A new series begins today in which we shall be considering the Top 50 list of One Hit Wonders. These are artistes that managed a single big but then failed to repeat their success.
“Somebody’s Watching Me” (50) is a song recorded by American singer Rockwell, released by the Motown label in 1984, as the lead single from his debut studio album of the same name. Rockwell’s debut single release, the song features guest vocals by brothers Michael Jackson (in the chorus) and Jermaine Jackson (additional backing vocals). “Somebody’s Watching Me” became a major commercial success internationally, entering the Top 10 world wide, and in the US (peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard) The song reached No. 6 in the UK, Rockwell’s only Top 40 hit in the UK.
“The Safety Dance” (49) is a song by Canadian band Men Without Hats, released in Canada in 1982 as the second single from Rhythm of Youth. The song was written by lead singer Ivan Doroschuk after he had been kicked out of a club for pogo dancing. The song entered the Canadian top 50 in February 1983, peaking at number 11. In the meantime, “The Safety Dance” was released in the US in March, but did not enter the US charts for a few months. When it finally did, the record became a bigger hit than it had been in Canada, spending four weeks at its peak position of number 3 in September and October 1983, and staying on the Billboard for 24 weeks. “The Safety Dance” found similar success in other parts of the world, entering the UK charts in August and peaking at number 6 in early November.
“You Get What You Give” (48) is a 1998 song by American band New Radicals. It was the first and most successful single from their only studio album. Released in November 1998, it reached number 36 on the US Billboard aOutside the US, it reached number five in the United Kingdom, number four in Ireland, and number one in Canada and New Zealand. In the liner notes to her 2004 compilation Artist’s Choice, Joni Mitchell praises “You Get What You Give” for “rising from the swamp of ‘McMusic’ like a flower of hope.” In a Time interview, U2 lead guitarist The Edge is quoted saying “You Get What You Give” is the song he is “most jealous of. I really would love to have written that.”
“Pop Muzik” (47) is a 1979 song by M, a project by English musician Robin Scott, from his debut album. The single, first released in the UK in early 1979, was bolstered by a music video that was well received by critics. The clip featured Scott as a DJ singing into a microphone from behind an exaggerated turntable setup, at times flanked by two female models who sang and danced in a robotic manner. The video also featured Brigit Novik, Scott’s wife at the time, who provided the backup vocals for the track. “Pop Muzik” reached number 1 on the US Billboard, the Australian Singles Chart, and number 2 in the UK.
“Too Shy” (46) is a song written and recorded by English band Kajagoogoo, released in January 1983. The first single from their debut album White Feathers, the song was an immediate hit and reached number one in the UK for two weeks. It was also very successful in other European countries and Japan, spending five weeks at number one in Germany, also reaching number one in Belgium and Ireland, as well as reaching number two in France and Switzerland, and number four in Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands. Assisted by heavy rotation on MTV, the song later became a success in the United States, peaking at number 5 on the Billboard.
