Lubbock’s Favorite ‘One Hit Wonders’ in Music History

September 25th was 'National One Hit Wonder Day' and we asked listeners who they would pick as their favorite of all time.

The responses were a bit slim, but that's to be expected. I didn't think of it when I asked the question, but our listeners are casual music fans mostly. They're not complete, over the top music dorks like I am. How would you guys even know who was a REAL one hit wonder and who wasn't?!?

What is a 'one hit wonder'?

The one hit wonder is an interesting part of the music business. How can a band or artist go through all of the obstacles and hurdles it takes to even get a record deal and THEN actually have a bonified hit...THEN never be heard from again? It happens fairly often. Moreso in the early days because record companies were popping up literally in people's basements and they were signing every garage band and teen singer they could get their hands on.

The scene in 'La Bamba' (one of my all time favorites) where Ritchie is talking and recording with his manager Bob Keane while in Bob's dingy basement and then Bob getting Valens signed to a bigger, better deal was VERY true-to-life of how it was back then. Valens had a couple of hits and most certainly would have had more if he hadn't perished in that tragic plane crash that took Lubbock's own Buddy Holly as well as the Big Bopper. Known, of course, as 'The Day the Music Died'.

As far as other contemporaries of the time and acts that came and went in the years after...

Some of them went on to major success, many of them couldn't handle the stress of the business, and most of them truly did just happen to catch lightning in a bottle and never caught it again for one reason or another. It's a true musical mystery sometimes!

To actually define the term 'one hit wonder', in The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, music journalist Wayne Jancik defines a one-hit wonder as "an act that has won a position on the national, pop, Top 40 record chart just once."

So who did the listeners pick?

Pam Johnson Rowland said Coven or Looking Glass:

While Coven WAS a OHW, Looking Glass WAS NOT! Looking Glass had a great hit with this one:

But they hit the charts again the following year with another GREAT song:

My good buddy (and future Lubbock mayor) Larry Simmons obviously had some great picks starting with this hit from 1969 from Texas artists Bubble Puppy:

Larry also picked Head East who had a huge hit in 1975 with a song you've heard in a LOT of movie soundtracks such as Dazed and Confused, Sahara, Friday Night Lights and That 70s Show among others. It's a killer rock song!

Since Larry is the future mayor and I'd like to be the recipient of political favors in the future, I included his THIRD pick as well...Blues Image with this great hit:

A few other listeners chimed in as well. Stan Brewer also said Head East and the other eight submissions weren't one hit wonders. Someone even said Billy Ocean, who certainly isn't a OHW.

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Plus, it's FUN!