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

[Gumby]

AC/DC were certainly not a one hit wonder, but this is, to my knowledge, the only hit rock & roll song featuring bagpipes. I am aware that Eric Burdon and the Animals had bagpipes in the 1968 tune "Sky Pilot", but they were playing a traditional tune called "All the Bluebonnets Over the Border" and were more of a sound effect than part of the song, just like the yells, bullets and explosions.

 

[DrRoy]

Jackie Blue by Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/video/1975/Ozark-Mountain-Daredevils-Jackie-Blue

Signs by Five Man Electrical Band

https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/video/1971/Five-Man-Electrical-Band-Signs

 

[Montecfo]

Jackie Blue by Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/video/1975/Ozark-Mountain-Daredevils-Jackie-Blue

Signs by Five Man Electrical Band

https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/video/1971/Five-Man-Electrical-Band-Signs

^^^^

One of the few where the drummer is lead singer.

 

[Gumby]

^^^^

One of the few where the drummer is lead singer.

Others that I know of are Phil Collins of Genesis and Don Henley of the Eagles. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is a drummer, but I am not aware of songs where he both sang lead and played the drums.

 

[doneat54]

Not sure if this was posted.

"She breaks wind"

 

[doneat54]

I'll throw this one out. An unplugged version of a 1985 hit, re-done in 2017. A haunting version of a really well written song,

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I'll throw this one out. An unplugged version of a 1985 hit, re-done in 2017. A haunting version of a really well written song,

Thanks for that. I will admit that I had zero idea that this song had meaningful lyrics.

 

[O2Bfree]

I'll throw this one out. An unplugged version of a 1985 hit, re-done in 2017. A haunting version of a really well written song.

That was really touching—totally different energy than the original version. The original is in my cardio playlist, and it really gets me going. The original music video is fantastic as well.

I must admit I was waiting to see if the singer could hit all those same high notes.

 

[Spock]

A twist: A song first released in the 1960's, the re-make of which was a one-hit wonder for Soft Cell in 1981, and a new remake/cover of it for Holloween that is also a one-hit wonder (so far) for Broken Peach.
The singer second from the right is a little too much into character...

 

[doneat54]

That was really touching—totally different energy than the original version. The original is in my cardio playlist, and it really gets me going. The original music video is fantastic as well.

I must admit I was waiting to see if the singer could hit all those same high notes.

Agree with all your points. I was DJing in nightclubs in College in the 80s. Their original video was groundbreaking and still impressive today.

TRIVIA: At the very end of the original "Take on Me" video, there is a nod to an 80s Sci-Fi/Drama movie that starred William Hurt. Know what it is?

To another poster's comments that they didn't realize the song had meaningful lyrics it really shows how the energy and pace of a song changes how you listen to it.

 

[Spock]

TRIVIA: At the very end of the original "Take on Me" video, there is a nod to an 80s Sci-Fi/Drama movie that starred William Hurt. Know what it is?

Altered States. For some reason I found that movie disturbing. Maybe it was too "artsy" for me.

To another poster's comments that they didn't realize the song had meaningful lyrics it really shows how the energy and pace of a song changes how you listen to it.

I was hit with this with Robert Plant doing acoustic versions of Led Zeppelin hits.
One example: Black Dog with Alison Krauss

 

[jollystomper]

Others that I know of are Phil Collins of Genesis and Don Henley of the Eagles. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is a drummer, but I am not aware of songs where he both sang lead and played the drums.

I can also think of Walter "Clyde" Orange, the drummer for the Commodores. He sang lead on some of their hits, including "Brick House". Some think Lionel Ritchie was always the lead singer, but the two actually alternated as leads.

 

[jollystomper]

They took a song written and first performed by a U.S. two hit wonder (Falco) that was not a hit for him in the U.S., but it made them a one hit wonder:

 

[Montecfo]

They took a song written and first performed by a U.S. two hit wonder (Falco) that was not a hit for him in the U.S., but it made them a one hit wonder:

Great song, far better than Falco version.

 

[Koolau]

I can also think of Walter "Clyde" Orange, the drummer for the Commodores. He sang lead on some of their hits, including "Brick House". Some think Lionel Ritchie was always the lead singer, but the two actually alternated as leads.

Then, there was RARE EARTH doing "Get Ready." Lead singer was the drummer. Peter Hoorelbeke (RE drummer) always looked like a giant beast of a guy to me. Sort of the antithesis of Charlie Watts.



Get Ready wasn't quite a one-hit-wonder but close though the band went on for years (maybe still playing with replacements.) Anyway...

 

[doneat54]

Altered States. For some reason I found that movie disturbing. Maybe it was too "artsy" for me.

Yep that was it. At the end of the Ah-Ha video the main character is seen thrashing down a hallway (flickering between "Cartoon" black and white, and color/real life) beating his forearm against the wall to try to break clean to reality. Altered States had a very similar scene.


It was an intense movie for sure.

 

[jollystomper]

Then, there was RARE EARTH doing "Get Ready." Lead singer was the drummer. Peter Hoorelbeke (RE drummer) always looked like a giant beast of a guy to me. Sort of the antithesis of Charlie Watts.

Another one I forgot - Levon Helm sang lead vocals on several of The Band's more popular hits.

 

[jollystomper]

Another U.S. One Hit Wonder, with a song that topped the charts around the world, for all you funky dancers :

 

[O2Bfree]

I posted this on a Bee Gees thread, but it belongs here. Rather boring video but a great, classic disco tune, Born to Be Alive by Patrick Hernandez.

YouTube also has an extended version played for the 1979 World Disco finals.

 

[Koolau]

Another one I forgot - Levon Helm sang lead vocals on several of The Band's more popular hits.

Levon had quite the "side gig" in movies as well.


Here's my favorite from "SHOOTER" (language alert!)

 

[ychuck46]

Levon had quite the "side gig" in movies as well.

I thought he was an outstanding actor, starting with "Coal Miner's Daughter". Should have been in much more. Oh, and he was the greatest right-facing drummer/singer of all time, in arguably the greatest group of all time.

 

[harley]

AC/DC were certainly not a one hit wonder, but this is, to my knowledge, the only hit rock & roll song featuring bagpipes. I am aware that Eric Burdon and the Animals had bagpipes in the 1968 tune "Sky Pilot", but they were playing a traditional tune called "All the Bluebonnets Over the Border" and were more of a sound effect than part of the song, just like the yells, bullets and explosions.

You can't forget the mighty rocker "Mull of Kyntire" by Paul McCartney. Had a whole bagpipe corps.

Others that I know of are Phil Collins of Genesis and Don Henley of the Eagles. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is a drummer, but I am not aware of songs where he both sang lead and played the drums.

Another one I forgot - Levon Helm sang lead vocals on several of The Band's more popular hits.

Sexist pigs. Completely dissed Karen Carpenter, the best singer of them all (drummers).

 

[ychuck46]

Sexist pigs. Completely dissed Karen Carpenter, the best singer of them all (drummers).

I have always heard she was a very well respected drummer, but her singing was so incredible it just overshadowed any playing she did.

 

[Montecfo]

You can't forget the mighty rocker "Mull of Kyntire" by Paul McCartney. Had a whole bagpipe corps.

Sexist pigs. Completely dissed Karen Carpenter, the best singer of them all (drummers).

A singer who could play the drums. But seldom played drums while singing which was more the point.

 

[harley]

A singer who could play the drums. But seldom played drums while singing which was more the point.

When I saw her in the early days, she played drums on every song. I think that as she got more famous and popular they pulled her off the drums. But she was a pretty good drummer, although their music didn't stretch her talent much. And I was joking about the sexist pigs thing.