Cutting my teeth on novelty songs of the '70s and later living my college days through the cheese factor of the '80s, I know a thing or two about one-hit wonders.
Reddit recently asked its users: "What is your favorite one-hit wonder song?"
And from the responses it came up with the Top 100 One-Hit Wonders of all time.
I have no issues with No. 1, Dexys Midnight Runners' 1983 classic, "Come on Eileen." (Video below the list.)
In fact, I remember playing it at my New Wave Party while on Spring Break in Daytona Beach. (Shout out to the Class of '83 -- who graduated 30 years ago!)
Also on the Reddit list are many other personal favorites, including "Mexican Radio" (No. 41) by Wall of Voodoo, "My Sharona" (No. 43) by The Knack and "Der Kommissar" (No. 75) by After the Fire.
I play a lot of these songs on my "Going Gonzo Show," an entertainment talk show on WJRW-AM (1340) in Grand Rapids. (Weekdays 1-2 p.m. ET; tune in if you can. LISTEN HERE)
My twentysomething producer, Judi, usually says, "Gonzo, where do you come up with these songs?"
Well, now you know.
I found at least one Michigan band on the list of Reddit's Top 100 One-Hit Wonders: The Verve Pipe's sing-along college favorite, "The Freshmen" (No. 89). (Video below the list.)
If you see any other Michigan connections, let me know.
Or let me know what you think about this list.
Email John Gonzalez at gonzo@mlive.com
Or follow John on Twitter at Twitter.com/MichiganGonzo
On Facebook at Facebook.com/GRGonzo
Reddit's Top 100 One-Hit Wonders
1. Come On Eileen, Dexys Midnight Runners
2. What Is Love (Single Mix), Haddaway
3. Flagpole Sitta, Harvey Danger
4. Stacy's Mom, Fountains Of Wayne
5. Blue (Da Ba Dee), Eiffel 65
6. Tubthumping, Chumbawamba
7. Star Spangled Banner, Lee Greenwood
8. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), The Proclaimers
9. Black Betty, Ram Jam
10. Kung Fu Fighting, Carl Douglas
11. Your Woman, White Town
12. You Get What You Give, New Radicals
13. Steal My Sunshine, Len
14. Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of...), Lou Bega
15. I Wish, Skee-Lo
16. Save Tonight, Eagle-Eye Cherry
17. Video Killed The Radio Star, The Buggles
18. Breakfast At Tiffany's, Deep Blue Something
19. Dragostea Din Tei (Original Romanian Version), O-Zone
20. That Thing You Do!, The Wonders
21. In The Meantime, Spacehog
22. Closing Time, Semisonic
23. Spirit In The Sky, Norman Greenbaum
24. What's Up?, 4 Non Blondes
25. Handlebars, Flobots
26. 867-5309 / Jenny, Tommy Tutone
27. Teenage Dirtbag, Wheatus
28. Sandstorm, Darude
29. The Way, Fastball
30. This Is How We Do It, Montell Jordan
31. Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry
32. Kiss Me, Sixpence None The Richer
33. Sex And Candy, Marcy Playground
34. In The Summertime, Mungo Jerry
35. No Rain, Blind Melon
36. 99 Luftballons, Nena
37. Groove Is In The Heart, Deee-Lite
38. Informer, Snow
39. Just A Friend, Biz Markie
40. You Spin Me Round (Like A Record), Dead Or Alive
41. Mexican Radio, Wall Of Voodoo
42. I'm Too Sexy, Right Said Fred
43. My Sharona, The Knack
44. Baby Got Back, Sir Mix-A-Lot
45. Barely Breathing, Duncan Sheik
46. Butterfly, Crazy Town
47. Detachable Penis, King Missile
48. Who Let The Dogs Out, Baha Men
49. All The Young Dudes, Mott The Hoople
50. United States of Whatever, Liam Lynch
51. Cotton Eye Joe, Rednex
52. Dancing in the Moonlight (2001 Remix), Toploader
53. Hocus Pocus, Focus
54. The Final Countdown, Europe
55. I Melt With You, Modern English
56. How Bizarre, OMC
57. Stay, Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
58. Possum Kingdom, Toadies
59. I Believe In A Thing Called Love, The Darkness
60. There She Goes, The La's
61. Scatman (ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop), Scatman John
62. Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand, Primitive Radio Gods
63. Fade Into You, Mazzy Star
64. So Alive, Love and Rockets
65. Scotty Doesn't Know, Lustra
66. Banditos, The Refreshments
67. Three Little Pigs, Green Jelly
68. BRANDY, Looking Glass
69. Mickey, Toni Basil
70. You Sexy Thing, Hot Chocolate
71. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm, Crash Test Dummies
72. Lemon Tree, Fool's Garden
73. Asshole, Denis Leary
74. One Night in Bangkok, Murray Head
75. Der Kommissar, After The Fire
76. Pass The Dutchie, Musical Youth
77. Always Something There To Remind Me, Naked Eyes
78. Tainted Love, Soft Cell
79. Axel F, Harold Faltermeyer
80. American Pie, Don McLean
81. Life In A Northern Town, The Dream Academy
82. Puttin' On The Ritz, Taco
83. Under The Milky Way, The Church
84. The One and Only, Chesney Hawkes
85. To Be With You, Mr. Big
86. Torn, Natalie Imbruglia
87. Got You (Where I Want You), The Flys
88. (I Just) Died in Your Arms, Cutting Crew
89. The Freshmen, The Verve Pipe
90. Goodbye, Horses, Q Lazzarus & Garvey (CLERKS II)
91. Move Your Feet, D.J. Dance House
92. Music Sounds Better With You (12" Club Mix), Stardust
93. Voices Carry, 'Til Tuesday
94. Bound For The Floor, Local H
95. Thong Song, Sisqo
96. She's So High, Tal Bachman
97. Somebody's Watching Me, Rockwell
98. I Ran, A Flock Of Seagulls
99. Roll To Me, Del Amitri
100. The Safety Dance, Men without Hats (not Men at Work)
The Freshmen, The Verve Pipe
Come on Eileen, Dexys Midnight Runners
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