Songs: One Hit Wonders

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtbach 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]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bestwifeever 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

Quote:

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!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1xqI_4btnc

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

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBwzaQyeQ7Q

-ERD50

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 ... 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!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1xqI_4btnc .... -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