The Top 500 One-Hit Wonders of the Rock Era: #225-201

Hard to believe that this many talented artists had just one big hit but for those of you who have never tried, it takes a monumental amount of work, talent, and luck just to get as far as these 500 artists.  We began at the first of the month, presenting 25 artists per day, and we're now up to #225 in The Top 500 One-Hit Wonders*:

At #225, this talented band:
 
#225:  Hemorrhage (In My Hands)--Fuel

Guitarist and songwriter Carl Bell and drummer Jody Abbott formed the group Small the Joy in 1989 in Brownsville, Tennessee and invited singer/guitarist Brett Scallions and vocalist and keyboardist Erik Avakian.  The group then changed their name to Fuel and moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where they played in local bars and nightclubs.

Fuel released their first EP Porcelain in 1996, which contained the minor hit "Shimmer".  Officials at Epic Records were impressed enough to sign the band to their label and released a second EP, Hazleton, the following year.

The group recorded their first full-length album, Sunburn, in 1998.  "Shimmer" was included on the album, and Fuel also received Mainstream Rock airplay with "Bittersweet", "Jesus or a Gun" and "Sunburn".  The title track was also featured in the movie Scream 3, while Fuel recorded "Walk the Sky" for the movie Godzilla.

The group toured in support of the album, but problems with Abbott led Fuel to enlist Jonathan Mover on drums.  In 2000, Fuel released the album Something Like Human and single "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)".  The song reached #11 in Canada, #30 in the United States (a #1 Alternative Rock smash) and #46 in Australia.  The single helped Fuel achieve Double Platinum status with Something Like Human.

But legal problems and Scallions' surgery to repair a deviated septum prevented Fuel from recording another album until 2003.  Although these events were out of the group's control, it is considered a cardinal sin in the music industry to go that long without releases.  The album Natural Selection included "Falls on Me", which only peaked at #52, and the album failed to reach 500,000 in sales.  

Fuel has released four albums and 13 singles in their career.

This next artist scored her big hit as a teenager:

  #224:  Gotta' Tell You--Samantha Mumba  

Mumba attended Billie Barry Stage School in Dublin, Ireland from age three to fifteen.  Louis Walsh, manager of Westlife and Boyzone, discovered Samantha on the television talent show Let Me Entertain You and helped sign her to Polydor Records.

Mumba co-wrote and recorded her debut album Gotta' Tell You when she was 17.  The title track was released in 2000 and hit #1 in her native Ireland, #2 in the U.K. and #4 in the United States and helped the album sell over four million copies.  

After Mumba's second album was cancelled, Samantha put her music career on hold and began auditioning for films.  In 2001, she played the lead in the movie The Time Machine.

In 2002, Mumba reached the Top 5 in the U.K. with "I'm Right Here", but the song only reached #80 in the United States.  Shortly afterwards, Mumba was dropped from her record label.  In 2010, Mumba confirmed that she would no longer record and would instead focus on acting. 

The arranger behind many famous musicians, this artist scored a big instrumental hit of his own:

  #223:  Honky Tonk--Bill Doggett

Doggett was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and joined an area combo at the age of 15, playing in local theaters and clubs.  Doggett sold his band to Lucky Millinder and worked in the 1930's and 40's for Millinder and arranger Jimmy Mundy.  In 1947, he landed a job as the pianist and arranger for the Ink Spots.  Later that year, Doggett played piano and the Hammond organ for Louis Jordan's Tympany Five.

In 151, Doggett formed his own trio and began recording for King Records.  Bill co-wrote "Honky Tonk" in 1956, which reached #2 and sold over four million copies.  It was a #1 R&B hit for over two months.  Doggett also arranged for many bandleaders and other performers, including Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald and Lionel Hampton.

Although "Honky Tonk" remained his only hit, Doggett continued to play and arrange until his death at the age of 80.

This next artist certainly had talent, but was never given much of a chance by the radio industry:

  #222:  Rolene--Moon Martin  

John Martin (he was nicknamed "Moon" because he wrote so many songs with the moon in the lyrics) was born in Oklahoma and grew up in Altus.  While in high school Martin joined a group called the Disciples.  After graduation, the group moved to Los Angeles in 1968 and changed their name to Southwind.  Southwind released two unsuccessful albums before breaking up in 1971.

Meanwhile, Martin had gotten into studio work and played guitar and sang backing vocals for Linda Ronstadt's self-titled album.  He chose to pursue a solo career, mixing songwriting with regular jobs such as working as a lorry driver and in a flower shop.  Mink DeVille recorded Moon's "Cadillac Walk" in 1977 and producer Craig Leon had used three Martin songs on Lisa Burns' debut album.  Leon agreed to produce Martin's debut album Shots From A Cold Nightmare.

Martin played guitar, did backup vocals and wrote three songs for Michelle Phillips' solo album Victim of Romance.  He wrote "Bad Case of Loving You", which became a big hit for Robert Palmer in 1979.

Meanwhile, Martin recorded the album Escape From Domination and this time, he received airplay for "Rolene", which reached #30 in the United States and received significant attention in Sweden and France.   His next-best effort from the album was "No Chance", which peaked at #50.

Martin released the album Street Fever in 1980, but no songs received widespread airplay.  The 1982 album Mystery Ticket became his weakest album to date.  Martin has recorded albums for smaller labels that were largely ignored.

Here's another act to land one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*:

  #221:  Driver's Seat--Sniff 'N' the Tears  

This group began playing together under the name Ashes of Moon in 1973.  They couldn't get a recording contract, so singer/songwriter Paul Roberts dissolved the group and moved to France.  

A few years later, Luigi Salvoni, drummer for Ashes of Moon, listened to some demos that Roberts had recorded in 1975.  He was inspired again about getting back together with Roberts and Sniff 'n' the Tears was born.  Guitarists Mick Dyche and Loz Netto joined Chris Birkin on bass, Alan Fealdman on keyboards and Salvoni and Roberts.  That lineup recorded the group's debut album Fickle Heart.

The album was unreleased until executives at Chiswick Records expressed interest.  They released the album and the lead single "Driver's Seat" became an international hit, peaking at #15 in the United States.  But within a few months, the group broke apart as Birkin, Fealdman and Salvoni all left.

Sniff 'n' the Tears has released seven albums under various lineups but nothing clicked except "Driver's Seat".

The artist at #220 has talent that goes far beyond singing:

  #220:  Mickey--Toni Basil  

Antonio Christina Basilotta was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and began dancing professionally in her childhood. Her career blossomed when she was a dancer and assistant choreographer on Shindig!, the famous music variety television show which began in 1964.

Basilotta was the assistant choreographer for the movie The T.A.M.I. Show.  She also was responsible for the choreography on the movies American Graffiti, The Rose, Peggy Sue Got Married, Village of the Giants, The Cool Ones and the Monkees' film Head and later My Best Friend's Wedding and Charlie Wilson's War, among others..  She also devised the choreography for several music videos by the Talking Heads and choreographed two of David Bowie's tours.  

Basil began her recording career in 1966 with the title song from the short film Breakaway.  She sold out solo performances at The Roxy in Los Angeles.  She sang on the first season of Saturday Night Live.

The multi-talented Basil was also a noted actress, appearing in movies such as Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces and Mother, Jugs & Speed and on the television shows Laverne and Shirley and Baywatch Nights.

In 1982, Basil released the single "Mickey", which was a smash all over the world.  It reached #1 in the United States and was certified Platinum for sales over 2 million.  The music video was one of the most popular in the infancy of MTV, which used to stand for Music Television before it deteriorated.  "Mickey" has since been included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as one of the groundbreaking songs of the 1980's.

Basil's career consists of just two albums.  She did enjoy success on the Dance chart with "Over My Head" in 1983 but nothing before or since has approached the worldwide appeal of "Mickey".  

Basil is recognized as a seminal influence in bringing street dance to the attention of the American public.  An article in a 2012 edition of Dance Magazine cited Basil as "the pioneer in merging ballet with street dance" for a piece she choreographed for Saturday Night Live called "Swan Lake" in 1978.

She won an Emmy Award in 2007 for her choreography in the commercial "MC Hammer:  My Braves" and was nominated for a Grammy for Long Form Video for "Word of Mouth" in 1983.  Basil won Hip Hop International's Living Legend Award and won another Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography for The Smothers Brothers 1988.  Basil was nominated for four American Choreography Awards, and won the Lifetime Achievement Innovator Award.  

This next artist took an Animals song and remade it into a disco hit:

  #219:  Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood--Santa Esmeralda (in all it's "long version" glory!)

French producers Nicolas Skorsky and Jean Manuel de Scarano formed their own recording label with the goal of producing artists who would record the duo's songs. After meeting singer Leroy Gomez in Paris, Skorsky and de Scarano invited Gomez to front the group Santa Esmeralda.

Santa Esmeralda recorded their disco remake of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and released it on the Fauves Puma label.  When the song became a huge success in Europe, Casablanca Records agreed to distribute and promote the song worldwide.  The single became a #1 disco hit and matched the #15 overall ranking that the Animals had reached in 1964.  The song's success led to a gold certification for Santa Esmeralda's album.  

Despite the success of the song, Gomez did not record with Santa Esmeralda's production team again.  Singer Jimmy Goings was brought in to replace Gomez, and Santa Esmeralda had another disco hit with another Animals remake--"The House of the Rising Sun".  They recorded "Sevila Nights" for the "Thank God It's Friday" Soundtrack before disbanding in 1983.

Santa Esmeralda recorded nine albums in their career, but nothing approached "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" in popularity or success.

We have a One-Hit Wonder who remade a Beethoven song into a big hit.  Here's another who tried his hand at Bach:

  #218:  Joy--Apollo 100

Tom Parker played keyboards, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and several other instruments from an early age.  He was a successful arranger for Don Fardon among others.  Parker played in a number of jazz clubs around Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Parker was associated with several groups, including Eric Burdon and the New Animals.  Parker formed the group Apollo 100 in 1972 with drummer Clem Cattini, guitarist Vic Flick, guitarist Zed Jenkins, percussionist Jim Lawless and bassist Brian Odgers.  The group released their first single "Joy", based on Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", which was originally recorded by the group Jigsaw, another One Hit Wonder.  "Joy" was a big hit, rising to #6 in the U.S.

But further efforts were not as successful and Apollo 100 broke up the following year.

This group gave us one of the great songs in the early years
of Rock:

#217:  Book of Love--Monotones  

The Monotones formed in 1955 when seven singers from Newark, New Jersey began performing covers of popular hits.  Lead singer Charles Patrick was joined by tenors Warren Davis and George Malone, bass singers John Smith  and John Ryanes and baritone Warren Ryanes.  Patrick's brother James was an original member but he left shortly after the group formed.

The Monotones began singing with the New Hop Baptist Choir, directed by Cissy Houston.  Then, they won first prize for their version of the Cadillacs' "Zoom" on Ted Mack's Amateur Hour.  

After hearing a Pepsodent toothpaste commercial for the line "wonder where the yellow went", Patrick got the idea for the line "I wonder, wonder, wonder who!, who wrote the book of love".  Patrick, Davis and Malone wrote the song "Book of Love" and recorded it in 1957.  The single was released on Mascot Records, but the small label could not handle the song's popularity, and it was reissued on Argo Records. 

"Book of Love" hit #5 in the United States and Australia and sold over one million copies.  But after that, a series of novelty songs were not successful and the Monotones broke up in 1962.   

At #216, this talented performer who gave much to the entertainment industry:

  #216:  Turn the Beat Around--Vicki Sue Robinson  

Vicki Sue performed in public for the first time at the age of six, when she accompanied her mother onstage at the Philadelphia Folk Festival.  Robinson and her family moved to New York City when she was ten.  She made her professional debut while a student at New Lincoln High School, appearing in the Broadway cast of the musical Hair.

Robinson was with the cast of Hair for six weeks before performing in another Broadway show, Soon, co-starring Richard Gere.  After that, she and Gere teamed up again for the Off Broadway play Long Time Coming, Long Time Gone.  After small parts in the movies Going Home and To Find A Man, Robinson joined the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway.

Robinson sang background for Todd Rundgren's 1972 album Something, Anything and she did session work with Itsuro Shimoda in Japan in 1973.  In 1975, Robinson was recording vocals for Scott Fagan when producer Warren Schatz heard her.  

Schatz invited Vicki Sue to record a remake of "Baby Now That I've Found You" by the Foundations, which became her first single.  This led to Robinson's debut album Never Gonna' Let You Go.  The title song was a #10 disco hit but another song on the album, "Turn the Beat Around" was generating so much buzz that it was released as a single.

The song topped the disco chart and hit #10 overall in the United States, #14 in Canada, #11 in the Netherlands and #12 in South Africa.  "Turn the Beat Around" garnered Robinson a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Vicki Sue toured the United States and performed on The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, The Merv Griffin Show, American Bandstand, Soul Train and The Mike Douglas Show.  

Robinson released her self-titled second album in 1976, but it's lead single, "Daylight", only reached #61.  "Hold Tight" in 1977 peaked at #67.  After leaving RCA Records for Ariola, she was dropped after one single release.  A dance version of "To Sir With Love" became a Top Ten hit in Australia in 1983 but not elsewhere.

Robinson sang background on Irene Cara's "Fame" and returned to session work, backing Cher and Michael Bolton. She also became a noted jingle singer for such products as Wrigley's Doublemint gum, Maybelline Cosmetics, Downy fabric softener, Hanes underwear and Folger's coffee.

People were reminded, however, of the greatness of her One Hit Wonder when Gloria Estefan remade "Turn the Beat Around" in 1994.  The renewed interest in disco music in the mid-1990's led Robinson to join K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Thelma Houston and Gloria Gaynor on a successful world tour.  In 1999, Robinson released her final single "Move On", which reached #18 on the Dance Chart.  

A great trumpeter graces our special next:

  #215:  Gonna' Fly Now--Maynard Ferguson  

Ferguson began playing piano and violin at age four.  When he was nine, he heard a cornet and wanted to play one.  By the time he was 13, Ferguson soloed with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra.  Ferguson won a scholarship to the Conservatoire de musique du Quebec a Montreal, where he studied from 1948 to 1948.

Maynard performed in dance bands led by Stan Wood, Roland David and Johnny Holmes.  He soon had his own dance band and served as the opening act for touring bands from Canada and the United States.

Ferguson moved to the U.S. and played in several bands including that of Jimmy Dorsey before joining Stan Kenton's band.  For three years in a row (1950-1952), Ferguson won the Down Beat Reader's Poll as best trumpeter.  

In 1953, Ferguson became a first-call trumpeter for Paramount Pictures.  He appeared on 46 soundtracks including The Ten Commandments.  As his Paramount contract prevented him from giving live performances, however, Maynard was discontent and left in 1956. 

He became the leader of the Birdland Dream Band and guested with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein in 1959.

Ferguson disbanded his group in 1966 and moved the following year to India.  Maynard founded the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning's Boys Brass Band and helped teach it for several years.

In 1969, Ferguson moved just outside Windsor, England and signed with CBS Records to form a British big band.  His band appeared on The Simon Dee Show on BBC.  With his career taking off again, Ferguson relocated to New York City and replaced his musicians with American performers.  In 1976, Ferguson performed a trumpet solo for the closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Montreal.

Ferguson then began working with producer Bob James on several albums, the second of which was Conquistador in 1977.  Conquistador yielded a version of the Rocky theme (and by far the best one)--"Gonna' Fly Now".  Ferguson began a hectic touring schedule, performing before crowds far larger than any he had played for before.  Ferguson's contract with Columbia Records expired after his 1982 album Hollywood.

Ferguson recorded three big band albums with smaller labels in the mid '80s before forming the electronica-fusion group High Voltage in 1986.  In 1992, Maynard was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.

Ferguson has released 60 albums in his career, and his contributions to the trumpet and to music in general are considerable, but he never had a big hit other than the one hit song, "Gonna' Fly Now".

Back-to-back instrumentals on The One-Hit Wonders*:

  #214:  Pipeline--Chantays       

When high school friends Bob Spickard  and Brian Carman (guitars), drummer Bob Welch, bassist Warren Waters and pianist Rob Marshall decided to start their own band, the Chantays were born.  The five were all students at Santa Ana High School in California.

Just one year later, the Chantays recorded and released "Pipeline", which peaked at #4 in the United States and #16 in the U.K. and became one of The Top 100 Instrumentals of the Rock Era*.  "Pipeline" has been covered by many artists and has been featured in many movies, commercials, television programs and on numerous compilation albums.  The group recorded their debut album Pipeline, followed by Two Sides of The Chantays in 1964.  

The Chantays toured the United States and Japan and were the only rock and roll band to perform on The Lawrence Welk Show.  The group were honored with a star on the Hollywood Rock Walk and are included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.  "Pipeline" is listed as one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

The Chantays have four albums and eight singles to their credit.

We're up to the artist who gave us this memorable song of the 60's:

  #213:  Last Kiss--J. Frank Wilson & the  Cavaliers              

Guitarist Sid Holmes, bassist Lewis Elliott, saxophonist Rob Zeller, drummer Ray Smith and lead singer Alton Bair formed the Cavaliers in 1955.  Baird was drafted into the United States military shortly afterwards so the group brought in J. Frank Wilson in 1962.

The group hired Sonley Roush as their manager, who brought them a Wayne Cochran song called "Last Kiss".  The song that wouldn't say "quit" was first released on LeCam Records, then on Tamara, before finally becoming a hit in 1964 on Josie Records.  The song was a #2 smash and sold over one million copies.

In the ultimate tragic irony, while driving in Ohio later that year, Roush fell asleep and died in a head-on collision with another car.  J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers recorded other songs, but the next best they could do was #85 with "Hey Little One".

This artist paid his dues, then cashed in for a big hit in 1972:
 
#212:  Me & Mrs. Jones--Billy Paul  

Paul began singing at age twelve on local radio shows in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He attended Temple University, West Philadelphia Music School and Granoff School of Music for formal vocal training.

Billy attracted a following on the underground music circuit, which led to appearances in clubs and college campuses across the United States.  Soon, Paul was opening for artists such as Roberta Flack, Sammy Davis, Jr., Miles Davis, Dinah Washington and the Impressions.

Paul formed a trio and recorded "Why Am I" on Jubilee Records before being drafted into the Armed Forces.  Following his discharge, Paul was a temporary member of the Blue Notes with Harold Melvin.  Paul released the albums Feeling Good at the Cadillac Club, Ebony Woman and Going East.

But it was his 1972 album 360 Degrees of Billy Paul that struck paydirt.  The lead single was "Me and Mrs. Jones", which reached #1 in the United States and #12 in the U.K., sold over two million copies and won a Grammy Award.

Paul toured internationally and released 13 career albums, but was never able to provide a follow-up hit.

At #211, the group that gave us one of the instrumental smashes of the Rock Era:

  #211:  Telstar--Tornadoes  

The Tornadoes were the backing group for many of producer Joe Meek's productions and for singer Billy Fury.  Rhythm guitarist George Bellamy, bassist Heinz Burt, lead guitarist Alan Caddy, drummer Clem Cattini and Roger Lavern on keyboards formed the Tornadoes.  Ray Randall played bass after Burt left the group.  

The group released their first single, "Telstar", in 1962.  It not only reached #1 for three weeks but became one of The Top 100 Instrumentals of the Rock Era*.

The group's single "Globetrotter" made it to #5 in the U.K. but once the Beatles arrived on the scene and changed music forever, instrumentals were not as popular as they once were.  By 1965, the group fell apart.

Bellamy is the father of Matthew Bellamy, lead singer of Muse.  The Tornadoes released 14 singles in their career.   

Up  next, an artist who reminds us...are the record companies really more of a problem than they're worth:

  #210:  Romeo's Tune--Steve Forbert  

Forbert signed a recording contract with Nemperor Records in 1978 and released his debut album Alive on Arrival.  In 1979, he released the album Jackrabbit Slim.  Forbert released the single "Romeo's Tune", which earned the #11 position in the United States.

In 1984, Forbert had problems with his record company, which not only prevented his next album from being released, but also prevented Steve from recording for several years.  He eventually signed with Geffen Records and released the 1988 album Streets of This Town.  But the momentum was gone.

Forbert continued to record, and in 2004, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk for his album Any Old Time.

Just ahead of Forbert, a rock veteran who scored a big solo hit in 1979:

  #209:  Cruel to Be Kind--Nick Lowe

Lowe went to Woodbridge School in Suffolk, England.  He began his musical career in 1967, when he joined the group Kippington Lodge with his friend Brinsley Schwarz.  The group released a few singles on Parlophone Records before renaming the band Brinsley Schwarz in 1969.

Lowe played guitar, bass, piano, harmonica and sang lead vocals for the group until 1975.  He then joined Dave Edmunds in the group Rockpile and released the single "So It Goes" on Stiff Records, where Nick was the in-house producer.  Lowe continued to produce albums for Stiff and other labels, and co-wrote "Milk and Alcohol" for Dr. Feelgood, which reached the Top 10 in the U.K.  

Since Lowe and Edmunds had recording contracts with different record labels, Rockpile albums were credited to either Lowe or Edmunds.  These included Lowe's Labour of Lust and Edmunds' Repeat When Necessary, which were in essence albums by Rockpile.

In 1978, Lowe released the single "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass", which hit #7 in the U.K. but was unable to break through in any other country.  

"Cruel to Be Kind" was co-written with Iam Gomm and originally recorded when Lowe was with Brinsley Schwarz.  The song was re-recorded and included on the album Labour of Lust.  After being released as a single, "Cruel to Be Kind" hit #12 in the United States, the U.K., Canada and Australia.

After Rockpile split, Lowe toured with his band Noise To Go and later with The Cowboy Outfit, which included keyboard player Paul Carrack.  In 1992, Lowe's song "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" was covered by Boise, Idaho's Curtis Stigers on the huge-selling soundtrack album to The Bodyguard.

Lowe wrote songs for Carrack, Edmunds, Elvis Costello, Dr. Feelgood, and his father-in-law, Johnny Cash and produced many artists, including the Fabulous Thunderbirds.  Lowe released 13 albums and 24 singles in his career.  

Other sites ridicule the One-Hit Wonders (as if they could ever do better!)  We praise the tremendous talent of them, such as this singer:

  #208:  Thunder and Lightning--Chi Coltrane

Chi Coltrane was born in Racine, Wisconsin and played several instruments as a child.  She gave her first piano recital at age 12.  In 1970, Chi played jazz, funk and rock in local Chicago clubs and bars.  In 1971, she represented the United States at the International Rock Festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  She appeared on The Midnight Special and The Tonight Show on television.

Coltrane released the single "Thunder and Lightning" in 1972, which hit #12 in the United States, #4 in Germany and #18 in Canada.  Another song on her self-titled debut album, "Go Like Elijah" was #1 in the Netherlands but only hit #94 in the United States.

Despite the enormous potential revealed in "Thunder and Lightning", Coltrane never had another mass appeal worldwide hit.  She continued to release albums through the 70's and 80's and moved to Europe for a few years, where she became extremely popular.  Chi did television soundtrack work and collaborated with Tangerine Dream in 1991.  In 1993, Coltrane moved to Los Angeles and built a recording studio.

In 2009, Coltrane attempted a comeback, giving a concert in Vienna that drew 100,000 people.  She signed a recording contract with Sony and did tours of the Netherlands and Germany.  

Coltrane has released six albums in her career.

We turn to the 80's for this highly underrated group:

  #207:  Sausalito Summernight--Diesel

Drummer Pim Koopman created the group Diesel in the Netherlands in 1978 with Rob Vunderink (guitar, lead singer and songwriter), Mark Boon (guitarist and songwriter) and bassist Frank Papendrecht.  The group released their debut album Watts in a Tank in 1980.  "Going Back to China" was released as a single and became a minor hit in the Netherlands.  Two other singles, "Down in the Silvermine" and "Sausalito Summernight", also became hits in their native land.  

Boon and Papendrecht left the group, replaced by bassist Wijnand Ott and guitarist Hugo de Bruin.  In 1981, Kim Weemhoff replaced Koopman.  Watts in a Tank was released in North America in 1981, and "Sausalito Summernight" hit #1 in Canada and #25 in the United States.  Upon seeing the sudden success, Boon returned to the group and Diesel did a North American tour.  

The group signed with Atco Records and released the album Unleaded in 1982.  However, nothing caught on the way "Sausalito Summernight" did, and several personnel changes followed before the group broke up in 1985.

You may have been spotted on the dance floor heating it up to this group: 

  #206:  Where Do You Go--No Mercy  

Frank Farian, Marty Cintron and twin brothers Ariel and Gabriel Hernandez formed this group in 1995 in Miami, Florida.

No Mercy released their self-titled debut album (later re-released in Europe as My Promise) in 1996.  The group's remake of "Where Do You Go" by Labouche rocketed to #2 in the U.K. and Australia, #3 in Germany, #4 in France, #5 in the United States and Austria and #6 in Sweden.  The follow-up, "Please Don't Go", reached #4 in the U.K. but only #21 in the United States, just one spot away from the Top 20, which would have made the group ineligible for the One-Hit Wonders music special.  

No Mercy's remake of "Kiss You All Over" by Exile (never try to remake a classic!) was a #1 dance song but unsuccessful across the rest of the world.  "When I Die" was a Top 10 hit in Australia, Switzerland and Austria but only #41 in the United States and it did not chart in the U.K., music's second-biggest market.

No Mercy released the album More in 1998 and their third album Day By Day in 2007.

This San Francisco band lost their momentum when their popular lead singer went solo:

  #205:  Piece of My Heart--Big Brother and the Holding Company

Peter Albin and Sam Andrew formed this group in San Francisco, then invited guitarist James Gurley and drummer Chuck Jones into the group.  Big Brother and the Holding Company performed for the first time at the Trips Festival in 1966.  David Getz, who was in the audience, soon replaced Jones as drummer.

Soon, Big Brother became the house band at the Avalon Ballroom.  Wanting a strong lead singer, the group invited Janis Joplin from Texas, who debuted with the group at the Avalon in the summer of 1966.  The group members weren't overly impressed with Joplin and it took some time for the band's fans to accept her.

The group moved to a house in Lagunitas, California, often partying with the Grateful Dead, who lived less than two miles away.  The group signed a recording contract with Mainstream Records before Joplin relapsed into drinking and intravenous drug use.  Big Brother began playing at the Fillmore West and Winterland in San Francisco, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, and at several other venues along the West Coast.  

The group released their self-titled debut album, which was popular in the Bay Area but did not do well elsewhere.  In 1967, the group performed at the Monterey Pop Festival, giving an impressive performance that attracted national attention.  The single "Down On Me' reached #43 as a result.

Following their show at Monterey, Big Brother signed with Columbia Records and booked a tour of the United States.  In 1968, the group released the album Cheap Thrills and single "Piece of My Heart",  which reached #12.  The album went to #1 and sold over one million copies thanks to "Piece of My Heart".  But Joplin announced that she was leaving the group in the summer.

Big Brother & the Holding Company did another tour, and released "Coo Coo" later in the year.  But that song, at #84, would be the closest the group would ever come to being successful after Joplin left.

At #204, the artist who gave us one of The Top Love Songs of the Rock Era*:

  #204:  Natural High--Bloodstone  

This group formed in high school as the Sinceres as a doo-wop act in Kansas City, Missouri in 1962.  They were backed by the brass group the Smokin' Emeralds and drew large crowds at a venue called the Place.  In 1971, the group's members included drummer Melvin Webb, Roger Durham and Harry Williams on percussion, Charles Love on ,lead vocals and guitar, bassist Charles McCormick and guitarist Willis Draffen.

The band then moved to Los Angeles, where they met managers George Braunstein and Ron Hamady.  Eddie Summers replaced Webb on drums and the group changed their name to Bloodstone.  The group then traveled to London and signed a recording contract with Decca Records.  

Bloodstone released their self-titled album which included the singles "That's The Way We Make Our Music" and "Girl (You Look So Fine)", both written by Summers.  In 1973, the group released the album Natural High, with its title track reaching #10 and helping the album sell one million copies.

Bloodstone toured with Elton John, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions.  Bloodstone released 13 singles, many of which had success in the R&B genre but were unable to crack the mainstream.  

A sister act scored their big hit in the 60's:

 
#203:  I Love How You Love Me--Paris Sisters  

The Paris Sisters consisted of lead singer Priscilla Paris, older sister Albeth Paris and middle sister Sherrell Paris.  They formed in San Francisco and hooked up with producer Phil Spector.  They first recorded for Decca Records in 1954, but "Be My Boy" in 1961 was their first charting single.

The follow up to "Be My Boy" was the single "I Love How You Love Me", which reached #5 and sold over one million copies.  The Paris Sisters finished their career with five charting singles, but "He Knows I Love Him Too Much" at #34 was the next best they could do.  

The group appeared in the 1962 movie It's Trad, Dad!, released in the United States as Ring-a-Ding Rhythm.  Sherrell later was the production assistant on The Price Is Right television show.

This next group's big hit included some big names as backing musicians:

#202:  Rhythm of the Rain--Cascades  

The Silver Strands began performing while serving in the United States Navy in 1960 on the USS Jason in San Diego, California.  After leaving the Navy, the group recruited manager John Gummoe to join their group and became the Thundernotes.  After original guitarist Len Green left, the group consisted of lead singer Gummoe, Eddie Snyder on guitar, David Szabo on keyboards, Ronald Lynch playing keyboards and saxophone, bassist Dave Stevens and drummer Dave Wilson.

The group released the instrumental "Thunder Rhythm" as their first single on Del-Fi Records.  Influenced by the nearby Beach Boys, the group recorded vocal harmonies and released a demo tape.  Barry DeVorzon, an executive at Valiant Records, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, signed them to a recording contract and changed their name to the Cascades.  The group's first release on Valiant--"There's A Reason" was a regional hit.  

The group then recorded a song Gummoe had written while in the Navy.  Backing musicians included Glen Campbell on guitar and drummer Hal Blaine.  "Rhythm of the Rain", arranged by Perry Botkin, was released as a single in 1962.  It reached #3 in the United States, #5 in the U.K., was a major hit in over 80 countries, and sold over one million copies.

The Cascades were on their way.  But after an album and several other singles, none matched the success of "Rhythm of the Rain".  The group continued to perform in San Diego clubs such as The Cinnamon Cinder and toured often.  The Cascades appeared in the movie Catalina Caper in 1967 but eventually split in 1975.

The same musicians that helped out the Cascades also were the driving force behind this next act:

#201:  Little Honda--Hondells 

The Beach Boys recorded "Little Honda", written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, for their album All Summer Long. Producer Gary Usher then gave vocalist Chuck Girard a copy of All Summer Long and asked him to learn it.

Usher then recruited several studio musicians, including guitarist Glen Campbell and drummer Hal Blaine and together the group recorded an album of Honda-related songs for Mercury Records.  Mercury released "Little Honda" as the single and as it rose up the charts, Usher assembled a touring group to support the record.  "Little Honda" eventually reached #9.

The Hondells released another album in 1966 and had a minor hit with the Lovin' Spoonful song "Younger Girl" before disbanding.  Usher went on to assemble numerous temporary groups, including the Rip Chords, who are also featured in Inside the Rock Era's salute to One-Hit Wonders.


Lots of great songs in there.  Join us tomorrow as we move into the Top 200*!