One Hit Wonders

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

I suppose Stompin' Tom Connors could be classified as a one-hit wonder outside of Canada with The Hockey Song?

[Toe]

Everyone where I am from - and I mean everyone literally - knows Van Halen for "Hot For Teacher", "Panama" and "Right Now" more then for "Jump".

[Benji]

Everyone where I am from - and I mean everyone literally - knows Van Halen for "Hot For Teacher", "Panama" and "Right Now" more then for "Jump".

You're from South Park, no-one is hot for THAT teacher.

[GhostMachine]

I suppose Stompin' Tom Connors could be classified as a one-hit wonder outside of Canada with The Hockey Song?

It depends. Where was it a one-hit wonder at? Because it sure as hell wasn't the U.S.!

[AnnIQ Edison]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OHhWTy1lAs

That was the shit back then

Aqua didn't die in vain

If you find me the Ska version of this that was in one of the THPS games i will love you forever more.

That is of course if that's the right song....

[Nerf]

Strangly the only Thin Lizzy song I could thing of us Bad Reputation...

Jimmy Eat World had Bleed American before The Middle.

Van Halen is not a one hit wonder, they have so many! Jump, Panama, Why Can't This Be Love, When It's Love, You Really Got Me and Running with the Devil all jump to mind.

For Blue Oyster Cult, I dont know about singles, but the three songs I think of when I hear them is The Reaper, Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll and Godzilla.

I just came in here to say that. I really don't get why people think Van Halen are one hit wonders.

- Jump

- Ain't Talkin' Bout Love

- Running With The Devil

- Why Can't This Be Love

- Poundcake

- Panama

- You Really Got Me

- Hot For Teacher

And they're just off the top of my head. Really, how are they one hit wonders? They were massive in the U.S., especially on the Hair Metal scene, and weren't exactly unheard of in the U.K. either.

Look at Benji's first post. Anyone who isn't a fan of Van Halen, especially those who haven't lived through thier 80's heyday, will probably know them more as 'that band who did 'Jump'. They aren't one hit wonders in the conventional sense, but they are more well known for one song than other songs in thier catalogue.

having a most well known song doesn't make you a one hit wonder, though. it means one of your song is more popular than your others. the definition of a one hit wonder is an artist that has one hit; van halen have had many hits, not just limited to the ones i and some others have mentioned.

[Liam]

Strangly the only Thin Lizzy song I could thing of us Bad Reputation...

Jimmy Eat World had Bleed American before The Middle.

Van Halen is not a one hit wonder, they have so many! Jump, Panama, Why Can't This Be Love, When It's Love, You Really Got Me and Running with the Devil all jump to mind.

For Blue Oyster Cult, I dont know about singles, but the three songs I think of when I hear them is The Reaper, Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll and Godzilla.

I just came in here to say that. I really don't get why people think Van Halen are one hit wonders.

- Jump

- Ain't Talkin' Bout Love

- Running With The Devil

- Why Can't This Be Love

- Poundcake

- Panama

- You Really Got Me

- Hot For Teacher

And they're just off the top of my head. Really, how are they one hit wonders? They were massive in the U.S., especially on the Hair Metal scene, and weren't exactly unheard of in the U.K. either.

Look at Benji's first post. Anyone who isn't a fan of Van Halen, especially those who haven't lived through thier 80's heyday, will probably know them more as 'that band who did 'Jump'. They aren't one hit wonders in the conventional sense, but they are more well known for one song than other songs in thier catalogue.

having a most well known song doesn't make you a one hit wonder, though. it means one of your song is more popular than your others. the definition of a one hit wonder is an artist that has one hit; van halen have had many hits, not just limited to the ones i and some others have mentioned.

Right.

But we are going on what Benji said. We know what Benji said isn't what a one hit wonder is, but he has not only specified one hit wonders, he was asking for bands/artists who were now pretty much known for one song far and above all the other songs.

For Van Halen, and at least in the UK, 'Jump' is far ahead of all the other songs they did. And thats, for non-fans, essentially what they will be remembered for. Obviously, for fans it will be different, but kinda like Thin Lizzy (who over here get remembered mostly for 'Boys Are Back In Town'), 'Jump' is THE song.

Not for you, but for anyone who comes in here from now on:

YES, We understand what a one hit wonder is, but thats not what has been asked for in the first post!!

I blame Benji.

Edited April 2, 2008 by rvdwannabe

[DoubleX]

I may hate the song with a passion, but it's a one hit wonder thread and no-one's mentioned it, so

Men At Work - Land Down Under

[lari]

Van Halen was not a one hit wonder. Their debut album was a milestone in heavy metal and helped pioneer glam metal. Perhaps the best album of the 70's. Running with the Devil and Ain't Talking 'Bout Love are still played on the radio. And that was way before Jump or Panama.

[Liam]

Van Halen was not a one hit wonder. Their debut album was a milestone in heavy metal and helped pioneer glam metal. Perhaps the best album of the 70's. Running with the Devil and Ain't Talking 'Bout Love are still played on the radio. And that was way before Jump or Panama.

Ok, we get that.

But I'm/we're saying that no matter how wonderful they were, over here at least, on commercial radio and for people who aren't Van Halen fans, 'Jump' will be the song that people link them with.

Naturally, in other countries, it may be different, but yeah, its pretty much 'Jump' and not much else in the UK nowadays.

We know that doesn't make them a one hit wonder, but blame Benji for his altered definition in the first post.

Edited April 2, 2008 by rvdwannabe

[TheRossWalker]

I find it hard to believe this hasn't been mentioned yet.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9z7t-Ox3XvU

The ULTIMATE one hit wonder.

[IAceI]

Van Halen? They'd be the blokes that done Jump, yah?

¬_¬

[YI]

Along similar lines;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcmBaRAj7FU

It's my life goal to write a song with its own dance.

Edited April 2, 2008 by YI

[Liam]

Van Halen? They'd be the blokes that done Jump, yah?

¬_¬

See, Ace knows where it is at >_>

[AnnIQ Edison]

I find it hard to believe this hasn't been mentioned yet.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9z7t-Ox3XvU

The ULTIMATE one hit wonder.

The epitome of the mid nineties pop scene.

Also i just realised the whole of Australia has been doing the dance wrong >_<

[R.W.]

So basically, we're turning this thread into a "Bands you only really know one song of"?

Like Van Halen and "Jump"

[Liam]

I have 1984, I know more Van Halen songs.

But before I made a concious effort to get into them, I knew one song.

'Jump'

Ok, how about 'the song most easily associable with a band, irrelevant of how many other hits they may have had,and not including the thoughts of fans of said band, cos they'd naturally know a lot more'?

But thats kinda long.

[Iain76er]

Dunno if its been mentioned yet, but I ain't trawling through 6 pages of arguments about whether Van Halen are a one hit wonder or not (they're not), but...

Norman Greenbaum- Spirit in the Sky

Doctor & the Medics- Spirit in the Sky

and while I'm here may as well throw in...

Gareth Gates- Spirit in the Sky

[Liam]

It's my last time I can be bothered, but here's Benji in the first post:

Perhaps the artist is a one hit wonder, perhaps they had other hits but these days they're more known for only one particular song

Van Halen definitely falls under that. Obviously fans would think otherwise, but you rarely hear anything of thiers on commerical (emphasis on that) radio other than 'Jump'. If your not really into music, your more likely to know 'Jump' than anything else, if you are not a rock fan, you are more likely to know 'Jump', if you weren't born during Halen's prime, you're probably more likely to know 'Jump'

They aren't a one hit wonder, but that was never the argument. They fit the criteria of what Benji was looking for though. So yeah, list Van Halen.

I thought there was a bigger argument to be had with Thin Lizzy, which I'm surprised people haven't taken up over Van Halen. I mean, Lizzy quite obviously > Halen >_>

Edited April 2, 2008 by rvdwannabe

[Iain76er]

Thin Lizzy have The Boys are Back in Town and Whisky in the Jar. So I can't see them having a claim in these shenanigans either.