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What is your favorite 1 hit wonder from the 70's?
Many on Audiogon agree the 1970's was the best decade for popular music. Whether it was the quality of songwriting or the diversity of music. The decade also produced many unforgettable 1 hit wonders. My personal favorite is Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band, what's yours?
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Most of the truly one-hit wonders, were that because the music really wasn't that good. I don't know about best, or what constitutes a hit, but here goes: T Rex: Bang a Gong Blue Image: Ride Captain Ride Argent: Hold Your Head Up Stories: Brother Louie Malo: Suavecito Norman Greenbaum: Spirt in the Sky Vicki Lawrence: The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia Rick Derringer: Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo Thin Lizzy: The Boys are Back in Town The Buggles: Video Killed the Radio Star Reunion: Life is a Rock Wild Cherry: Play that Funky Music |
Might be "Hallelujah" by Sweathog. Or "Don't Walk Away Renee" by The Left Banke. Or "Gold" by John Stewart. Or "Venus" by Shocking Blue. Or "The Rapper" by Jaggerz. Or "Lay a Little Lovin' On Me" by Robin McNamara. Or "All Right Now" by Free. Or "Mr. Big Stuff" by Jeannie Knight Or "All The Young Dudes" by Mott The Hoople. Or "I Can't Stand The Rain" Ann Peebles (Willie Mitchell) In the end, I'll go with the immortal "Kung Fu Fighting" by Karl Douglas (or......). |
"Dancing in the Moonlight" by King Harvest. It is just such a slick POP song! For clarity, Bands mentioned above that are not one hit: Mott the Hoople, Argent, Thin Lizzy, Black Oak Arkansas, T-Rex. Technically, Billy Thorpe had another hit, "In My Room". And to pick nits, one of the guys from Free went to the band Bad Company. Great list start. |
Bgpowell, I think you're a bit too purist here (for my taste, anyway) in defining "one hit wonder". MTH, had several albums, but I don't think they ever charted top 40 beyond "Dudes". Post band careers (Paul Rodgers of Free) wouldn't seem relevant to me. I believe that King Harvest released one LP, broke up, reformed, released a second LP and then went away. They had one single chart that I know of. One of their members, (the drummer Kay Wells or something like that), went on to the band Orleans. On that basis, I'm not sure that they meet your own definition, but they still qualify in my book. Either way, "Dancing In the Moonlight" is a great call. |
How can one list just one one hit wonder from the supposedly best musical decade? I will stop short of adding; Grandad- Clive Dunn Ernie the fastest Milkman in the west- Benny Hill Funky Moped- Jasper Carrot Funky Gibbon- The Goodies. Float on- the Floaters (you must check it out on youtube). 45's I have bought and loved when I was a scrawny nipper. Radar Love by Golden Earring. Spirit in the Sky-Norman Greenbaum. Indian Reservation- Don Fardon . Gimme dat ting- The Pipkins. Resurrection Shuffle- Ashton,Gardener & Dyke. Popcorn- Hot butter. Liquidator- Harry J & the Allstars (1969, but close enough). Suger Suger- The archies. Band of Gold-Freda Pain. Hot Butter-Popcorn. Magic Fly-Space. Pop Musik-M. |
For an interesting discussion of what constitutes a one hit wonder, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_hit_wonder and scroll down to 'Questions of definition' Anyway, a thread after my own heart, my pre-teen and teen years were during the 70s and I LOVE 70s music. Some (most?) great 70s one-hit-wonders are already mentioned. I'll add: Mississippi Queen-Mountain Focus-Hocus Pocus Turn the Beat Around-Vicki Robinson BTW Mickey and 867-5309 are 80s songs. I love 80s as well. |
