbv2LUEc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3Ui8_oqc9Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcC5NKmzK54

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgYveDE5BHw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8dCZ_cLAPQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2rYozbfEV4

i love the rusty griswald in the womack and womack video.

Eric Carmen and Jermaine Jackson (unfortunately) not one hit wonders.

Style - Telefon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72eT7L_3WIw

Holy shit I totally forgot about this song...lol late 80s was such a weird time for music

Grayson Hugh "Talk It Over"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiQofU5nvVM&sns=em

Also have we done Baltimora, Tarzan Boy yet? Forgot how much I love that one.

lol yes we have, in the first post of this thread /facepalm

the "16 years old" part is ew creepy but damn I really love Benny Mardones "Into The Night"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bpOBAwrFVw&sns=em

Grayson Hugh "Talk It Over"

I posted that somewhere upthread, but I just wanted to point out that I love it too. Let's hang out and listen to records, VG!

When he slummed as a terrible pop music critic, Leonard Pitts, Jr. used to promote Grayson Hugh as one of the great underrated artists of our time.

Ah, here we are:

Hugh's third album Road to Freedom (MCA Records, 1992) was voted "one of the year's top-ten albums" by Billboard Magazine and received rave reviews. Leonard Pitts, Jr. of the Miami Herald said: "Have I heard any newcomer in the last decade who excites me as much as this guy? No."[1]

Wow, in the last decade. That's a big call.

Is Charlie Sexton mentioned yet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7QPBzAJ_io

<3 Charlie

"Talk It Over" is such a blatant ripoff of "Come and Get Your Love" that I can't believe Redbone didn't sue.

for Charlie i meant Beat's So Lonely of course, but perhaps Impressed charted well too.
in any case it has probably the most archetypal video of a certain 80s vibe (that i can't quite quantify otherwise)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOJWVB2sYpo&feature=relmfu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yahBtp_1jWE

Man, you could cut a steak with Sexton's cheekbones.

Also: all his songs have that thud-thud-thud.

Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSv3kSK41Oo

^^^ for JoBoxers - Just Got Lucky, Grayson Hugh - Talk It Over, and The Vapors - Turning Japanese

Alot of new-wavey one-hit-wonders I thought of had their one hit in 1979 so don't count, darn.

God... Charlie was one of my top 5 pinup guys. Forgot those lips! Damn. He was like a hotter, taller Roland S Howard. Slightly goth :D

Face to Face: "10, 9, 8"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmp9kxNZwN8

Bouregois Tagg: "I Don't Mind At All"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gUDMeIEMMI

er, Bourgeois

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMg2keerNHo

Was that a hit in the US? Cause it wasn't even their biggest hit in Canada. That would probably be "It Doesn't Really Matter" or "Crying Over You" or "Situation Critical".

Anyone mention Starpoint's "Object of My Desire"?

Yep, it cracked the Hot 100 at #82, and that was all she wrote. Growing up in Lake County, OH gave me a lot of exposure to bands from Canada that didn't get much attention here, mostly via radio station CKLW-AM but also there was some music video show that was carried on our cable provider at the time. So I saw/heard plenty of Platinum Blonde, Gowan, Luba, Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo, Doucette, Red Rider, …

You all are killing me! Bourgeois Tagg... totally forgotten that band/song, which was excellent.

Luba had at least one minor American hit - "Let It Go" - I was surprised when I found out she was big in Canada.

I have no idea what Joe Jackson is doing on this list. He had lots of hits - "Is She Really Going Out With Him", "Stepping Out", "Breaking Us In Two" (great song, even though it only nicked the charts), "You Can't Get What You Want", "Right And Wrong". Note - I'm not sure of their chart positions, I just know they were frequently played on mainstream radio).

Eric Carmen and Jermaine Jackson (unfortunately) not one hit wonders.

Burning The Ground posted a great rip of the Boy's Don't Cry - I Wanna Be A Cowboy 12". Interesting information included: track was signed by Paul Oakenfold!

Krush - House Arrest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61rFY4VPADE

Laurie Anderson - O Superman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzYu88jIDYs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJsck5oDCuw&feature=BFa&list=AVGxdCwVVULXcwHBF38aFRSW9qKNrDq0tV&index=5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlQ8t71r1K4
#1 in UK and most of Europe, top 20 in the US. She had a second minor hit in the UK but that's all. Massive in Italy though.

xpost. Wikipedia says After 7 had eleven hit singles in the US.

Need to change the title of this thread to "Band who you don't know had more than one hit/ had lots of hits but not in your country/had many hit albums but just one hit single you remember/ otherwise successful artists who released a one-off single under a pseudonym."