9 Awesome One-Hit Wonders ...

Lyndsie

9 Awesome One-Hit Wonders ...
9 Awesome One-Hit Wonders ...

I’m a huge fan of one-hit wonders, especially those from the 1980s and 1990s. So many of them are so awesomely cheesy! So, I went combing through my iPod and came up with nine of my very favorites. I warn you, some of these are really embarrassing, so I implore y’all: don’t hold it against me!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Please subscribe for your personalized newsletter:

1

“Come on, Eileen," Dexy’s Midnight Runners

“Come on, Eileen," Dexy’s Midnight Runners Photo Credit: Nmarie

Oh love, love, love. I adore this song, I squee every time I hear it. I get mad at any one-hit wonder lists that don’t put this at number one and throw things at the TV. I also get the urge to wear overalls every time I see the video, and that’s compelling, because overalls are not a good look on me, I promise you.

2

“Take on Me,” a-ha

Ahahaha! Love this song! Love this video, as well. It’s just one of those songs that makes me feel incredible, it’s so happy and creepy. I have no idea what it’s really about, and I don’t care. Props also go to Family Guy’s satire of the video.

3

“Tubthumping,” Chumbawumba

What can I say? British anarchists really do it for me and the blond guy in the band is strangely hot. Mind you, the band’s only a one-hit wonder in the United States (reason #195 I should move to the UK), but that’s where I am, so it still counts. However, the album that included “Tubthumping” is actually full of awesome sauce.

4

“99 Luftballoons,” Nena

“99 Luftballoons,” Nena Photo Credit: MIGUEL™

There’s something about German accents that drive me wild. I fell in love with the creepy snake son in The Pest, as well. There’s something about this song that strikes me as so evocative, though, but only with this version. That’s the only time I’ll listen to it.

5

“Lovefool,” the Cardigans

When this song first came out, I loved it for five minutes and then quickly got over it, since it saturated the radio so much. Leonardo DiCaprio can be thanked for that, since the song was also on the soundtrack for Romeo + Juliet. Now, however, I’m happy to say I can stand the innately happy song again. On a side note, I had a Barbie doll that looked a lot like the lead singer.

Famous Quotes

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

George Santayana
6

“Tainted Love,” Softcell

Yes! Yes, yes, yes! One of my favorite songs of all time, it’s just so sexy and dark and obsessive, and full of 1980s goodness. No other version even compares, although I’ll admit a soft spot for Marilyn Manson’s version.

7

“Rock Me, Amadeus,” Falco

Oh em gee. I adore this song. Falco is a genius for doing this. More singers need to pay homage to Mozart through this kind of funky techno deliciousness. I know I’d buy it -- or, you know, at least download it for my iPod.

8

“Video Killed the Radio Star,” the Buggles

How can you not love this song? Besides its poppy goodness, it’s also entirely true. These days, of course, the song would have to be “Reality TV Killed the Video Star,” but that’s another rant entirely. Anyway, I love the synthetic vibe of this song. Who would have thought a band called the Buggles would fade so quickly?

9

“One of Us,” Joan Osbourne

I love this song for several reasons. For one thing, several fundamentalist classmates in my very southern hometown were fond of telling those of us who liked this song that it was blasphemous, and messing with them was fun. For another thing, it’s a beautiful song, and the message is cool no matter what your religion.

The sad thing about liking one-hit wonders, of course, is that you don’t get to look forward to any other songs from the bands you loved -- at least no mainstream hits. But heck, mainstream’s overrated anyway. What songs do you love that no one else knows about?

Top Photo Credit: CarbonNYC

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

emm, A-ha is not a one hit wonder ;)

in the usa the sun always shines on tv reached nº20,cry wolf nº 50.in the rest of the world,so many hits that i cant even tell.in europe they had like 20 top ten songs only in uk(hunting high and low,train of thought,stay on these roads,the living daylights,analogue,etc),many in germany,their song summer moved on was nº1 in many europeans countries and the same goes for forever not yours,and also lifelines was a big hit around europe,and crying in the rain there, and in many south american countries,they had hits also in japan,oceania,ive been losing you was another world hit(exept in the usa),well there are many as you can see..and one fact is that not only they had hits in the 80´s but also in the 90´s and 2000´s ,as they just recently split in 2010.

Related Topics

grunge things popular psas favorite fictional character funniest darwin award common things in all religions bubblehead charm paranormal post weirdest coffins fear of onions phobia name beauty lies

Popular Now