Trivia: Artists only known for one song

[Mcr Warrior]

Plus Dance the Kung Fu which went top 40 though most people only know Kung fu fighting.

#35 in the UK charts, so yes, "Top 40". Just about!

 

[Big Tim]

Point of Order. OMD had several other hits including Elona Gay and Maid of Orleans.

Another one hit wonder - Africa by Toto

It was actually "OMC" who had a hit in the mid 90's with "How Bizarre" - which does definitely qualify for the thread.

As you rightly say, OMD (or "Orchestral Maneouvres In The Dark - to give them their "Sunday name") had several well known hits. In fact they had a bit of a "second coming" in the 90's with releases including "Sailing On The Seven Seas", "Walking On The Milky Way" and "Pandora's Box".

 

[adrock1976]

Point of Order. OMD had several other hits including Elona Gay and Maid of Orleans.

Another one hit wonder - Africa by Toto

I was meant to type OMC, who were from New Zealand.

 

[DaleCooper]

Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance

 

[birchesgreen]

#35 in the UK charts, so yes, "Top 40". Just about!

Why the rolling eyes, 35 is a top 40 hit. I don't understand the need for snark.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Hole in my shoe - Traffic (Yes, I know they had Paper Sun and another, but nobody but a fan remembers)

Hi Ho Silver Lining - Jeff Beck (Did he have any others in a later incarnation?)

All around my Hat - Steeleye Span

 

[Bevan Price]

Hole in my shoe - Traffic (Yes, I know they had Paper Sun and another, but nobody but a fan remembers)

Hi Ho Silver Lining - Jeff Beck (Did he have any others in a later incarnation?)

All around my Hat - Steeleye Span

Jeff Beck was possibly best remembered for being part of The Yardbirds for a couple of years. Hi Ho Silver Lining is probably his best known song as a "solo artist".

 

[Gloster]

Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Why the rolling eyes, 35 is a top 40 hit. I don't understand the need for snark.

Hardly likely to be all that well known if it only made No. 35. The OP referenced Rick Astley. Whilst "Never Gonna Give You Up" was a UK No. 1 for five weeks, his three best charting other singles also reached No. 2 and No. 3 in the UK charts. Going by that, a No. 35 is a relative flop.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Led Zepp-something - they were a genuine no-hit wonder

 

[Gloster]

Status Quo. Well, they only ever play one tune.

 

[adrock1976]

Based on some of the historical episodes (mainly 1980s) of Top of the Pops, a few more I can think of below:

Sonia - You Never Stop Me Loving You
Robin Beck - First Time (the Coca Cola ad from 1988)
Vanessa Paradis - Joe le Taxi
Stephanie Mills - The Medicine Song
Flash and the Pan - Waiting for the Train (the band formed by George Young - the elder brother of AC/DC's Malcolm and Angus)
Red Box - For America
Sly Fox - Let's Go All the Way
Black Box - Ride On Time
Enya - Orinoco Flow
Jane Weidlin - Rush Hour (although her former Go Gos bandmate Belinda Carlisle has had a more successful solo career)

 

[pdeaves]

Going by that, a No. 35 is a relative flop.

Be fair, the thread isn't about whether a song was a hit or not, it's about whether anyone knows more than one of the group's output. birchesgreen said "Dance the Kung Fu which went top 40 though most people only know Kung fu fighting", exactly the thread's basis.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Be fair, the thread isn't about whether a song was a hit or not, it's about whether anyone knows more than one of the group's output. birchesgreen said "Dance the Kung Fu which went top 40 though most people only know Kung fu fighting"

That's the point. Most folk won't have ever heard of some relatively obscure track that only made No. 35 in the UK charts.

 

[Big Tim]

A few more (in the main, awful) contributions from me!

Technohead - I Want To Be A Hippy
Baltimora - Tarzan Boy
Cutting Crew - I Just Died In Your Arms
The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown - Fire
Bran Van 3000 - Drinking In L.A.
Danny Wilson - Mary's Prayer
The Mock Turtles - Can You Dig It
Charles & Eddie - Would I Lie To You (I'm sure they had other tracks, but that's the only one I recall and it was a massive hit in the early 90's)
Bobbie McFerrin - Don't Worry, Be Happy

I'm also tempted to suggest "Only You" covered by The Flying Pickets (originally released by "Yazoo") which was a Christmas UK #1 in the early 80's but not sure if they went on to other chart success that they may be remembered for.

 

[Peterthegreat]

The Tokens - The Lion Sleeps tonight
The Archies - Sugar Sugar
Albert Hammonf - It Never Rains in Southern California
Billy Paul - Me and Mrs Jones
The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star

 

[birchesgreen]

Hardly likely to be all that well known if it only made No. 35. The OP referenced Rick Astley. Whilst "Never Gonna Give You Up" was a UK No. 1 for five weeks, his three best charting other singles also reached No. 2 and No. 3 in the UK charts. Going by that, a No. 35 is a relative flop.

I didn't say it was well known i was replying to a sub-thread about an artist's other hits. Maybe you should read what you are replying to?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I didn't say it was well known i was replying to a sub-thread about an artist's other hits. Maybe you should read what you are replying to?

Thread is essentially intended to be about artists that are only known for one of their singles.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

99 Red Balloons - Nina (reached no 1 in the UK charts)

I believe Nina had many more hits in her native Germany (and I believe is still going strong). But 99 Red Balloons was the only song to chart in the UK.

 

[Gloster]

I believe Nina had many more hits in her native Germany (and I believe is still going strong). But 99 Red Balloons was the only song to chart in the UK.

It is Nena. And she is still going, despite being older than me.

 

[Acey]

T Pau-China In Your Hand

 

[67thave]

Golden Earring is remembered for Radar Love and... not much else. Perhaps some people could name Twilight Zone, but the reality is that they're more or less known for the former.

A real shame too, as they have quite a quality back catalog! In my pantheon of classic rock bands, they're well above most, including some big names such as Queen, Led Zeppelin, and Aerosmith.

 

[david1212]

Driver 67 - Car 67
Convoy - C. W. McCall - he had other single that charted in the US and Canada but not the UK
Convoy GB - Laurie Lingo And The Dipsticks ( Dave Lee Travis & Paul Burnett )

Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs - Brian and Michael

 

[Peterthegreat]

Racing Cars - They Shoot Horses Don't They
Renaissance - Northern Lights.

 

[yorksrob]

Another one hit wonder - Africa by Toto

Further point of order:

"Rosanna" and "Hold the Line" were both substantial hits for Toto.

Albert Hammonf - It Never Rains in Southern California

He also did the "The Free Electric Band" I'm not sure how much of a hit it was, but it's played on Radio 2 quite often.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Further point of order:

"Rosanna" and "Hold the Line" were both substantial hits for Toto.



He also did the "The Free Electric Band" I'm not sure how much of a hit it was, but it's played on Radio 2 quite often.

He did. Reached number 19 in the UK charts in in 1973.

 

[yorksrob]

He did. Reached number 19 in the UK charts in in 1973.

Definitely not a one hit wonder.

 

[trebor79]

KC and the Sunshine Band - Give It Up
Charles and Eddie - Would I Lie to you?

 

[Bevan Price]

Led Zepp-something - they were a genuine no-hit wonder

Some bands never released any "singles" - only albums.

 

[Jimini]

KC and the Sunshine Band - Give It Up
Charles and Eddie - Would I Lie to you?

If ever there was a thread where only YouTube links were allowed, this would be it

C&E -- classic and a great shout (also mentioned upthread).

KC and the Sunshine Band had quite a few top 40 hits, no? Including this belter (albeit released before I was born!):