» Entries tagged with "singer songwriter"
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm – Crash Test Dummies
And now, dear friends, a candidate for worst one-hit wonder ever. “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” by Crash Test Dummies is a love-it-or-hate-it ditty by beloved Canadian band, Crash Test Dummies (at least they were beloved in Canada for a few years). Hear more: Canadian one-hit wonders The lyrics focus on kids with abnormalities (white hair, birthmarks and Pentecostal parents). A bold move since the song potentially offends all people with white hair, birthmarks and “lurch and shake” religious … Read entire article »
Bang a Gong (Get It On) – T. Rex
T. Rex is another band that had an admittedly flimsy association with heavy metal, but I’m including them in our look at heavy metal one-hit wonders as they were a large part of the UK glam-rock scene of the early ’70s, and as such were highly influential. It’s easy to see where Kiss and Queen, for example, got their ideas. And later, the so-called “hair bands” of the ’80s and ’90s like Poison or Winger were … Read entire article »
I Love You Always Forever – Donna Lewis
Some artists suffer from bad timing. Take Donna Lewis and her biggest hit, “I Love You Always Forever.” This song is tied with a few other songs for the longest chart run at the number two position on the Billboard Hot 100. Nine weeks. But it never reached the #1 position because a little cultural phenomenon titled “Macarena” by Los del Rio dominated the charts for more than three months in 1996, keeping Welsh singer Donna … Read entire article »
An American Trilogy – Mickey Newbury
There aren’t many patriotic one-hit wonders. “Dawn of Correction” by The Spokesmen is one. But “An American Trilogy” by Mickey Newbury has to top this fairly small and exclusive list. Based on three 19th century songs (“Dixie” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” from the Civil War and an African American spiritual in “All My Trials”), “An American Trilogy” was first arranged and performed by Mickey Newbury who reached #26 on the Billboard Top … 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
Cruel To Be Kind – Nick Lowe
“Cruel to be Kind” is one of my favorite songs of the 1970s. It doesn’t have a perfect hook. It’s rarely heard these days. Nic Lowe’s voice doesn’t soar or span multiple octaves or anything particularly spectacular. But “Cruel to be Kind” remains spectacular, more than 30 years after it was released. It lives in the same zip code as late 1970s or early ’80s songs from Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and many other guitar-driven … Read entire article »
You Light Up My Life Songwriter Commits Suicide
“You Light Up My Life” by Debby Boone was an inspirational love song and the biggest-selling song of 1977. In fact, it’s one of the top-10 biggest-selling songs of all time according to Billboard Magazine. Sadly, the life of “You Light Up My Life” songwriter Joseph Brooks wasn’t quite as inspirational as the successful songwriter committed suicide on May 22, 2011. Brooks was facing 91 counts of rape, sexual abuse, criminal sexual act and assault … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1970s
Goin’ Down – Greg Guidry
If you confuse “Goin’ Down” by Greg Guidry for The Little River Band, don’t be embarrassed. Just go with it. You could also mistake “Goin’ Down” for something from Ambrosia, Climax Blues Band, Player, the Doobie Brothers or “Steal Away” by two-hit wonder Robbie Dupree. Big harmonies. Smooth, soulful voice. Indistinct vocals. And by indistinct I mean you encounter the problem mentioned above that makes it virtually impossible to determine who is actually singing the song. That’s not … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1980s