The One-Hit Wonders Thread

[Omega 354]

Hey, I'm not the one who decided I'd challenge the definition of one hit wonder. If anyone has heard of a Kerbdog song it's Mexican Wave not Dummy Crusher. Hence, one hit wonder.

[DC 536]

Hey, I'm not the one who decided I'd challenge the definition of one hit wonder. If anyone has heard of a Kerbdog song it's Mexican Wave not Dummy Crusher. Hence, one hit wonder.

So it's only a hit if you've heard of it and has nothing to do with how well it did?

[Omega 354]

Wow, way to suck the fun out of a thread DC.

[DC 536]

Wow, way to suck the fun out of a thread DC.

I'm here all week. :lol

 

Seriously, though, are we defining them by chart position or by how well known the song itself is to qualify as a One Hit Wonder?

[Omega 354]

Seriously, why does it even matter? I'm not saying that to be facetious I just don't see why it even needs defining.

[Guest Dr. ZERO]

Hey look guys! Another one hit wonder! Blimey!

 

[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="

name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

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The Cartoons - Witch Doctor.

 

If you listen to this all the way through you'll be humming it to yourself for a month and gradually grow to hate me and yourself.

 

Enjoy~!

[DC 536]

Because you've decided that one track from Kerbdog can be classed as a hit, but not another that actually charted higher.

 

Out of all the tracks I mentioned, you singled out the one you posted and then made a comment about how charting didn't mean anything while alluding to second singles not doing as well as the first. Going by that, Mexican Wave, the second single chronologically (of the two mentioned) didn't do as well as Dummy Crusher.

 

So, using your own logic (most one hit wonders have a second single that doesn't get anywhere near as well as their "hit"), which is taking into sales/chart position, you were defining a "hit" by chart position until it was pointed out Mexican Wave charted lower. It was only then that you made a comment on chart position not being a factor, instead going with how well known the song was.

[Omega 354]

I dunno what you want DC? Medal in the post? Pat on the back? You win the internets, congrats. jeez....

[DC 536]

Hey look guys! Another one hit wonder! Blimey!

 

The Cartoons - Witch Doctor.

 

If you listen to this all the way through you'll be humming it to yourself for a month and gradually grow to hate me and yourself.

 

Enjoy~!

Afraid not, Zero, they had a hit with this as well.

 

The Cartoons - Doodah

[YOUTUBE]fis7yRHqaC8[/YOUTUBE]

[Omega 354]

Do you just hate this thread or is it the people posting in it? Quick everyone, check you sources before posting your videos! Define your terms or be damned, Damned I tells ya!!!

[DC 536]

Gee, you'd think Omega was taking it personally, but, of course, that would never be the case, now would it? ;)

 

Look, you chose a song from Kerbdog as a one hit wonder, I mentioned that they had a bigger hit three years earlier, you got all pissy about it and firstly said that it was their biggest hit due to charting higher and then, when it was pointed out it didn't actually chart higher, got pissy about that and suddenly went with the notion that chart positioning/sales didn't count, it was how well known the song was instead.

 

Just because you got it wrong, don't take it out on me. :lol

Edited February 18, 2010 by DC

[Guest Jung]

I didn't realise we were counting albums too. As for singles, sure, he released a lot of singles, but, upon checking his discography, only two top 5 singles in the UK charts (the one I posted and My Sweet Lord).

 

Yeah but he had like 5-10 Top 10 singles in both the UK and the USA.

 

You can't say have they had a top 5 single as the only real element of a one hit wonder or else bands like The Who, Queens of The Stone Age, The Libertines, Foo Fighters etc etc.

 

Lol plus by your own definition you brought in, we can't have George Harrison or else we may as well have loads of massively successful bands....but didn't have like a top 10 hit.

[DC 536]

Lol plus by your own definition you brought in, we can't have George Harrison or else we may as well have loads of massively successful bands....but didn't have like a top 10 hit.

It's hard to ascribe a true category for one-hit wonders. I mean, if a band has never had a top ten hit, then, by proxy, they can't be one-hit wonders. Again, it comes down to overall success or just chart positioning alone.

 

As I said, I incorrectly used George Harrison based on his solo career only, making mention in my original post that I wasn't totally sure on it, but put it in anyway.

 

My own definition of a one-hit wonder is an artist who has only had one #1 in the singles charts. I forgot all about My Sweet Lord, otherwise I wouldn't have posted Harrison's track at all. Because I had forgotten about it, when I posted Got My Mind Set On You, I was sure he had only one solo single success, thus, as a solo artist, was a one-hit wonder.

 

As there is no "set in stone" definition of what makes an artist a one-hit wonder, there's going to be differing opinions on the matter. Is it just number ones, is it only in the UK, are solo efforts to be counted differently from group successes, is an earlier track that did better to be excluded because it may not be as well known, etc, etc.

 

I apologise for being an arse in the thread (and for overlooking Harrison's other work... although, that does fall into the criteria Omega set out with regards to well known songs rather than sales), for derailing the fun and any hard feelings caused by that.

[Guest Jung]

I always think of one hit wonders as a band who has a song that usually gets into popular culture and charts well (and by well say top 20) but then they never have anything anywhere near that magnitude.

 

So like this per say.

 

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Now I remember that was on loads of TV shows, on the radio all the time etc over the summer of like 96 or 97. Never heard of anything they did be it album or song which got anywhere near to that level of success.

 

That to me is a one hit wonder, where they have one song which has major popular appeal but that's it. And the main reason I don't consider why Harrison isn't a one hit wonder is because his whole approach was so rarely about single sales, much like The Who, QOTSA etc etc who have all had massive album sales yet sod all singles recognition. Same with countless other huge bands. They don't focus on single sales.

Edited February 18, 2010 by Jung

[Guest Boyo]

A true one-hit wonder that surely scuppers DC's pedantry!? :lol Enjoy:

 

White Town - Your Woman

[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="

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Cheers!

[Paul 584]

One from me.

 

 

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl6BiileOrg&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl6BiileOrg&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[Guest Jimmy Redman]

THIS SONG.

 

I was going to mention this one, I cant believe its taken me this long to think of the best ones.

 

Also,

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I know they had another big song in "Foxtrot etc." but I dont give a damn.

[Guest Inno]

[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBEOyuTOxx8&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBEOyuTOxx8&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

Snow - "Informer"

[Paul 584]

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="

name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

 

I cant believe I forgot this. :lol

 

Also, and Im assuming its been missed out by you all because nobody wants to be the first to say it...

 

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[Guest Jung]

One from me.

 

 

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl6BiileOrg&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl6BiileOrg&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

Gotta love Crazytown. Making an entire song out of a random Chili Peppers sample. Great stuff.