One-hit wonder

The term one-hit wonder is most often used to describe music performers with only one top-40 hit single that overshadows their other work.

However, the term is used as well to describe other, related phenomena such as a software company which only has one widely successful release, or for an athlete, known for only one major career event.

Music industry

Music journalist Wayne Jancik, whose book, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, published in 1997 and covering the period from the start of the rock and roll era in 1955 to 1992, defines a one-hit wonder objectively as "an act that has won a position on [the] national, pop, Top 40 just once."

Jancik's The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, because of the publisher's limitation on size, only includes the top twenty One-Hit Wonders, or roughly half of the one-hit wonders that made the Top 40 from 1955 through 1992, and (because it was officially licensed by Billboard magazine) used the Billboard Hot 100 as its reference chart. The author has published a website "One-Hit Wonders," The Book, which now includes all the one-hit wonders profiles he had originally written for the book.

One Hit (To the Body)

"One Hit (To the Body)" is the opening track to English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones' 1986 album Dirty Work. The first Rolling Stones single to feature a Ron Wood co-writing credit with Jagger and Richards, it charted in the USA, Netherlands and Australia. Reaching number 80 in the UK, it was their poorest charting single at the time.

Recording

Credited to lead singer Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards and guitarist Ron Wood, "One Hit (To the Body)" was largely the work of Richards and Wood. Both guitarists contributed heavily to Dirty Work overall, with Wood receiving credit alongside Jagger and Richards on another three songs. A sign of Wood's heavy contribution is the song's distinctive opening of an acoustic piece. Wood used Richards' own 1967 Martin D-18 to perform the jam in an attempt to come up with a proper electric riff, but the acoustic version remained. The band is known for their use of acoustic guitars to "shadow" their electric guitars; "Brown Sugar" being a prime example. Both Richards and Wood played electric, but the solo was provided by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Page's contribution was the result of a short studio session between him and Wood after Page's request to hear what the band was working on. Drummer Charlie Watts provides the song's driving beat as well as its notable cymbal opening, while Bill Wyman performs bass.

One-Hit Wonders (VH1 TV series)

One-Hit Wonders is a television series airing on VH1 featuring unsuccessful pop stars and those who were unable to get a big break into popular music. The series began airing on July 29, 2002.

External links

One-Hit Wonders at the Internet Movie Database

Love Today

"Love Today" is the Grammy-nominated third single released by London-based singer Mika, taken from his album Life in Cartoon Motion. The song was produced by Greg Wells at Rocket Carousel studios and engineered by Drew Pearson. It was released in the United Kingdom on 16 April 2007 as a digital download, with the official physical release appearing on 23 April 2007. It has since peaked at number 6. The single was released in Australia on 23 July 2007, and was used for Austereo radio station network advertising. The song was nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance Recording at the 50th Grammy Awards but lost to Justin Timberlake's "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows".

The single is dedicated in loving memory of Bob Woolmer.

Background and composition

Love Today was written by Mika and produced by Greg Wells. He described the story behind the song in an interview with the Sun Newspaper, on 2 February 2007:

"I was really happy when I wrote this and when I'm in that kind of mood I always hope everyone else feels the same way. Everybody is looking for the same thing - to love someone and be loved back. Or just to get laid. It all depends on how you look for it. 'Love Today' captures that, the euphoric feeling you get when those things go right."

One Hit Wonder

One Hit Wonder may refer to:

One-hit wonder, a musical artist known for only one hit single

"One Hit Wonder" (CSI), an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

One Hit Wonder (band), a Californian punk band

One Hit Wonders (TV series), a Canadian music video program

"One Hit Wonder", a song by Tracy Bonham from The Burdens of Being Upright

"One Hit Wonder", a song by Everclear from So Much for the Afterglow

One Hit Wonder (novel), a novel by Lisa Jewell

Simple Life, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
After Her Disaster, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Sloop John B, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
All Wrecked At Z-mans, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Break Your Heart, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Freedom N' Drinkin, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Billy'd To The Hilt, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Go Postal, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Flaming, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Therapy Lounge, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Drool, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Useless, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Head Lights, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Kill (all The Violent People), One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Love Of God, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Splitsville, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Idiot, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Corporate Rock Rules, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Whiners And Losers, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Clocks, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Any Day Now, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Gorby Doll, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Shut Up, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Stay Away, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Who the Hell Is One Hit Wonder?, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
One Hit Wonder, Keller Williams

text lyrics
Outfall, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
We Are One, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Who the Hell Is, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Have A... Day, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Everything, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Bowl Of Cherries, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
T.v. Talk Show Time, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Floorlord, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
15 And Punk, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Tug Of War, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Keep It Together, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Believe it, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
20 Min, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
One Hit Wonder, Tracy Bonham

text lyrics
Madam's Apple, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
One Hit Wonder, Young Cash

text lyrics
Saddle Up, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Smartest Guy, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
You're Gone, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Dipsomaniac, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Green Grass (means High Times For Us), One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Go Back To Bed, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
One Hit Wonder, Everclear

text lyrics
Powertrip, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Where's The World, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Pop Song 13, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics
Not In This Town, One Hit Wonder

text lyrics

Simple Life

Don't be alarmed, don't be afraid and don't be sad
Don't complicate my life with rules and stupid fads
False hopes and only dreams of winning lotteries
Only pollute my head of a distant reality
[Chorus:]
I want one status in this world
I want just one girl
Just give me happy memories
No catastrophes...
No one ever said it would be free
Expectations high, but never care if they succeed
Just a simple life no need for your royalty
I could spend all my time with obsessions every night
A simple love and just my will for sacrifice
[Chorus]
You can never change me-
You can wish and I can wonder why
People always wanna tell me-
You'd be better if you only try
Vicodine and cheap red win-
Still won't clear my weakest eye
Pound your faith into my head so I can spit it out again.

photo: Creative Commons / Michael Vadon