Today our countdown of the Top UK One Hit Wonders reaches Numbers 36-40
“Flat Beat” (40) is an instrumental by French musician Mr. Oizo. It was released in March 1999 through F Communications and was featured as a bonus track on his debut studio album, Analog Worms Attack. An accompanying music video was released on VHS. The music video features Flat Eric, a puppet, head banging to the track. Widely publicized by Flat Eric’s appearance in many commercials for Levi’s and the popularity of the music video, the track became a surprise European hit. “Flat Beat” peaked at number five on the French Singles Chart and reached number one in Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In 2003, O Magazine ranked “Flat Beat” at number 175 in their list of the “1001 Best Songs Ever”.
The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)” (39) is the debut single by Spanish pop group Las Ketchup, taken from their debut studio album Hijas del Tomate (2002). The song is about a man who enters a nightclub while singing and dancing. “The Ketchup Song” was released in 2002 and became an international hit the same year. It reached number one in at least 20 European countries and became the best-selling hit of 2002 in eight of them. It also topped the music charts of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand but stalled at number 54 in the United States. As of 2006, the song had sold over 7 million copies worldwide. The song’s dance routine was a popular novelty dance in the early 2000s.
“Tubthumping” (38) (also known colloquially as “I Get Knocked Down“) is a song released by British rock band Chumbawamba from their eighth studio album, Tubthumper (1997). It is the band’s most successful single, peaking at number two in the UK. It topped the charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and hit number six on the US Billboard (although it topped the US Modern Rock and Mainstream Top 40 charts). At the 1998 Brit Awards, “Tubthumping” was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Single. It sold 880,000 copies in the UK.
“Mad World” (37) achieved a second round of success 20 years after its release, when it was covered by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for the film Donnie Darko (2001). While the original Tears for Fears version featured synthesisers and heavy percussion, the Andrews/Jules version was stripped down; instead of a full musical backing, it used only a set of piano chords, a mellotroon imitating a cello, very light touches of electric piano, and modest use of a vocoder on the chorus. It was released through Sanctuary Records in December 2003, in time to take the title in the race for the UK’s Christmas number one.
“The Hustle” (36) is a disco song by Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony. It went to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard and Hot Soul Singles charts during the summer of 1975. It also peaked at No. 1 on the Canadian RPM charts, No. 9 on the Australian Singles Chart (Kent Music Report) and No. 3 in the UK. It would eventually sell over one million copies. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance early in 1976 for songs recorded in 1975.
