The Top 500 One-Hit Wonders of the Rock Era Revisited: #10-1

We've listened to 490 songs from the great One-Hit Wonders of all-time.  Here, we believe, is the cream of the crop!

This heavy metal band gave us an epic masterpiece for the ages:

 

#10:  In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida--Iron Butterfly

Here's a group formed in San Diego, California in 1966.  They rehearsed in the garage of the parents of tambourine player Darryl DeLoach on a near-nightly basis.

In 1968, Iron Butterfly released "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" on their album of the same name.  At over 17 minutes, the song takes up the entire second side of their album.  The lyrics are heard only at the beginning and end of the song.  The song reached #30, itself not a huge hit at the time, but the song remains one of the most popular of the Rock Era, essentially discounting the ranking of the song by those not knowing how to gauge the popularity of songs.

As evidence of the above, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is among the world's 40 best-selling albums, selling more than 30 million copies.

"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is significant in that it was released at a time when psychedelic music began to form heavy metal. The song has been featured numerous times in pop culture, including the television shows Home Improvement and That 70's Show.

Iron Butterfly has released six albums and 13 singles but the highest they could get after "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" was with "Easy Rider" in 1970, which only made it to #66. Despite the complex musicianship obvious in the song, Iron Butterfly could never come close with subsequent efforts.

Up next is the German band whose worldwide hit featured some of the most poignant lyrics ever written:  
#9.  99 Luftballons--Nena   

Gabriele Susanne Kerner was born in Hagen, West Germany.  She spent her early years in Breckerfield and later lived in Hagen.  She acquired the nickname of "Nena" (little girl) while on a vacation to Spain. In 1979, guitarist Rainer  Kitzmann offered Nena a position as lead singer in the Stripes.  The group had a minor hit with "Ecstasy" but soon disbanded.

In 1981, Nena and then-boyfriend Rolf Brendel moved to West Berlin, where they met guitarist Carlo Karges, keyboardist Uwe-Fahrenkrog-Petersen and bassist Jürgen Dehmel.  Together, they formed the band Nena in 1982, and their first single, "Nur getraumt" (Only dreamt") became an instant hit in Germany after the group performed on the German television show Muiskladen.  "Nur getraumt" reached #2 in Germany, but success was contained to their home country.

In 1983, Nena released their self-titled album, which contained the singles "Leuchtturm" ("Lighthouse") and "99 Luftballons".  Fahrenkrog-Petersen wrote the music while  Karges wrote the original German lyrics.  While attending a Rolling Stones concert in West Berlin, Karges noticed that balloons were being released.  As he watched them move towards the horizon, he noticed them shifting and changing shapes, where they looked like strange spacecraft.  Karges thought about what might happen if they floated over the Berlin Wall to the Soviet sector, and featured that as the main focus of the composition.

Nena first recorded the song in German, then in English.  "99 Luftballons" hit #1 in West Germany, Canada, Australia and Ireland and #2 in the United States.  The English version was a #1 song in the U.K. and was a smash hit the world over.

Nena released five international singles and had 14 hits on the German charts but they were never heard outside of Germany again.  

This innovative and hugely-talented band gave us this great song from 1967:

#8:  Pictures Of Matchstick Men--Status Quo  

The group had its origins in 1962 as Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster formed the Spectres.  After several lineup changes, the band became the Status Quo in 1967.  

In November, Status Quo released "Pictures of Matchstick Men" as their first single.  It hit #7 in the U.K., #8 in Canada and #12 in the United States.  The song was several in the 60's to feature audio effect phasing.  The "matchstick men" in the song refers to paintings of L.S. Lowry.

"Pictures of Matchstick Men" was featured in a television ad for Target stores and in 2012, the original version was played in Men in Black 3.

Status Quo has released 29 albums, many of which have done very well in their home country of Great Britain. They had 76 hits in the U.K., but they found out that the United States is a tough nut to crack, even if you've already had a big hit like "Pictures of Matchstick Men". The best Status Quo could do after their debut was when "Ice In The Sun" reached #70 in 1968.

 

 #7:  Torn--Natalie Imbruglia

Scott Cutler, Anne Preven and Phil Tornalley wrote this song in 1991 as a solo song for Preven, who recorded and performed the song live but "Torn" was not released until Danish singer Lis Sørensen  released it under the title "Brændt" ([pʁænˀt], meaning 'burnt') in 1993.

Cutler and Preven formed the group Ednaswap that year and released "Torn" in 1995.  The best version, however, is from Australian singer and actress Natalie Imbruglia, who remade the song for her debut single in 1997, produced by Thornalley.  Imbruglia's version was recorded in London with David Munday on lead guitar, Thornalley playing bass and rhythm guitars, Chuck Sabo on drums, Sam Hardaker on drum programming and Katrina Leskanich singing backing vocals.

Imbruglia was well-known in the early part of the decade as Beth Brennan in the television soap opera Neighbours.  After leaving the show, Natalie moved to the U.K. to start her recording career.

"Torn" was a monster hit the world over, reaching #1 in Canada, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Belgium and Iceland, #2 in the U.K., Australia, the Netherlands, Scotland and Switzerland, and a Top 10 song everywhere in the world...except in the United States.  

In the U.S., "Torn" reached #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart but because of a glitch in Billboard chart methodology, only made it to #42 on the Popular chart.  Why do we describe it as a glitch?  Because "Torn" was #1 for 11 weeks on Billboard's "Radio Songs" chart, essentially the top songs played by radio around the country. 

The record company wanted to spur sales of the album and thus did not release "Torn" as a single initially.   But because Billboard had foolishly from 1955-1998 required a song to be released as a single to make its charts, "Torn" was not even listed on the Popular chart for most of its run.  Finally, after industry-wide criticism of Billboard's policy to not rank "Torn", the magazine relented and changed its rule, but by that time, "Torn" was on its way down and only peaked at #42.

The single sold four million copies globally and was Imbruglia was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards, losing to Celine Dion for "My Heart Will Go On".

Imbruglia released five more albums and the best she could do after "Torn" was #64, the highest-ranked of 16 subsequent singles.

At #6, the artist who had the what was at the time the fastest-selling song in the history of Warner Brothers Records:

 

#6:  Vehicle--Ides of March

The Ides of March released their first single, "Like It Or Lump It", on their own Epitome record label in 1965.  The group changed their name to the Ides of March in 1966, taken from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.  They released "You Wouldn't Listen" on Parrot Records and reached #42 in the spring.  The Ides of March released six singles prior to signing with Warner Brothers.  Their third single on Warner, "Vehicle", was written by lead singer Jim Peterik, who would later form the group Survivor.

"Vehicle" went to #1 and sold a million copies, the fastest-selling single in Warner Brothers history in 1970.  The Ides of March toured extensively that year, opening for many top acts including Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

The Ides of March released four more albums and a total of seven singles. "You Wouldn't Listen", their debut single, reached #42. Despite the huge success of "Vehicle", the Ides of March afterwards could only manage to get as high as #64 with "Superman" in 1970 and "L.A. Goodbye" (#73 in 1971).

"Vehicle" is featured in the movie Lock Up with Sylvester Stallone.

With a #1 song, immense songwriting ability, great vocals and harmonies, a Grammy for Best New Artist, and their own television show, this group seemed destined to be superstars:

 

#5:  Afternoon Delight--Starland Vocal Band

Members of the group originally backed John Denver. Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert co-wrote "Take Me Home, Country Roads" with Denver.  Denver subsequently signed them to his label Windsong Records.  Danoff and Nivert began as a husband/wife duo called Fat City. Jon Carroll (keyboards and vocals) and Margot Chapman (vocals), also married, soon joined.

Starland Vocal Band began with one of the best debut albums in history.  "Afternoon Delight" led the way, reaching #1 in the summer of 1976.  The group was nominated for four Grammy Awards and won two of them--for Best New Artist and Best Arrangement (vocals).  Starland Vocal Band was also nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Afternoon Delight".  

The group was flying high, and hosted their own television variety show on CBS in the summer of 1977.  David Letterman was a writer and regular on the show.

The group's follow-up album Rear View Mirror was a disappointment, and the band broke up in 1981 after a total of four studio albums, a Christmas album, and seven singles, unable to match the lofty success of "Afternoon Delight".  The next-best song they had was "California Day", which peaked at #66.  The members each pursued their own solo careers.  

 The wizardry of producers Chapman & Chinn helped this group score one of The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era*:

 

#4:  Kiss You All Over--Exile

They were originally known as the Exiles, founded in Richmond, Kentucky.  They began playing local shows and then toured with Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars in 1965, opening for major rock artists of the time.  In 1973, the group shortened their name to Exile.

 The group changed styles often throughout the late 60's and early 70's and had a few regional hits.  Exile released their eponymous debut on Wooden Nickel Records in 1973.  Singles were unsuccessful, and it would be five years before the group released a follow-up album.  Exile shocked the world with their release of "Kiss You All Over", which was a smash #1, one of the top songs of 1978, and became one of The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era*.

The group was helped immensely by emerging producer Mike Chapman, who took the group's sound and molded it into a classic.  Chapman co-wrote the song with songwriting partner Nicky Chinn.  "Kiss You All Over" was #1 for four weeks and was a best-seller for over six months.  Exile was on top of the world, touring with Heart, Aerosmith, Boston, Seals & Crofts and other top acts throughout the United States, Europe and Africa.   

Several follow-ups, however, brought little success, so in 1983, they aimed for the much smaller and easier country music market.  The group did well in that genre, but never could come close to success with the mass audience as they had in 1978.  Several of their songs were covered by other artists, including "The Closer You Get" and "Take Me Down", both recorded by Alabama.  Pennington's songwriting talent was recognized as BMI Writer of the Year and he was named as one of BMI's Top 100 Writers of the Century.  

"Kiss You All Over" was included in the movies Happy Gilmore and Employee of the Month.  The song has been remade several times, including a 1997 version by No Mercy.

Exile released 12 albums and 38 singles in their career. But other than "You Thrill Me" (#40 in 1978), the group could never come close to their classic smash with the mass audience. 

This group was the foundation for some of the greatest music of the Rock Era:

 

#3: For What It's Worth--Buffalo Springfield

Stephen Stills and Neil Young first met at the Fourth Dimension in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.  Young was the leader of the Squires from Winnipeg while Stills was on tour with the group the Company.  Although they wouldn't hook up for another year, the two knew they wanted to work with each other.  

After the Company broke up following the tour, Stills moved to California, where he worked as a studio musician and auditioned unsuccessfully for the Monkees.  Producer Barry Friedman indicated to Stills that his prospects were good if he could assemble a band.  Stills invited Richie Furay and former Squires bassist Ken Koblun to join him.  Both agreed, though Koblun soon left for other opportunities.

Meanwhile in Toronto, Young met Bruce Palmer, whose band the Mynah Birds needed a lead guitarist.  Young accepted, but just as the Mynah Birds were about record an album, lead singer Ricky James Matthews (later known as Rick James) was arrested by the United States Navy for being AWOL and the record company canceled the record deal.  Young and Palmer decided to go to Los Angeles in hopes of meeting up with Stills.

A week later, disappointed at being unable to find Stills and ready to leave for San Francisco, they were stuck in traffic when Stills, Furay and Friedman recognized Young's black 1953 Pontiac hearse, which happened to be passing by in the opposite direction.  Furay made a quick u-turn and after some shouting and much excitement, the four musicians connected.  Drummer Dewey Martin, who had played with the Standells, was added to the lineup less than a week later, and Buffalo Springfield was born, with the name taken from the side of a steamroller, made by the Buffalo-Springfield Roller Company, that had been parked outside Friedman's house.

Buffalo Springfield made their live debut on April 11, 1966 at the Troubadour in Hollywood and a few days later, they began opening for the Byrds in concert.  Following the tour, Chris Hillman of the Byrds urged the owners of the famous Whisky a Go Go to give Springfield an audition.  The group became the house band for seven weeks from May to June. These performances caused a buzz with the group giving sensational live shows and several record companies became interested.  The band signed with Atlantic Records and began recording in Hollywood.

Buffalo Springfield released the single "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing", but the song was essentially only a hit in L.A.  The group was so dissatisfied that they reworked some of their early recordings for the rest of their self-titled album.

In November 1966, Stills composed "For What It's Worth" after witnessing police actions against young people who had gathered on the Sunset Strip to protest the closing of a nightclub.  Springfield performed the song on Thanksgiving night at Whisky, recorded it in the next few days, and it was on the air at legendary L.A. station KHJ soon after.  By March of '67, they had a #7 song, the popularity of which has grown immensely since then.  Atco, which handled distribution, replaced the song "Baby Don't Scold Me" with "For What It's Worth" and re-released the album.  "For What It's Worth" went on to sell over one million copies.  

In 1967, Buffalo Springfield traveled to New York to perform, but Palmer was arrested for possession of marijuana and was deported back to Canada. The group moved between recording sessions and live appearances on both coasts, using several different bassists. Work on the next album was tense. Young and Stills distrusted their producers and argued amongst themselves, with each insisting on producing the songs that they had written.

By the time Palmer returned, Young had left before the group performed at the famous 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. The group used guitarist Doug Hastings and guest David Crosby in their performance. Young eventually returned in October and the group convinced their management to release their producers. The band continued to play live shows while putting the finishing touches on their second album, Buffalo Springfield Again.
The group released "Bluebird", which reached #58, and "Rock 'N' Roll Woman", which peaked at #44. The studio version of "Bluebird" wound down after the instrumental break, but in live performances, the opening verses served as a springboard for an extended jam session, during which Stills, Young and Furay intertwined guitars for minutes on end. It wasn't a hit, but it's the one you want to hear.

Strong reviews poured in all over the country, not only for the live shows but for their second album. But in 1968, Palmer was once again deported for drugs. This time, the group fired him and replaced him with Jim Messina. Young became disinterested, and often didn't appear for concerts, with Stills left to handle all the lead guitar parts by himself. The group finished recording material for a third album when Young, Furay, Messina and Eric Clapton were all arrested for drugs.

This was the final straw for the group. They gave their final concert in Long Beach, California on May 5, 1968. After playing their best songs, including a 20-minute version of "Bluebird", Buffalo Springfield officially broke up. Despite their popularity, the Springfield was never highly successful, other than their big hit. The group's legend grew stronger after their breakup, fueled by the later successes of its members.

Stills and Nash went on to solo careers as well as forming the supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Furay and Messina were founding members of Poco, Furay joined J.D. Souther and Hillman in the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, while Messina also teamed with future superstar Kenny Loggins in the duo Loggins & Messina.

Unfortunately, the group was plagued by infighting, drugs, arrests, and line-up changes that forced their breakup after just two years. What might have been.

Springfield was a springboard for the careers of Stills, Young and Furay. They combined rock, folk and country into their own unique sound, and "For What It's Worth" helped change the world. Buffalo Springfield spawned the supergroup of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as well as Poco and Loggins and Messina--an immense array of high-quality music for the world to enjoy for generations. The group was recognized for its influence with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Buffalo Springfield released three albums and nine singles
in their career.

With prophetic lyrics and the amazing imagination it took to write one of the biggest songs in history, it seemed the sky was the limit for this duo:

 

#2:  In The Year 2525-- Zager & Evans

Rick Evans wrote this song in 1964 and the duo Zager & Evans released the song on the small regional label Truth Records in 1968. One year later, a radio station in Odessa, Texas popularized the song, and RCA Records pounced on it for nationwide distribution.

"In the Year 2525" reached #1 for six weeks in the United States and also was #1 in the U.K. It was nominated for a Hugo Award that same year. By 1970, the song had sold over four million copies and the total sales of the song, the album and compilations are now over 10 million.

This classic, one of The Top 200 Songs of the Rock Era*, has been covered at least 60 times in 7 different languages. One key version is by the U.K. group Visage; another by Greek singer Takis Antoniadis in the 1970's.

The duo released two more albums and three more singles.  Mr. Turnkey" (a song about a rapist who nails his own wrist to the wall as punishment for his crime), failed to hit the popular charts on either side of the Atlantic.  And Zager and Evans' meteoric rise to the top of the charts was over without an encore.

This group’s #1 smash was so popular everyone wanted to record it:
  
#1:  Venus--Shocking Blue

Robbie van Leeuwen, guitarist for the Shocking Blue, wrote both the music and lyrics of this great song.  Van Leeuwen also played sitar, sang background vocals, and co-produced the record along with Jerry Ross.  Mariska Veres sings lead on the song released in 1970.  "Venus" was remixed and released in 1990 and gave the group a Top 10 hit in the U.K. and Australia 20 years after the original.

"Venus" hit #1 in the U.S. and in five other countries in 1970.  Bananarama remade the song in 1986 and took it to #1 as well.  The classic, another of The Top 200 Songs of the Rock Era*,  has been featured in numerous films, television shows and commercials and covered dozens of times by artists around the globe.  It has been featured in Remember the Titans, The Brady Bunch Movie and Grumpier Old Men just to name a few.  

"Venus" was certified Gold shortly after release and has now sold over 7.5 million copies.  And yet the group could never follow it up.    They released 11 albums in their career and ended up selling over 13 million records.  The Shocking Blue released 25 singles ("Venus" was the fifth single). "Mighty Joe" at #43 in 1970, however, was the highest they could get besides "Venus".

We hope you enjoyed The Top 500 One-Hit Wonders of the Rock Era*.  Please feel free to catch up on episodes you may have missed, and to revisit the special often.  We'll provide you with a handy link to do just that, and you can always find links to this and all other Inside The Rock Era specials by clicking on the "Charts and Lists" link at the top of the website.  Have a great day!

The Top 500 One-Hit Wonders of the Rock Era Revisited--#20-11

 This artist never gave up on her dream and it paid off with one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*:

 

#20:  Black Velvet--Alannah Myles

Miles was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the daughter of famous Canadian broadcaster William Douglas Byles.  After Alannah decided to pursue a career in music, she changed her last name to Myles.  She spent ten years filled with numerous rejections from record companies, making ends meet by modeling and acting in television commercials.

Finally, Atlantic Records signed Myles to a recording contract in 1987.  Alannah went to work co-writing and recording her first album with collaborator Christopher Ward and producer David Tyson.  Miles released her self-titled debut album and toured around the world for 18 months.  "Love Is" was released as a single and reached #12 in Australia, #16 in Canada and #36 in the United States.  But it was the second single that made Myles a household name.  

"Black Velvet" became a smash hit, reaching #1 in the United States, #2 in the U.K. and Canada, and #3 in Australia and The Netherlands.  Myles earned the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, for the song.  The album sold over one million copies in her native Canada, and eventually reached six million worldwide.  

"Lover of Mine" reached #2 in  Canada but the best she could do outside the country with the song was #47 in Australia.  "Rockinghorse" was nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, in 1992 but few people knew about the song, since it was the flip side of the single "Song Instead of a Kiss".  That song became a #1 song in Alannah's native Canada but was little played elsewhere.

Myles released a total of five albums and 16 singles in her career.

A friendship with the leaders of K.C. and the Sunshine Band paid off when this artist recorded what would become the #1-selling record of the 70's:

 

#19:  Rock Your Baby--George McCrae

McCrae formed his own group, the Jivin' Jets, before joining the United States Navy in 1963.  After his release from the Navy, McCrae teamed with his wife Gwen as a duo.  Gwen then won a solo contract and George acted as her manager and did some session work.  George was set to return to college to study law enforcement when Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of K.C. & the Sunshine Band invited him to sing the lyrics for a song they had written.  The original intention was for Gwen to record the song, but when she was late for the session, George recorded it alone.

"Rock Your Baby" became a #1 smash and the top-selling worldwide song of the 1970's.  It reached #1 in the U.S., U.K. and 80 other countries.  McCrae was nominated for a Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocalist for his performance.  The classic has now sold an estimated 11 million copies, one of fewer than 30 all-time singles to have topped the 10-million mark.  Clearly, one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.   

George had some success on the segmented Black chart and in the U.K., but the highest he got with the mass audience after "Rock Your Baby" was when he hit #37 with "I Get Lifted" in 1975.  But after 14 albums and 14 singles, George could never continue the success born by "Rock Your Baby". 

The #18 artist wrote this smash as an ode to runaways:

#18:  Hot Child In The City--Nick Gilder

Nick Gilder first came to prominence as the frontman for the band Sweeney Todd.  

Gilder's group, Sweeney Todd, scored a #1 song in Canada in 1975 ("Roxy Roller") but the success was confined to that country.  Gilder and guitarist and songwriting partner James McCulloch left the band and signed a recording contract with Chrysalis.  Gilder's single from his second album City Nights ("Hot Child in the City") was an ode to runaways and specifically the pain that Gilder felt watching young girls flee their home environments for something worse, child prostitution.  It topped charts in both the U.S. and Canada.  At the time, "Hot Child in the City" set a record for taking the longest time to reach #1.  The song earned Gilder Juno Awards for Single of the Year and Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year and a People's Choice Award as well.  Sex and the City named an episode after the song.    

Gilder traveled throughout Europe, North America and the Orient, opening for Journey, Foreigner, the Cars, the Babys and Peter Gabriel.

Although Gilder has been successful as a songwriter, penning songs for Scandal ("The Warrior"), Pat Benatar, Bette Midler and Joe Cocker, he never could come close to the success he enjoyed with "Hot Child in the City".  He released nine albums and 22 singles--"Hot Child in the City" was the fifth.  Although he has had some success in his native Canada, the best Gilder could do outside his own country was "Here Comes the Night" (#44 in 1978).

Members of this group were on the verge of superstardom.  Twice:

 

#17:  Lady Marmalade--Labelle

Labelle formed when two Philadelphia girl groups, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, formed as a new version of the former group, first changing their name to the Blue Belles and then the Bluebelles.  Sixteen-year-old Patti LaBelle (real name Patricia Holt), Sundray Tucker, Nona Hendryx (16 years old) and Sara Dash (14) were the original members, although Cindy Birdsong (20) replaced Tucker before the group cut their first record.

The group soon became known as Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, and they were successful with doo-wop songs, and landed at #15 with "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" in 1962.  However, that song was actually recorded by the Starlets, who happened to be on tour and unable to promote it.  So the record company billed it as the Bluebelles.  The Bluebelles did have two Top 40 hits of their own in the early 60's, which, coupled with their big hit later technically would make them ineligible as a One-Hit Wonder.  This, like many other situations, was a judgement call and it was decided that the group that recorded "Lady Marmalade" and recorded as Labelle was vastly different than the one that recorded "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" 13 years earlier.

Thanks to two well-received shows at The Apollo, Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records.  The group released the album Over the Rainbow, with the title song becoming a big R&B hit.  The group began touring outside of the United States, opening for the Rolling Stones in the U.K. and touring with Reginald Dwight's (Elton John's) band Bluesology.  The Bluebelles  began singing backup for artists such as Wilson Pickett ("634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)").  

The group seemed destined for stardom after the release of the album Dreamer, which gave them moderate success.  However, promotion of the LP ceased when Birdsong, who had spent months as a fill-in for Florence Ballard in the Supremes, left the Bluebelles to become a full-time member of the Supremes.  Tucker filled in briefly for Birdsong on tour, but girl groups began to fall out of favor with the dawn of psychedelic rock.  

The group struggled in their recordings and concert offers became limited.  In 1970, the Bluebelles were dropped from Atlantic.     

The group then changed managers, deciding on Vicki Wickham, a woman recommended by Bluebelles fan Dusty Springfield.  Wickham suggested not only a move to London, but a complete change in look, musical direction and style, and a name change to Labelle in 1971.  Funk Rock replaced doo-wop in their repertoire, and the group became known for outlandish space-age and glam-rock costumes and phenomenal live performances.

After a year in London, Labelle returned to the U.S. and signed with Track Records and a distribution contract with Warner Brothers.  They went out on the road as the opening act for the Who, then released their debut album in 1971.  They also sang for Laura Nyro on her acclaimed album Gonna' Take a Miracle, and toured together into 1974.

Labelle released the album Moon Shadow in 1972, with Hendryx emerging as the primary songwriter.  The album featured Labelle doing gospel-influenced versions of songs such as the title by Cat Stevens and "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who.  But sales weren't there and Warner Brothers dropped Labelle.  

The group was able to get a one-album contract with RCA for the album Pressure Cookin'.  But despite Hendryx's development as a songwriter and the presence of Stevie Wonder on "Open Your Heart", the album was a failure.   

Allen Toussaint offered to produce Labelle's next album in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The group became reacquainted with Elton John, who had originally backed the former Bluebelles, and the group was influenced by both Elton and David Bowie.  They had even wilder outfits designed with each member adapting their own flamboyant style.  Labelle began to attract a cult following thanks to their performances as the opening act for the Rolling Stones.  This new attention led to a record contract with Epic. 

After the release of the album Nightbirds in 1974, Labelle went out on tour and became the first black group and the first popular group to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.  This concert drew rave reviews and the single "Lady Marmalade" took off.  The song hit #1 on both the popular and R&B charts in the United States and #17 in the U.K., sold over one million copies, and has since become a classic.  The record's success led to the album Nightbirds becoming Platinum and Labelle became the first black group to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.  The group was now a headline act.

Labelle had caused a sensation and once again, the group seemed on the verge of greatness--what would they do for a follow-up?  "What Can I Do For You?" was released as a single, and although it was a Top 10 R&B song, it only reached #48 overall.  The group recorded the albums Phoenix and Chameleon, but nothing came close to "Lady Marmalade".  

Group members were not satisfied with their music, and gradually the group imploded as they couldn't agree on a musical sound.  Hendryx and LaBelle both went out on solo careers, with LaBelle sporting another #1 in the duet with Michael McDonald ("On My Own").  LaBelle earned two Grammy Awards as a solo performer and eventually was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Dash collaborated with artists such as Keith Richards and released several dance songs. 

All three members contributed to the solo projects of each member in the years to follow.  They reunited several times, including an album and a triumphant return to the Apollo Theater in 2008.  The group's legacy has been long-lasting, influencing other girl groups such as Destiny's Child, En Vogue and the Pussycat Dolls.

As Labelle, the group released eight albums and nine singles in their career.     

Live performances were this group's forte':

#16:  (Don't Fear The Reaper)--Blue Oyster Cult

This group began in Long Island, New York under the name Soft White Underbelly.  The group's lineup has changed often, but originally, it included  lead guitarist and vocalist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, lead singer and guitarist Les Braunstein, drummer Jules Radino, Richie Castellano on keyboards and guitar and bassist Kasim Sulton.

Sandy Pearlman, producer and songwriting contributor for the group, was instrumental in many ways for getting the group off the ground.  He helped them get gigs in their early days, provided his poetry for use in their songs, and helped them get recording contracts with Elektra and Columbia.  Writer Richard Meltzer also has provided lyrics for the group throughout their history.  

Although the group didn't write much of their own lyrics, they were talented musicians.  They recorded an album for Elektra, but the company cut the project when Braunstein left in 1969.  Acoustic engineer Eric Bloom replaced him, but a bad review of the group's performance at Fillmore East led Pearlman to change the name of the group--first to Oaxaca, then to the Stalk-Forrest Group.    

The band recorded another album, but Elektra released just a single ("What Is Quicksand?").  The album was eventually released as St. Cecilia:  The Elektra Recordings in 2001.  The band changed names a few more times before deciding in Blue Oyster Cult in 1971.  They recorded a demo, and Columbia Records executive Clive Davis signed them to a contract.  After recording material for their first album, Winters left and was replaced by Joe Bouchard.

Blue Oyster Cult released their self-titled album in 1972 and toured with artists such as the Byrds and Alice Cooper.  The group then released Tyranny and Mutation in 1973, which included "Baby Ice Dog", the first of many collaborations with Patti Smith.  Blue Oyster Cult then released Secret Treaties in 1974 which featured "Astronomy".  They began to get positive reviews, but few people had heard of them.

The live album On Your Feet or on Your Knees attracted attention, and the album went gold.  Then came the album Agents of Fortune in 1976.  Finally, the group had a song good enough to be released as a single, and it gave Blue Oyster Cult the public awareness they needed to be successful. 

"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" reached #7 in Canada, #12 in the United States and #16 in the U.K. but in reality, is one of The Top Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.  The group began to be known for their great laser shows in concert.  

Spectres was the follow-up album, and although "Godzilla" received some airplay, the LP lacked a hit and thus sales were not as strong.  The live album Some Enchanted Evening showcased the group's strength, which was not songwriting but rather live performances.  The LP became the biggest of their career, selling over two million copies.

Pearlman left to manage Black Sabbath, with Tom Werman taking over.  Blue Oyster Cult released two more albums before recording Fire of Unknown Origin in 1981.  "Burnin' for You" became yet another Top Underrated Song, reaching #40 and helping the album go Platinum.  After their one big hit, "Burnin' for You" would be the next-best song the group would do.

Blue Oyster Cult went through numerous lineup changes, and went one period of 11 years without recording an album, but doing what they did best, performing live.  The group released a total of 14 albums and 9 singles in their career.

This French conductor came up with the #1 Instrumental of the Rock Era*:

 

#15:  Love Is Blue--Paul Mauriat

Born in Marseille, France, Mauriat began playing music at the age of four and enrolled in the Conservatoire in Paris at the age of 10.  By the time he was 17, Paul longed for a career in jazz and popular music.  During World War II, Mauriat began his own dance band and toured concert halls throughout Europe.  In the 1950's, he was the music director for French stars such as Maurice Chevalier and Charles Aznavour.

Mauriat released his first EP in 1957.  Between 1959 and 1964, Paul released several albums on Bel-Air Records under the name Paul Mauriat et Son Orchestre, as well as using pseudonyms of Richard Audrey, Nico Papadopoulos, Eduardo Ruo and Willy Twist.  He also recorded and did the vocal arrangements with Les Satellites.  Mauriat wrote the music for several French movie soundtracks including Un Taxi Pour Tobrouk, Horace 62 and Faits Sauter La Banque.

Mauriat and Andre Pascal won the prize at the Coq d'or de la Chanson Francaise with "Rendez-vous au Lavendou".  Mauriat scored an international hit when he co-wrote "Chariot".  The song was recorded in the United States as "I Will Follow Him" by Little Peggy March and became a #1 song.  Between 1967 and 1972, Mauriat wrote numerous songs for Mireille Mathieu, such as the million-selling "Mon Crédo", "Viens dans ma rue" and "Géant" to name a few, and 130 song arrangements for Charles Aznavour.

In 1965, Mauriat started his own orchestra, and released hundreds of recordings on Philips Records over the next 28 years.  But it was his 1968 cover of "L'Amour Est Bleu" ("Love Is Blue") that made the world take notice.  It was #1 for five weeks in the United States, #1 for 11 weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart and reached #12 in the U.K., sold over one million copies and became The #1 Instrumental of the Rock Era*.  

After the huge success of "Love Is Blue", Mauriat and his Grand Orchestra toured the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and other Latin American countries.  For many years, Mauriat's songs were the background tracks for television programs and short movies in the Soviet Union.

Mauriat retired from performing in 1998.  He was awarded the Grand Prix (Grand Prize) from the French recording industry and won the prestigious Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres in 1997 from the French Ministry of Culture.  Mauriat released 10 singles and 108 albums in his career. 

The #14 Artist* owned the longest-running #1 song of the Rock Era for several years:

 

#14:  You Light Up My Life--Debby Boone

Boone was the third of four daughters born to singer-actor Pat Boone.  When Debby was 14, she began touring with her parents and her three sisters.  The sisters first recorded with their parents as the Pat Boone Family and later as the Boones or the Boone Girls.  

"You Light Up My Life" was written by Joe Brooks and originally recorded by Kasey Cisyk for the soundtrack to the film of the same name.  Later, Boone recorded the single and it became a monumental success, becoming the most popular song in the United States for ten consecutive weeks.  It was a Rock Era record at the time, although a few songs have since remained at #1 for longer periods.  The single was certified platinum and also hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and even #4 on the Country chart.  Brooks won Song of the Year honors at both the Grammys and Oscars.  Boone captured Best New Artist at the Grammys and was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.  She also won an American Music Award for Favorite Pop Single.

After "You Light Up My Life", Boone turned to country music and Christian music and won two Grammys for this segmented work.  She released 12 albums and 20 singles but after her classic #1 song, the best Debby could do with mass audiences was #50 with "California".

The highly-talented artist at #13 was the lead singer of a great Canadian group before embarking on a solo career:

 

#13:  Life Is A Highway--Tom Cochrane  

Cochrane purchased his first guitar at age 11 in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada and attended Martingrove Collegiate Institute in the late 1960's.  After graduating, Cochrane performed in coffee houses throughout Canada.  He then moved to Los Angeles but after one job writing theme music for a movie, he moved to Toronto, Ontario, where he drove a taxi and then worked on a Caribbean cruise liner. 

Cochrane met with members of the group Red Rider at the El Mocambo Tavern in Toronto and joined as lead singer and their main songwriter for more than ten years.  Cochrane recorded six studio albums with the group, best known for their great song "White Hot" and "Lunatic Fringe". 

In 1991, Cochrane began a solo career with the release of "Life is a Highway".  The huge worldwide popularity of the song (#1 in Canada and #6 in the United States) led to the album Mad Mad World, which has topped six million in worldwide sales.  Cochrane released seven albums and 23 singles in his career.  He enjoyed seven Top 10 hits in his native Canada, but the best he did elsewhere was #88 with "Washed Away" in the United States.

Cochrane has won seven Juno Awards in Canada, is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, an Officer of the Order of Canada, has an Honorary Doctorate from Brandon University, is an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force and was inducted onto the Canadian Walk of Fame.  

Cochrane reunited with Red Rider and still performs with them today.  Tom is one of Canada's best-loved artists of all-time for his work and his energetic live shows.  

This artist that scored a monumental worldwide smash:

 

#12:  Missing--Everything but the Girl

Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt met while both attended the University of Hull in Great Britain, and both had contracts with Cherry Red Records as solo artists.  Thorn had released the 1982 album A Distant Shore while Watt's album was called North Marine Drive.

They formed a duo and adopted their name from the slogan of Turner's Furniture in Hull.  The store had originally built a window sign that read "for your bedroom needs, we sell everything but the girl."     

Thorn and Watt wrote the song "Missing" and Watt co-produced it.  It reached #1 in Germany, Canada and Italy and #2 in the United States, Australia, France, Switzerland, Belgium and Denmark.  Prior to this One Hit Wonder, Everything But the Girl had released eight albums.  They did have a #3 U.K. song in 1988 ("I Don't Want to Talk About It") but were virtually unknown in the United States.  At the time, the duo scored a Rock Era record when "Missing" remained on the popular chart for 55 weeks.  The song now stands 11th in longevity, but it still holds the record for spending an uninterrupted year on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

After the immense global success of "Missing", Everything But the Girl became more of an electronic group with their next albums.  They released a total of eleven studio albums and 31 singles.  The duo had four #1 songs on the much less relevant Dance Chart, but never could reach the #40 overall either before or after "Missing".


Several of this artist's uncles were professional jazz musicians and her grandmother Cynthia was a singer who dated famous saxophonist Ronnie Scott:

 

#11:  Rehab--Amy Winehouse

Singer-Songwriter Amy Winehouse attended the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School in 1992 at the suggestion of her grandmother Cynthia referenced above.  While there, she improved her vocal skills and learned to tap dance.  Amy bought a guitar at age 14 and began writing music.  She was a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and signed a management deal with Simon Fuller in 2002. 

Soon, she was recording several songs before she inked a publishing deal with EMI.  Her debut album, Frank, was released in 2003.  wrote and recorded this song for her second album Back to Black in 2006.  It's an autobiographical account of Winehouse's refusal to enter a rehabilitation facility for alcohol.  "Rehab" reached #7 in the U.K. and #9 in the United States, becoming her only Top 10 hit in the U.S.  

Winehouse won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best New Artist.

She may have taunted death with "Rehab", but alcohol beat her in the end, as Winehouse died in London of alcohol poisoning in 2011 at the age of 27.   

The Rock Era is filled with many great and joyous moments, but it is also characterized by many tragedies as well.  We hope you've enjoyed these 10 artists and tomorrow, we reveal the all-time Top 10 One-Hit Wonders, exclusively on Inside The Rock Era!