Post your favorite 70s/80's one hit wonders here.

[CincyDave]

Heard this one on the radio today. Hadn't heard in many years. Catchy tune.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire23]

Donnie Iris only (real) hit though he participated with other groups and wrote other hits IIRC.

The first song I ever called the radio station to request when I was young was from Donnie Iris, but it was "Love Is Like A Rock".

 

[jollystomper]

A somewhat controversial one-hit wonder in the U.S.

Paul Hardcastle is well known in the smooth jazz circles, and has had several hits in the UK. "19" was a huge world-wide hit, topping the charts in many countries. This was his only U.S. hit, and only made it into the top 15 here, probably because some stations refused to play it, feeling it took an anti-American stance related to the Vietnam war.

This links to the song, and not to the music video (which some might deem troubling):

 

[Spock]

Heard this one on the radio today. Hadn't heard in many years. Catchy tune.

And the lead singer is wearing a ZZ Top tour t-shirt.

 

[Montecfo]

Heard this one on the radio today. Hadn't heard in many years. Catchy tune.

Of course, Tony Burroughs was in multiple one-hit wonders bands, including Edison Lighthouse of "Love Grows (Where my Rosemary Goes)" fame, White Plains which recorded "My Baby Loves Lovin' " and other bands.

 

[MichaelB]

Who remembers this?

 

[Gumby]

Alan O'Day, "Undercover Angel" went to Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1977.

 

[jollystomper]

A Canadian artist who was a one hit wonder in the U.S. The music video also received heavy airplay on MTV. Even though the music has noticeable similarities to "Jane" by the Jefferson Starship, I do not think they took him to court :

 

[MichaelB]

This was a big hit and is timely

 

[O2Bfree]

So many fun songs here! How about the Bay City Rollers big hit:

Sadly, the singer Les McKeown died in 2021. An early death caused in part by too much partying, so the reports say.

 

[Montecfo]

So many fun songs here! How about the Bay City Rollers big hit:

Sadly, the singer Les McKeown died in 2021. An early death caused in part by too much partying, so the reports say.

Yes I recall that. And though this went to #1 they charted with other songs.

 

[jimbee]

Ok, sticking with Scottish bands, here is Pilot with Magic. Apologies if it's a repeat in this thread.

I broke the terms, January hit #87 in the Billboard 100. Sorry, but I still like Magic.

 

[jollystomper]

Though known in the R&B/dance genres under various names (Five Stairsteps, Five Stairsteps and Cubie, Stairsteps, Invisible Mans Band), they were a one hit wonder on the pop charts with this optimistic song:

 

[CincyDave]

Alan O'Day, "Undercover Angel" went to Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1977.

I remember that one, but didn't know who sang it. I thought it sounded like Frankie Valli

 

[Koolau]

Who can ever forget Jud Strunk doing "Daisy A Day?"

 

[Koolau]

Or, how about Mike Curb Congregation?

 

[CincyDave]

Or, how about Mike Curb Congregation?

Thanks, had forgotten about that one. Hadn't heard it in ages. Great movie too!

 

[MuirWannabe]

Yes, thanks for Burning Bridges. Great memories just listening to it. Love that movie.

 

[O2Bfree]

Here's a fun one:

 

[audreyh1]

This one started playing in my head out of the blue a few hours ago and kept coming back. But I could only snatch snippets of lyrics in my head, so took a while to search for.

Thompson Twins 80s hit “Hold Me Now”. They must have had other hits too, just nothing I heard.

 

[Dtail]

This one started playing in my head out of the blue a few hours ago and kept coming back. But I could only snatch snippets of lyrics in my head, so took a while to search for.

Thompson Twins 80s hit “Hold Me Now”. They must have had other hits too, just nothing I heard.

Yes they had "Doctor Doctor".

 

[jollystomper]

This one started playing in my head out of the blue a few hours ago and kept coming back. But I could only snatch snippets of lyrics in my head, so took a while to search for.

Thompson Twins 80s hit “Hold Me Now”. They must have had other hits too, just nothing I heard.

Lies
Doctor! Doctor!
Lay Your Hands on Me
King for a Day

 

[jollystomper]

This could be another nominee for the "Love or Hate" one hit wonder award. Some folks were simply turned off by the inaccurate geographical and historical references . Maybe the band messed these up becausethey were from the UK .

While they did have songs that made it to the Billboard hot 100, only this made it to the top 40 - and all the way to #1:

 

[Gumby]

A song for the aquatic residents of the east side of Chicago.

 

[ERD50]

A song for the aquatic residents of the east side of Chicago.

Did you forget a link?

I'm guessing you meant this, from 1971, but AFAIK, was never on the national charts, but was regional hit in the Midwest.

And not a hit, but a similar reference, the 'joke' is referring to the Chicago beach as the "southwest coast" (of Lake Michigan, normally the 'coast' references land):

I'm gonna lay right here on the south west coast of Lake Michigan
With the sky scrapers swaying and the pigeons playing on the roof again
I'm selling ice-cream bars and it may take hours to get rich again
On the street on the sidewalks of the southwest coast of Lake Michigan

The Siegel–Schwall Band did pretty well nationally, but never had any big hits. Corky Siegel is till performing, I've seen him several times in the past few years, and he always puts on a great show. Check out their album with the San Francisco Symphony (well, that did hit and number 105 on the Billboard 200, so I guess that counts?),

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Pieces_for_Blues_Band_and_Symphony_Orchestra

Interesting collaboration (more from wiki) - Seiji Ozawa first saw the Siegel–Schwall Band perform live at Big John's in Chicago (I think Ozawa was a guest conductor at the CSO at that time). Then a Chicago classical composer, William Russo (who founded the music department at Columbia College Chicago.), was commissioned to write the composition that became Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra. Russo consulted with Siegel when writing this work.

-ERD50