Now that the One Hit Wonders of the 90s series is over, I'm not going to be doing my weekly revisiting of all these posts (I had to do that to add the new post to the bottom). Thus, I won't be able to catch any broken picture links or deleted videos any more. Yet I want these posts to be as good as possible.
Please, if you happen upon one of these posts, or if you take a walk through a whole bunch of them, let me know if you find anything that doesn't work. You can leave a comment, or you can send me a message using that handy "Contact Me" page linked above.
Also, feel free to let me know what you think of the post or any of the videos!
Thank you.
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As we hit the end of 1991 (with an axe, I think) in our journey through One-Hit Wonder Land, it may be appropriate to stop and reflect back on what we've seen so far. We've seen some highs, we've seen some lows. Some singers that it's just unimaginable how they were only one-hit wonders, and some that we wondered how they even got the one hit. In fact, it may be time to analyze just what is a one-hit wonder anyway? And what creates it? Is it the fickle nature of society, putting an artist on a pedestal just to enjoy knocking them over when it's done with them? Or is it just the fact that the artist sucks to begin with and society is under some mass delusion? Does it say something about...
Ahem, sorry.
Anyway, it's time once again for the latest installment of the one-hit wonders of the 90s! And by "latest" installment, I mean not last week's and not next week's ,which, by definition, doesn't exist yet, of course, unless you're in some alternate quantum universe where you can see the future or something, and wouldn't that be totally gnarly if that were the case?
Where was I? Oh yeah, time for this week's list. As usual, you can find the list here. But no peeking! You don't want this coming after you.
I know I am totally frightened right now.
On to #1!
1) Jomanda: "Got a Love For You" (#40)
Got a Love For You
Uploaded by ice1906. - See the latest featured music videos.
Funky glasses! But what's with the hunky guys with the hula hoops? That's not very interesting.
This is actually kind of a fun song with a catchy beat. I have no memory of it whatsoever, but that's ok. It probably hit the clubs pretty big, and I never went to them. It's one of the few dance songs that I can appreciate outside of that atmsophere, though. I also dig the black and white (with splashes of colour) in the video, too.
However, whoever has the polka dot fetish, you really need to get some help. That's almost obscene!
2) TAMI Show: "The Truth" (#28)
Wow! I didn't recognize this song's title at all until I heard it. Now I have great memories of it. Of course, the beginning of the song has been used on the Rush Limbaugh show (as I now watch hordes of my Liberal friends/readers storm away in disgust), so it's even more recognizable.
You know a band hasn't done much when their Wikipedia entry just ends with their last single. No news on the individual members and what they're doing now or anything like that. It's like they just disappeared or something! Quick, call in some help!
I don't know if even they could find any record of them.
This is a good song, though, so I'm glad I got to listen to it again. Now I'll go back to something else...like *not* listening to it.
3) Loleatta Holloway: "Good Vibrations" (#1)
Oooooooo, a #1 hit! Let's see if it's as good as advertised.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, my head hurts. I had no idea it was a Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch song! If I had, I would have put cotton in my ears before listening. I just felt my IQ plummet by 50 points.
Why is this even considered a one-hit wonder for Holloway? Sure, she's in the song, but it's not really her song, is it?
Ohhhhhhh, where is the aspirin? Who hid the aspirin? Why are you punishing me so?
Wait, what's this? Oh yeah, the STOP button! That works. *CLICK*
4) Siouxsie & the Banshees: "Kiss Them for Me" (#23)
Damn, sexy! Or glittery, anyway. Actually, she is quite exotic, which is good because you can't understand a word she's saying other than "kiss them for me." That's helpful, since it's the title of the song and all.
I remember this group being played on MTV, and I think it was more than just this song, but this is the only one that cracked the US Top 40. They were pretty big in the UK, though, and influenced a lot of other bands as well.
I do admit to a soft spot for this song, though. Not sure exactly why. Maybe I'm hypnotized by all that glitter or something.
5) Billy Falcon: "Power Windows" (#35)
Wow, this guy's got a *really* annoying voice, and the lyrics of this song are quite banal too. Way to work that Mercedes Benz in there.
The song tries really hard to be deep, but it just doesn't have the strength to go there. The rich guy's got "power everything" in his car but he has an empty life. Meanwhile the poor guy doesn't have "power" anything but he's got the power of love. The rich guy jumps into his empty pool because his life is so despondent.
Oh, please...
Sure, money isn't everything, and if money's all you've got, then you've got nothing.
Do we really need to be told this again?
And if we did, could we actually get this babe to sing it so we can at least enjoy watching as we're being told something that's as old as the Earth?
Now SHE could talk down to me and I'd lap it up.
6) Chesney Hawkes: "The One and Only" (#10)
(there is a music video of this, but the only one I could find had horrible lip syncing problems)
I guess this guy was cute for the teenyboppers (Anahid, can you comment?). I really don't see the attraction though, as the song is pretty basic and rather boring. Then again, how many singers go out and kiss the girls in the audience? Why didn't Debbie Gibson do that when I went to *her* concert? I feel ripped off.
7) Jasmine Guy: "Just Want to Hold You" (#34)
Our first instance in this 90s list of an actor/actress trying for a music career! Trying and failing, I mean. Taking advantage of the popularity of "The Cosby Show" spin-off called "A Different World," Guy decided to hit the music scene and see if she could branch out. Apparently, the branch fell out from under her, as her appearance on this list signifies.
Still, she doesn't have a bad voice and this is one of the least offensive examples of an actor doing this. However, it doesn't sound any different than any of the other Soul songs that came out around the same time. Maybe she just blended in too much?
Good thing her acting career has been very solid.
8) Russ Irwin: "My Heart Belongs to You" (#28)
My cat just lifted her head and was wondering what I was listening to. Then she put her paws over her head. Wish I could do the same. I'm waiting for this song to DO something. It sounds like it needs a good drum solo. Anything to stop Irwin from singing for a moment. And the video sure is exciting too! Way to walk down the street, guy.
Oh, a sax! That improves it 100%! That, and the lack of singing. Of course, he has to start up again.
Do you get the sense I don't like this song?
9) Big Audio Dynamite: "Rush" (#32)
Now THIS is a great song! I love it, and have loved it ever since it was so overplayed on the radio while I was in college. I would hear this song a lot while I was listening to my Walkman in the computer lab at Iowa State. I'm not sure exactly what he's saying ("Situation What?????")
I'm also not sure what the hell that is in the middle of the song. I don't remember that in the radio version. Weird. Keep with it, though, as the song does come back to normal.
I want those pants he's wearing, though.
10) Curtis Stigers: "I Wonder Why" (#9)
Another great song, and a perfect way to end the week (and 1991). This has a great combination of lyrics, singing, and saxophone that just gives me chills. It's quite powerful.
He plays the sax *and* has that voice? I'm sure he had the girls falling all over him.
No wonder I hated him back then.
So there you go. Another year is in the books. 1991 bleeds into 1992 (hopefully not literally, as that would be quite the mess). Can you believe we're 20% done with the decade? I know I can't. Does it seem like these have gone on forever?
Yeah, me too.
Let's hope 1992 isn't too frightening.
Ok, that doesn't make me optimistic...
One-Hit Wonders of the 90s
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
Part 14
Part 15
Part 16
Part 17
Part 18
Part 19
Part 20
Part 21
Part 22
Part 23
Part 24
Part 25
Part 26
Part 27
Part 28
Part 29
Part 30
Part 31
Part 32
Part 33
Part 34
Part 35
Part 36
Part 37
Part 38
Part 39
Part 40
Posts
The beat of #1 sounds familiar but the song doesn't ring any bells. Definitely a song I would've listened to though.
ReplyDeleteChesney Hawkes? If the hair was cut & spiked, maybe he'd be cute lol. But I guess I could see how girls would go nuts for him...kind of reminds me of Nick from Backstreet Boys, whom I was kind of obsessed with...don't judge me lol.
What is your beef with "Good Vibrations?" I STILL listen to that one! :)
Hi Anahid! I knew you couldn't stay away. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I had the same feeling about #1, but it is totally gone from my aged memory.
I wouldn't dare to judge you! I was obsessed with Debbie Gibson, so I have no room to talk...but ok, the Backstreet Boys? :P
I am exceptionally far away from the intended audience for Marky Mark (though I have like a couple of his movies now that he's an ACT-OR(!). I actually liked the "Good Vibrations" part of it. It was the tough-guy rapping of Marky Mark that I hated. Then again, my mind's not clouded by the buff biceps and washboard abs. LOL
Yeah I tried to resist, but I failed! :)
ReplyDeleteHey they were/are good & much better than NStink! (Not that you care, but I'm just saying).
Lol. I kind of like his "acting" career better than his singing one. I'm not familiar with any of his other songs though, but I'm sure it didn't get him all that far considering he's on this list lol.
Oh, NStink (I LOVE that!) sucks just as much, if not more. My antipathy toward Boy Bands is legendary (well, in my own mind, anyway).
ReplyDeleteAnd it's a one-hit wonder for Holloway, not Marky Mark, which is why I was questioning it being on this list.
But Wikipedia's never wrong, right? :)
I must say this week wasn't to bad. I still didn't know anyone or the songs. Jasmine Guy looked familiar but couldn't place her. I did like the song. Chesney Hawkes was cute. Guess I like them young.LOL You didn;t seem to like him. Russ Irwin sounded & looked like a girl. If I had closed my eyes I would have said he was a she.Kind of liked the last one. I missed watching you do this.
ReplyDeleteI'm breathless with anticipation, though. Did you like Marky Mark, like Anahid? Or do you think they are the spawn of Satan like I do? :)
ReplyDeleteAnd wasn't it funner to experience this all at once without having to watch me try and come up with something to say?
humn.. i fill like i was not from this world now.. :(.. but i know that russ irwin song (I think i heard it before on one of my daddy's playlist).. i cant remember much from the 90's.. I was 3 at that time tho'.. lols.. :)
ReplyDeleteOk, now I just feel old. :P Older than I felt yesterday after waddling around the apartment.
ReplyDeleteehehehheee... u have been a grandpa for atleast a moment there.. lols..
ReplyDeleteThankfully, I just *felt* like one...the actuality of it won't happen.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm feeling much better now. Just old in spirit now. LOL
ur spirit will never get old, dave, it will only get wiser, and hope that ur wise spirit will guide u everywhere anywhere anytime.. who am i talking about this.. lols..
ReplyDelete