» Entries tagged with "one-hit wonder ballad"
I’ll See You In My Dreams – Giant
Talk about your forgotten one-hit wonders, even I don’t remember “I’ll See You In My Dreams” by Giant. Giant is so far off the beaten path of rock history you’ll need GPS and compass skills used by back-country hikers in remote wilderness areas to even locate this band. Giant was essentially a bunch of Christian Nashville session players that decided one day to get together as a band and make records of their own, like Toto in … Read entire article »
Love You Like I Never Loved Before – John O’Banion
“Love You Like I Never Loved Before” by John O’Banion comes to us directly from the Hall and Oates, Toto, Queen, Joey Scarbury and Frankee and the Knockouts production early 1980s songbook. The pounding piano is straight from Toto’s first hit, “Hold the Line” with some sly nods to Daryl Hall’s piano pounding on “Kiss on My List.” The soaring vocals have a touch of two-hit wonders Frankee and the Knockout’s vocal stylings on their biggest hit, … Read entire article »
A Whole New World – Regina Belle and Peabo Bryson
If you have young kids in the house. If you have young kids in the neighborhood. If you were a young kid in the 1990s, you know this song. That’s because “A Whole New World” is the title track to Disney’s animated 1992 film, Aladdin, that has earned more than $500 million dollars worldwide. That’s half-a-billion dollars for an animated movie. That’s simply astounding. It’s also the kind of broad reach and wide appeal that can transform … Read entire article »
Shake You Down – Gregory Abbott
“Shake You Down” by Gregory Abbott is a complete mystery to me. It’s a number one hit. It’s soulful. It’s smooth. It evokes the spirit of Marvin Gaye and Al Green, two of my favorite soul singers. In fact, one of my favorite albums is What’s Goin’ On by Marvin Gaye. Yet in the 1980s and today, “Shake You Down” leaves me cold. I’m simply indifferent about the song. I don’t like it. I don’t hate it. I could care less … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1980s
How Do You Talk to an Angel – The Heights
Aaron Spelling is one of the all-time genius TV show producers. You may not love all his programs. You may laugh at their period-piece pop-cultural aesthetics. You may tell your friends you never watched Charlie’s Angels or Melrose Place or Dynasty or Beverly Hills 90210 or The Mod Squad. But the fact is, you probably did. And the rest of America joined you on the sofa as these TV shows became cultural phenomenons and water cooler fodder. But one Aaron … Read entire article »
Hold On – Jamie Walters
Two-time one-hit wonders are a special breed. These are the artists who hit the Billboard Top 40 more than once with completely different bands. J.D. Souther did it with the Souther Hillman Furay Band’s “Fallin in Love” and his solo hit “You’re Only Lonely.” Nick Gilder counts for performing “Hot Child in the City” and writing “The Warrior” by Scandal. Donnie Iris sang lead on “Ah! Leah!” and “The Rapper” by The Jaggerz. Ann Wilson of Heart pulled … Read entire article »
All I Need – Jack Wagner
Soap operas have been launching pads for many singers, actors and actresses. Jack Wagner was no fool and recognized opportunity when it presented itself back in 1985. General Hospital was the biggest soap opera on the air. So big, in fact, that in 1981, the Afternoon Delights hit #33 on the Billboard Top 40 with their novelty song, “General Hospi-tale.” Get it? They switched “tal” with “tale” because they are telling the epic saga of … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1980s
Stay the Night – Benjamin Orr
The Cars are back. Yes, the original version of The Cars, one of the seminal New Wave bands, is releasing their first record since 1987′s Door to Door. That’s good news for fans of the band since the record, Move Like This, essentially sounds like their late 1970s or early 1980s classics like The Cars and Candy-O. The sad news is that it’s the original Cars lineup, minus one key member: bass player Benjamin Orr who … Read entire article »