Songs: One Hit Wonders

[dtbach]

Another one:

Tracy Ullman - They Don't Know (complete video) - YouTube

 

[dtbach]

Danny O'keefe ~ Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues (original version) - YouTube

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Oh those retched lyrics.

It's so wretched I retched!

 

[dtbach]

It's so wretched I retched!

Ya know, it really didn't look right when I wrote that. Should have used "sappy" as I do know how to spell that.

 

[ERD50]

Oh those retched lyrics. Is that the song the guy on the stairs was singing in Animal House when John Belushi smashed his guitar!

It's so wretched I retched!

Ya know, it really didn't look right when I wrote that. Should have used "sappy" as I do know how to spell that.

RE: Friend & Lover - Reach Out Of The Darkness - YouTube (<<< I used google shortener to bring in the link/title w/o the whole embeded player - it worked again!)

Or just plain silly-bad lyrics? They really are awful, even adjusting for 60's (non?)-sensibilities. Jim Post isn't above poking some fun at himself over that song. But I still think the song itself is pretty cool, neat bass line, and then the vocals kinda contrast that. I still can 'dig it', it's 'groovy, man!'

-ERD50

 

[Bestwifeever]

Oh those retched lyrics. Is that the song the guy on the stairs was singing in Animal House when John Belushi smashed his guitar!

I remember him singing "I gave my love a cherry that had no stem...." right before the guitar massacre and the great little "sorry" apology I think Belushi then said. I don't know if that was a real song or just a sendup of all the pretentiously stupid folk songs.

 

[ERD50]

I remember him singing "I gave my love a cherry that had no stem...." right before the guitar massacre and the great little "sorry" apology I think Belushi then said. I don't know if that was a real song or just a sendup of all the pretentiously stupid folk songs.

That song is basically Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair", based on Old English/Scottish folk songs that have many different lyric variations. They all involve some impossible task.

Scarborough Fair - Folk Song Hisotry of Scarborough Fair - Simon and Garfunkel Scarborough Fair

1. Can you make me a cambric shirt,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Without any seam or needlework?
And you shall be a true lover of mine.

Can you wash it in yonder well,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Which never sprung water, nor rain ever fell?
And you shall be a true lover of mine.

....

If she tells me she can't, I'll reply
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Let me know that at least she will try
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Love imposes impossible tasks
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Though not more than any heart asks
And I must know she's a true love of mine

A cherry w/o a stem is just a variation.

Here 'ya go (it's actually cherry/no-stone, chicken/no-bones, story/no-end...SMASH, sorry!)

Further edit - Scarborough Fair is close, bit this is it exactly:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Riddle_Song

-ERD50

 

[Bestwifeever]

...

A cherry w/o a stem is just a variation.

Here 'ya go (it's actually cherry/no-stone, chicken/no-bones, story/no-end...SMASH, sorry!)

....
-ERD50

So it is also an example of a misheard/misremembered lyrics song in my case as I was going from memory and not a Google search. I can even misremember a line about a hammer that had no nail....

 

[CoolChange]

Not sure if they quite qualify as a One Hit Wonder or not; but, darn close in my memory and appropriate for the season, The Waitresses singing Christmas Wrapping:

 

[Purron]

Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made for Walkin' - YouTube

 

[MDJO]

Louie Louie - the Kingsmen
Louie Louie - The Kingsmen - YouTube

Red Rubber Ball - the Cyrcle
The Cyrkle - Red Rubber Ball - YouTube

Actually, the Cyrcle had two hits, so not technically a one-hit wonder

 

[Major Tom]

Thought I'd revive this thread, as I was watching a BBC miniseries called Exile (starring John Simm) on Netflix recently, and this song played in one of the segments. It was Tasmin Archer's first single, and the only one of hers ever to chart in the US. She's still making music - her most recent album can be streamed from her website. It makes for good listening.

This song references the Apollo moon missions. When it first came out I really liked it, but assumed it was a relationship song. I wonder how many of us get songs into our heads but don't delve into the meanings of the lyrics?

Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite - YouTube

 

[MRG]

Haven't seen these guys mentioned. Think this was released around the time Kansas was making it big. These guys had 3 albums, toured with some big names, but never made it to the "big money".
MRG

Missouri / Movin' On - YouTube

 

[Nodak]

Here's a couple more
The Electric Prunes: The Electric Prunes- I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) - YouTube

and The Seeds: The Seeds - Pushin' Too Hard. - YouTube