For the past week or so VH1 has been running “100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80’s.” I love VH1 for series like this. For me, a nostalgia-addict, it’s always a pleasure to remember and relive the music I grew up on. Oh the 1980’s! What a shameless time—the music, the movies, the clothes, the hair, the attitude—no other period in time stood out quite like the 80’s. But one thing the 80’s had perfect was the enduring pop song. Whether musical acts were one hit wonders or not, 80’s pop still endures and was a massive influence for pop acts to follow. Pop of the 80’s was so original, even as weird as it could be, it felt way more inspired. I can’t match the 100 Greatest, but here are my Top 15 80’s Songs by One-Hit Wonders:
1. Pretty Poison, “ Catch Me I’m Falling”: So catchy, so addictive, and brings back so many childhood memories with my friends, singing in front of our mirrors with hairbrushes
2. Shannon “Let the Music Play”: one of the revolutionary pop songs of the 80’s helping to usher in the electronica movement; you can’t escape the joy this song evokes—just one of the best songs—period.
3. Johnny Kemp “Just Got Paid”: oh, how a great pop song endures, every Friday radio stations still play this—because getting paid and partying is the anthem to begin every weekend
4. Nu Shooz “I Can’t Wait”: Nu Shooz!! Oh this was the jam! A house party or BBQ isn’t complete without this classic throwback—one of those songs that is impossible to get tired of
5. Soft Cell (pictured above), “Tainted Love”: haunting, dark pop masterpiece and remake of a R&B classic. Soft Cell breathed spooky new life into this song and it’s still as addictive and creepy as ever.
6. Club Nouveau, “Lean On Me”: for one lyric only: “We be jammin’! We be jammin’ oh!” Come on, how can you deny it?
7. Patrice Rushen (pictured below), “Forget Me Nots”: Hard to truly consider this super talented and still working musician/composer a one hit wonder but this song hit the airwaves like a hurricane and has been a staple at block parties ever since
8. E.U., “Da Butt”: Oh, the easiest dance you can do! And one of the funkiest pops ever. And truthful lyrics: "Ain't nothing wrong if you wanna do the butt all night long!" ha..
9. Tom Tom Club, “Genius of Love”: it’s that fantastic baseline that still drives me wild
10. The Waitresses, “I Know What Boys Like”: the definition of cool in the 80’s: this song is all hipster iciness and bad-ass attitude
11. Dead Or Alive, “You Spin Me Round”: Reminds of the total 80’s experience: weird, weird, and more weird!
12. Thomas Dolby, “She Blinded Me With Science”: Maybe 20 years ahead of its time with the advances that technology has made—being blinded by science sounds so right-now.
13. Mary Jane Girls, “In My House”: Super sexy, seductive R&B groove by chicks with actual pipes makes for perfect pop precision which equals one smokin’ hot single
14. Rockwell, “Somebody’s Watching Me”: All of our paranoia put to sound with Michael Jackson only doing the chorus--not bad for a one hit wonder
15. Katrina and the Waves, "Walking on Sunshine": this song is Prozac--super optimistic chorus and contagious rhythms can cure anyone's blues--which is really what 80's pop essentially was all about
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