Today our One Hit Wonders countdown finally moves into the Top Twenty.
“Mickey” (20) is a song recorded by American singer and choreographer Toni Basil for her debut studio album, Word of Mouth, in 1981. Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn wrote the song, while production was helmed by Greg Mathieson and Trevor Veitch. It is a new wave song, featuring guitar, synthhesizers and cheerleading chants. It garnered a mixed response from music critics, with some critics praising the radio friendly nature of the song, while others described some of the lyrics as obscene. The single scored number one on the US Billboard for one week and number two in the UK. The song was Basil’s only Top 40 success.
“Me and Mrs. Jones” (19) is a 1972 soul song written by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert, and originally recorded by Billy Paul. It describes an extramarital affair between a man and his lover, Mrs. Jones. In the song, the two meet in secret “every day at the same cafe”, at 6:30, where they hold hands and talk. The two are caught in a quandary: “We got a thing going on/we both know that it’s wrong/but it’s much too strong/to let it go now”. The single became Paul’s only No.1 single on the U.S. Billboard, peaking at that position for three weeks in December 1972. In the UK it reached No. 12.
“Monster Mash” (18) is a 1962 novelty song by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett. The song was released as a single on the Garpax Records label in August 1962 along with a full-length LP called The Original Monster Mash, which contained several other monster-themed tunes. The “Monster Mash” single was number one on the Billboard chart in October of that year, just before Halloween. It has been a perennial Halloween favorite ever since. Nearly 60 years after its release, “Monster Mash” re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 37.
“Achy Breaky Heart” (17) is a song written in 1990 by Don Von Tress. First released in 1991 by the Marcy Brothers with the title “Don’t Tell My Heart”, it was later recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992. The song is Cyrus’ debut single and signature song. In the United States, it became a pop and country radio, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard chart The single topped in several countries, and after being featured on TOTP in the United Kingdom, peaked at No. 3 in the UK. The music video for the song led to the explosion of the line dance into the mainstream.
“There She Goes” (16) is a song by English rock band The La’s, written by the band’s frontman, Lee Mayers. The song reached number 13 in the UK when it was re-issued in 1990. In May 2007, NME magazine placed the song at number 45 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever. Predating Britpop by four years, the band’s self titled was named one of the 40 greatest one-hit wonders by Rolling Stone, with the magazine stating, “Whether about heroin or just unrequited love, the La’s single “There She Goes” off their self-titled debut has endured as a founding piece of Britpop’s foundation.” It was listed at number 22 on NME‘s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”
