Inside The Rock Era is bringing back The Top 500 One-Hit Wonders of the Rock Era* in 2025, and we've even updated the list to include songs through 2020. If we've done our homework correctly, each segment should be just a little bit better.
The artist who released one of the top songs of 1972 is up next:
#440: Luther Ingram --"(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right"
Ingram recorded his first record in 1965, but none of his first three records were successful. He then signed with KoKo Records and his first hit, "My Honey and Me" peaked at #55 in 1970. Ingram's only big hit, "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" reached #2 in 1972.
Ingram opened for Isaac Hayes for a few tours and co-wrote "Respect Yourself" by the Staples Singers. Ingram managed a few minor R&B hits, but could not avoid being a One Hit Wonder.
Sometimes an act just needs a boost to hit the limelight:
#439: Snow Patrol--"Chasing Cars"
This group struggled until one of their songs was featured in the second season finale of the television drama Grey's Anatomy. Founded in 1994, lead singer Gary Lightbody had to sell part of his record collection in 2001 just to keep the band going.
In 2005, Snow Patrol got a break in opening for U2 in concert. The following year, they released the album Eyes Wide Open and a different single, but there was nothing to indicate that their fortunes would change from producing albums that got good reviews and a solid fan base but wasn't expanding. Finally, Grey's Anatomy featured "Chasing Cars" and the song spread like wildfire.
"Chasing Cars" peaked at #5 in the United States and #6 in the U.K. Snow Patrol was particularly strong in their native U.K., where the song remained in the Top 100 for 66 weeks and sold over one million copies. It is nearly over four million in U.S. sales. "Chasing Cars" was nominated for Best Rock Song at the Grammy Awards.
At #438, another artist whose songwriting overshadowed his recordings:
#438: Bob Lind --"Elusive Butterfly"
Lind signed a recording contract with World Pacific Records in 1965. This led to the release of "Elusive Butterfly", which reached #5 in the United States and the U.K. But Lind's drug and alcohol problems made him hard to work with and in 1969, Lind and World Pacific parted ways.
He dropped out of the music business for several years, but wrote five novels, an award-winning play, and a screenplay, Refuge, which won the Florida Screenwriters' Competition in 1991.
Lind has written songs recorded by over 200 artists, including the Four Tops, Cher, Glen Campbell, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton and Petula Clark.
All the planets were aligned properly for this group to score their one big hit:
#437: Blink-182--"All The Small Things"
After years of recording and touring as an independent act, this act got its big break when they finally signed with MCA Records.
By 1999, Blink-182 was one of the top international rock bands in the world, and the fact that they scored just one Top 40 career hit tells us a lot about the state of rock in 1999--unlike the four decades that preceded it, it just wasn't very good.
The album Enema of the State was a massive success, however, which sold 15 million copies worldwide and yielded "All The Small Things", #2 in the U.K. and #6 in the United States.
The band managed three more Gold albums, but after "All The Small Things", the best they could do was #42.
An unfortunate disagreement with their record company kept this group from further success:
# 436: Ninedays--"Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)"
John Hampson and Brian Desveaux formed this group in Long Island, New York in 1994 with keyboardist Jeremy Dean, bassist Nick Dimichino and drummer Vincent Tattanelli. They released three independent albums in the 1990's before signing a recording contract with Sony Records and releasing their debut album The Madding Crowd.
Ninedays released the single "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" from the album. The single rose to #3 in Canada, #6 in New Zealand and #7 in the United States. The group planned another album on Sony , but a dispute with that record label resulted in a split. Ninedays then released the album Flying The Corporate Jet on their own record label.
The group is still together performing, but both Hampson and Desveaux have pursued solo careers and other interests.
At #435, this eclectic singer-songwriter:
#435: Bruce Cockburn--"Wondering Where the Lions Are"
Cockburn graduated from Nepean High School in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1964. Pursuing his dream of being a musician, he attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston for three semesters. Bruce joined the final lineup of the Esquires in 1967, then moved to Toronto to form the Flying Circus, which later became Olivus. Olivus opened for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream in 1968.
Cockburn began his own career in 1969, headlining the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1969. In 1970, he released his self-titled debut album and he quickly attracted a following. But it was in 1979 that Cockburn's appeal spread outside his native country with the album Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws. "Wondering Where the Lions Are" reached #21 in 1980.
Cockburn became involved with progressive causes, and his songwriting in the 1980's reflected that. His eclectic musical tastes are evident in music that ranges from folk to reggae to rock. In 1998, Cockburn jammed with Grammy Award-winning musician Ali Farka Toure in West Africa. The month-long experience was filmed and documented in River of Sand.
Cockburn has had his songs covered by artists such as Dan Fogelberg, Anne Murray, Jimmy Buffett, the Barenaked Ladies and Judy Collins.
In 1982, Cockburn was honored as a Member of the Order of Canada and in 2002, he was promoted to Officer. In 2001, Cockburn was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Bruce has received five honorary doctorate degrees.
Cockburn has released 25 albums and 32 singles, but other than "Wondering Where the Lions Are", that success has largely been confined to Canada.
#434: Shirley and Company--" Shame, Shame, Shame"
At #434, an artist produced by Sylvia Robinson, herself a two-time One-Hit Wonder:
#434: Shirley and Company--" Shame, Shame, Shame"
This act included lead singer Shirley Goodman, Jesus Alvarez, Walter Morris, Bernadette Randle, Seldon Powell, Jonathan Williams and Clarence Oliver.
Shirley and Company reached #12 in the United States and #6 in the U.K., and they achieved a #1 dance record in 1975 with this one. Their only other single ("Cry Cry Cry") could not get past #91 later that year.
This One Hit Wonder, like most recording acts, went through numerous twists and turns (and name changes) before getting their big break:
#433: Smokie--"Living Next Door To Alice"
This group formed when Ron Kelly and Alan Silson met by chance in Moore's Music Shop in Bradford, England in 1963. Chris Norman joined them for rehearsals, and the trio practiced for a year without a suitable bassist. Finally in 1965, the group added Terry Uttley on bass and they were set. The group originally called themselves the Yen, then the Sphynx and Essence.
Essence toured small clubs in the surrounding area before splitting in 1966. Kelly joined the Black Cats which included Peter Eastwood on guitar and vocals and bassist Arthur Higgins. Silson soon joined and Norman replaced Eastwood on vocals. In 1967, the group changed their name to the Four Corners. In 1968, Mark Jordan was hired as manager and he renamed them the Elizabethans. Uttley then replaced Higgins, and the group was the same as it was in the original lineup.
Jordan landed the group appearances on British television, and they recorded a demo tape. RCA Records expressed interest but suggested a name change to Kindness. When a single failed to sell, RCA lost interest. But Steve Rowland had heard the group and signed them to his production company. Albert Hammond, who was with the group Family Dogg with Rowland, wrote the song "It Never Rains In Southern California" for them, but before Kindness could release it, Hammond decided to record it himself.
In 1971, Dave Eager took over as manager of the group and Norman suffered a serious infection of his vocal chords. After recovery, Norman's voice sounded much rougher. The group signed with Decca Records and released three singles. The group enjoyed some success but nevertheless, Decca terminated their contract.
But during this time, Eager arranged for the group to be the backing band of Peter Noone, formerly with Herman's Hermits. Bill Hurley became the new manager after a nationwide tour with Noone. Kelly left the group in 1973, when drummer Pete Spencer took over. Hurley introduced the group to composers Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, who had written songs for Sweet, Hot Chocolate and Suzi Quatro, among others.
This led to yet another name change to Smokey. The group recorded their debut album, Pass It Around, in 1974, which led to a tour for Pilot ("Magic"). The following year, Smokey released the album Changing All the Time, which contained the single "If You Think You Know How to Love Me". The song was #3 in their native Great Britain but only reached #96 in the United States. The group changed the spelling of their name to Smokie to avoid confusion with Smokey Robinson, and headed out on their first tour as a headlining act.
In 1976, the group finally scored a universal hit from their album Midnight Cafe. "Living Next Door to Alice" reached #25 in the United States and enabled them to be European superstars with packed houses and million-selling albums. Chris Norman combined with Quatro for the smash hit "Stumblin' In" in 1978, but Smokie themselves would never again achieve worldwide success despite the release of 21 career albums.
Up next, a man who has made contributions in music, movies, television and advertising:
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#432: Joe Harnell--"Fly Me To The Moon"
#432: Joe Harnell--"Fly Me To The Moon"
Harnell began playing piano at age six and played in his father's ensembles at age 14. He received a music scholarship to the University of Miami of Florida in the early 1940's, then joined the Air Force and played in Glenn Miller's Air Force Band. Harnell studied at Trinity College of Music in London, then after his discharge from the military in 1946, at Tanglewood under Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein.
In 1950, Harnell returned to New York City, and found work as an accompaniest for Judy Garland and Maurice Chevalier, among others. Harnell was Peggy Lee's accompanist and arranger from 1958-1961. Harnell then wrote bossa nova songs for Kapp Records, and "Fly Me to the Moon" became a #14 song in 1963 and won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
Harnell went on to release 20 albums on Kapp, Columbia and Motown among others. He wrote advertising jingles, then was the musical director for The Mike Douglas Show from 1967-1973. Joe then worked on film and television scores, including The Incredible Hulk and The Bionic Woman, and Harnell won an Emmy Award for his work in V. Joe also composed the theme music for the soap opera Santa Barbara and then became a faculty member at USC as an instructor in film score composition.
#431: Jane Morgan--"Fascination"
Morgan began taking voice lessons and studying piano at age five. In the summer, she appeared in theater productions at the Kennebunkport Playhouse in Kennebunkport, Maine. After graduating from Seabreeze High School in Florida, Morgan gained admittance into the presitgious Julliard School of Music in New York City.
The next featured artist is a Julliard-trained singer who has performed for five U.S. presidents:
#431: Jane Morgan--"Fascination"
Morgan began taking voice lessons and studying piano at age five. In the summer, she appeared in theater productions at the Kennebunkport Playhouse in Kennebunkport, Maine. After graduating from Seabreeze High School in Florida, Morgan gained admittance into the presitgious Julliard School of Music in New York City.
Morgan studied opera at Julliard, and performed in nightclubs and at private parties to help pay her tuition. Soon, Morgan was hired for $25 a week to sing at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan. Orchestra leader Art Mooney heard Jane and hired her initially, then in 1948, Morgan accompanied bandleader Bernard Hilda to Paris, France. Hilda needed a singer to perform at a nightclub that he planned to open near the Eiffel Tower. Morgan performed at the Club des Champs-Elysees, singing American songs by Cole Porter, George Gershwin and others in flawless French to mostly French audiences.
Morgan became a sensation throughout France and Morgan and Hilda soon began a weekly hour-long television show. Jane began recording in 1949 on the French Polydor label. In 1952, Morgan moved to Montreal, Canada, to perform a bilingual act at the Ritz Hotel using French and English. She then returned to New York City with regular performances at upscale nightclubs. Morgan then returned to Europe to perform at the London Palladium and Savoy Theatre.
Morgan returned to New York, where she was discovered by Dave Kapp, who had recently begun Kapp Records. Morgan signed a recording contract about the same time as pianist Roger Williams, and the pair recorded "Two Different Worlds", which gave Morgan her first significant airplay in the United States. Kapp brought the singing group the Troubadors to his studio to sing with Morgan on "Fascination".
The song was released in 1957 and peaked at #7, sold over one million copies and remained on the chart for 29 weeks. "The Day the Rains Came" reached #1 in the U.K. but found little success elsewhere. In 1959, Morgan was featured on the television special Timex All-Star Jazz III with Louisa Armstrong and Lionel Hampton.
Morgan then turned to musicals on stage, appearing in Can-Can, Kiss Me, Kate, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and others and also performed on numerous television specials. Jane performed for French President Charles de Gaulle, and for five U.S. Presidents: John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George W. Bush. Morgan continued to record until 1968, but could never match the overall success of "Fascination".
Join us tomorrow for 10 more One-Hit Wonders*, exclusively on Inside The Rock Era!