What is the best ever follow-up to a one-hit wonder?

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Unknown band has novelty hit; a few months later, they follow it with another single that is roughly the same as their big hit, only not quite as catchy. It reaches no. 27 in the charts, hangs around for two or three weeks then disappears. The band put out one last single, generally trying something completely different this time. It fails to chart at all. Band struggles on for a while then gives up the ghost...

― the barfing gnome, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

.. before surfacing on 'hit me baby one more time' 20 years later ..

― mark e (mark e), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

― diedre mousedropping (Dave225), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:17 (twenty years ago)

(I Can't Get No) Edelweiss, by Edelweiss, following their hit (Bring Me) Edelweiss. It's very good. Although I'm not entirely convinced you're wanting serious answers, here.

― emil.y (emil.y), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

"Requiem" by Slik, their follow-up to the chart-topping "Forever And Ever" which in the summer of '76 limped to #24, but is a zillion times better than its predecessor. "Oh what a WRECK!/This is a REQ-uiem!" Midge Ure's finest hour, or something.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

Serious answers are best here.

The story matches "Lieutenant Pigeon".

1) Mouldy old Dough
2) Desparate Dan
3) umm can't remember. There was one, though.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:24 (twenty years ago)

oh and check out "The Villain" on the b-side of 1). Magnificently pointless b-side.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:25 (twenty years ago)

This thread is pwned by the three-weeks-in-the-top-forty peaking-at number-thirty-three "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne," Looking Glass's follow up to their fourteen weeks at number one "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)."

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:26 (twenty years ago)

I'm deadly serious about Slik. "Requiem" is the missing link between "Give A Little Love" and "The Electrician."

"Slippery Rock '70s" by Stavely Makepeace perchance?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:27 (twenty years ago)

More about my nominee:
The best line:

Even the strong don't survive very long when they're out on their own

The chorus:

Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
Jimmy wants to be her man
Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
She thinks he's all right

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

I don't think we got Looking Glass over in Britain. Just as well, judging by the evidence.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:31 (twenty years ago)

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:32 (twenty years ago)

But I must mention "Love Is Love" by Barry Ryan, his #25 follow-up to "Eloise," which if anything manages to be even more psychotic and OTT than its predecessor. Cocktail jazz intro ("Glad to be near you/How do you do?"), then it/he explodes into hysteria; missing link between Scott 3 and Bat Out Of Hell via Phil Minton. By the end he's screaming "And when I'm GONE!/There'll be my SON!!" apropos who's going to love his Other when he's no longer around.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:36 (twenty years ago)

No, I'm sure it was another LP single. (Stavely Makepeace were L.Pigeon, for anyone else watching)

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:36 (twenty years ago)

Oh, have you heared "Kitsch" by Barry Ryan? One heck of a "Another Eloise" type song that hit not.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:37 (twenty years ago)

http://www.abitsystems.co.uk/BILL/pigeon/pigeon.htm

.. And the beat goes on.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:40 (twenty years ago)

"Kitsch" is fantastic. I think it only got to #34 or something, but it's a classic. "Prawn cocktail steeeck!" - and then they go into a James Last-style knees-up at the end.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:42 (twenty years ago)

Mmmmmm.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 12:44 (twenty years ago)

Mr. Mister whichever of Kyrie or Broken Wings was released second. They, and the Waitresses, define "two hit wonder".

― Ash (ashbyman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

I like "Fire Escape" by Fastball.

Kyrie was second, but that's not exactly what this question is asking for.

― billstevejim, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

Beercan by Beck should be the an answer.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

"Beercan" is a much better song than "Loser" though.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

.. which is the thread question..

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

Baha Men, 'How Are We Going to Get These Dogs Back In?'

― Buffalo Stan (Buffalo Stan), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

Oh, haha! I read things wrong.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:35 (twenty years ago)

Roy C's "Shotgun Wedding" was followed up by "The wedding is over" which was basically the same tune, different lyrics. No hit.

And, when it was a hit again in the early seventies, it was followed up by the same follow up single. Which flopped again.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

I'm not sure if it was precisely the follow-up to "I'm Too Sexy"--there may have been another single between--but "Deeply Dippy" was fantastic.

― merritt ranew (merritt), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:06 (twenty years ago)

I always liked "Point of No Return" the follow-up to Nu Shooz's huge hit "I Can't Wait".

Also, i guess in the States A-Ha are considered one hit wonders, but I always thought "The Sun Always Shines On TV" was better than "Take On Me".

― Seb (Seb), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

More about my nominee:
The best line:
Even the strong don't survive very long when they're out on their own
The chorus:
Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
Jimmy wants to be her man
Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
She thinks he's all right
-- Ken L (lauter...), April 26th, 2005.

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I don't think we got Looking Glass over in Britain. Just as well, judging by the evidence.
-- Marcello Carlin (marcellocarli...), April 26th, 2005.I find LG will suffice if I'm needing a late-80s Lou Reed fix.

― Aaron A., Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

I don't remember the songtitle now, but I kind of liked White Town's followup to "Your Woman".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:52 (twenty years ago)

"Lover Come Back To Me" by Dead Or Alive (in the states)

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:13 (twenty years ago)

or better yet, "Brand New Lover", if we allow enough time.

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:14 (twenty years ago)

It's odd how I can only think of examples no later than the 80s. Radio seemed to increase their sophomore jinx filters in the 90s, I suppose.

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:18 (twenty years ago)

"Catch My Fall" by Billy Idol (best thing on Rebel Yell, barely)

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:20 (twenty years ago)

"Bang A Gong (Get It On)" by Power Station (followed "Some Like It Hot" in the states)

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:22 (twenty years ago)

I like "Fire Escape" by Fastball.

I also thought this song was underappreciated.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:22 (twenty years ago)

There was a followup to Extreme's "More Than Words" that was a lot more jumpy that I thought was much better then the former.

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

Billy Idol is not a one hit wonder.

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

unfortunately

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:25 (twenty years ago)

I had hopes for "This Fire".

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:29 (twenty years ago)

[i]Billy Idol is not a one hit wonder[/i]

And (Do Not) Stand In The Shadows > Catch My Fall

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:35 (twenty years ago)

I believe the Extreme song was "Whole Hearted".

― kickitcricket (kickitcricket), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:35 (twenty years ago)

I'd argue "1-2 Step" after "Goodies" follows that progression, if "Oh" didn't so completely blow both of those tracks away.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:35 (twenty years ago)

rats

and another vote for "Fire Escape"

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:37 (twenty years ago)

[i]Billy Idol is not a one hit wonder[/i]
And (Do Not) Stand In The Shadows > Catch My Fall

and "Eyes Without a Face" blows everything else away

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

I'm also in "Fire Escape"'s corner. Throw in Natalie Imbruglia's "Wishing I Was There," as well

― John Fredland (jfredland), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:44 (twenty years ago)

What was Ratt's followup to "Round And Round"? Was it "I Want A Woman"?

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 20:59 (twenty years ago)

"Fake Plastic Trees" after "Creep", surely!

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 21:20 (twenty years ago)

'Tarantino's New Star' by North & South, after 'I'm a Man Not a Boy'.

― Blair, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:17 (twenty years ago)

"Was it "I Want A Woman"?" - this was the followup single to "Way Cool Jr." . I'm half embarrassed to know that.

― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:23 (twenty years ago)

Another Day by Whigfield

― A / F#m / Bm / D (Lynskey), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:30 (twenty years ago)

"Doctor! Doctor!" by the Thompson Twins.

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:32 (twenty years ago)

M's follow up single to 'Pop Muzak' was 'Muzak and Moonlight'. The latter track is brilliant. He also had a couple of other really good ones after that, in one of which is the telling lyric, 'one hit wonder'. He needs to be rediscovered.

― moley, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:34 (twenty years ago)

"Hard To Get" by Rick James, from 1982's Throwin' Down. It followed "Super Freak", I believe.

Then again, did "Give It To Me, Baby" score as big as "Super Freak"? I remember the former was released to radio before the latter. And "Give It To Me, Baby" is James's best song, period.

― donut debonair (donut), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

Department S - "Going Left Right" (which did make the top 75 -- as did the single after that, "I Want" -- but didn't break the top 40 like "Is Vic There?" and apparently aren't as remembered as the aforementioned song, although I'm not sure how much "Is Vic There?" is remembered)

― Ian Riese-Moraine has a grenade, that pineapple's not just a toy! (Eastern Mantr, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 23:04 (twenty years ago)

Throw in Natalie Imbruglia's "Wishing I Was There," as well

I feel like 1998 was a key year for one-hit-wonder follow-ups.

― billstevejim, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 23:13 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't "Pretty Ballerina" the follow up to "Walk Away Renee." That must count for something.

― Colin O, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 00:19 (twenty years ago)

I feel like 1998 was a key year for one-hit-wonder follow-ups.

Semisonic's "Singing in My Sleep"! The Flys' "She's So Huge"! Whatever the follow-up to "Flagpole Sitta" was!

Why are so many people listing artists that are so obviously not one-hit wonders? Rick James, Thompson Twins, Billy Idol, Ciara...

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 00:26 (twenty years ago)

Also from '98...

- Marcy Playground "St Joe On The Schoolbus"
- The Verve "Lucky Man" (very much a U.S. one-hit-wonder)
- eels "Your Lucky Day In Hell"
- New Radicals "Someday We'll Know"
- I'm sure "Du Hast" had a good follow-up.

― billstevejim, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 03:25 (twenty years ago)

was Doowhutchalyke a follow-up to Humpty Dance or the other way around? Either way it's the lesser known but still classic

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 03:46 (twenty years ago)

I don't think we got Looking Glass over in Britain. Just as well, judging by the evidence.

You missed out. Brandy was the sound of somebody bitch-slappin' the Beach Boys into Bruce Springsteen's head.

― Cunga (Cunga), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 03:52 (twenty years ago)

Timeless Melody followed There She Goes, right?

― Cunga (Cunga), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 03:55 (twenty years ago)

"humpty dance" followed it but "doowhutchyalike" may have been rereleased after humpty scored so big. cf. rhcp's "give it away"

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 03:55 (twenty years ago)

Haddaway's follow-up to "What Is Love" was "Life". They sound almost exactly like each other. "Life" did manage to reach the UK top ten, I'm not sure how it fared here.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 04:05 (twenty years ago)

The Bends

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 04:17 (twenty years ago)

"Absolutely Right" by Five Man Electrical Band - their follow-up to Top Three hit "Signs" - charted even higher than #27. (It hit #26.) Plus it was a better song besides. (Not "B-sides".) No more hits in the USA after those two '71 singles. (A coupla more Canadian hits.)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 04:54 (twenty years ago)

Sixpence None The Richer's cover of "There She Goes" (after "Kiss Me")

(not the best, obv, but classic for the fact that they were an Xtian rock band inadvertently covering a song about smack, and it was the last we ever heard of them)

― Dave M. (rotten03), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 05:03 (twenty years ago)

five months pass...

Du Hast did have a GREAT followup - "Engel." Far more varied mix than Du Hast, thanks to some high-end whistly synths and some female backing vocals, but still with that great sleazy Teutonic industrial thing going on.

I've always been sort of fond of Fire Escape, but I think I basically gave up on it after singing it at karaoke a couple months ago and barely being able to stay interested long enough to finish the song. Not sure what exactly went wrong there. They actually coughed up a third single that wasn't bad either - "Out Of My Head."

God, I had completely forgotten about "Wishing I Was There."

Chumbawamba's "Amnesia" wasn't all that bad, and had a fair bit more going on in it than "Tubthumping."

Who got the hooch, baby?

― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 4 October 2005 06:16 (twenty years ago)

(not the best, obv, but classic for the fact that they were an Xtian rock band inadvertently covering a song about smack, and it was the last we ever heard of them)

they also had the cover of "don't dream it's over," which i think i like better than the original.

― 100% WJE (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 06:26 (twenty years ago)

I liked Skee-Lo's 'Top Of The Stairs' as much as 'I Wish'.

― Guy Incognito (Guy Incognito), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 06:33 (twenty years ago)

OK, howabout when that one-hit of "What's she gonna look like with a chimney on her" was followed up with "If you buy this record your life will be better" ...

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 07:25 (twenty years ago)

Skee-Lo is a good call. Also:

Vanilla Ice "Play That Funky Music"
Jay-Z "Can I Get A.."
PM Dawn "I'd Die Without You"
A Tribe Called Quest "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo"
Notorious BIG "Hypnotize"
Chingy "Holidae In"
Warren G "This DJ"
Tone Loc "Funky Cold Medina"
Young MC "Principal's Office"

― Siegbran (eofor), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 07:46 (twenty years ago)

I liked 'Let Her Go' by Strawberry Switchblade. They played it on Saturday Superstore, and the lyrics were in Smash Hits (or No.1 or something), but I don't think it even got into the top 40.

― Teh HoBB (the pirate king), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 07:51 (twenty years ago)

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