Weekend Small Talk: One Hit Wonders with More than One "Hit"
Critics throw around the one hit wonder label pretty loosely of late and have been dismissing a lot of good bands as if they were on the level of Gerardo or Right Said Fred. While I understand that the techinical definition has to do with charting on the top 40, let's be real: most bands aren't going to make it to the pop charts and dismissing a rap or rock group for not crossing over enough seems like a weak reason for labeling them a "One Hit Wonder".
So what bands have had more than one hit and should escape this negative label? What groups had solid careers and should be seen as quality bands rather than trivial musical confections?
Honorable Mention goes to Young MC. I'll let critics have him as a one hit wonder but let's be honest, "Principal's Office" was a catchy song and I'm still a fan of his first album. "Know How" is also a great song and makes good use of the "Shaft" sample. But I'll step away from defending Young MC after he pretty much fell off and even tried to act hard for one album. MC Hammer is saved from One Hit Wonder status but I'd take "Stone Cold Rymin'" over any of his albums.
9. Twisted Sister: Yes, "We're Not Gonna Take It" was huge but let's not overlook "I Wanna Rock". Listening back, there second album wasn't that good and loses some points for really going for radio play by covering "Leader of the Pack" but you have to admit that the Sister has more than just one "hit". In fact, while "We're Not Gonna Take It"
8. Faith No More: Honestly, I like "Falling to Pieces" better than "Epic", the song that made them famous and is considered their one hit. I could see it being a hit if released today.
7. Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock: If there's one hip hop song that I can't believe has disappeared, it's "Joy and Pain". That song was classic and right up there with "It Takes Two". Ironically, it seems like the world only has room for one Rob Base song and it's "It Takes Two"
6. 3rd Bass: This is one of those situations that really annoys me because when you talk about the song that 3rd Bass is most famous for, I'd say "Gas Face". In fact, I'd probably name a few songs off of The Cactus Album before remembering that they had a crossover hit with the (irony again) Pop Goes the Weasel.
5. House of Pain: I know a lot of people didn't like their second album but it has some decent songs. More importantly, their first album had a number of quality songs and the remix for "Shamrocks and Shenanigans" was great.
4. Los Lonely Boys: Some people might not even know who these guys are but they've been dubbed a one hit wonder because their song "Heaven" actually charted. However, they have a lot of great songs, some even better than "Heaven", but they aren't a pop group. They are successful in their genre and shouldn't just be lumped in with Skee-Lo.
3. Digable Planets: Digable Planets's first album is just a great hip-hop album from top to bottom. "Where I'm From" is a great song in its original form and the remix might be even better. Their second album lost them a lot of fans because it wasn't a carbon copy of the first but "Blowout Comb" is another solid album. If there's one flaw (and it's a trap that many hip hop acts fall into), it's that the songs are too long. Too many songs hitting 4 or 5 minutes when they shouldn't be longer than 3 and a half.
2. Blind Melon: Yes, "No Rain" and it's flower girl video are what the group is known for but there first album is a great record. Filled with quality songs including "Change" which might be better than "No Rain" and has definitely had more legs, even appearing in a key scene in last year's Entourage. I'll admit that the second album "Soup" takes a few listens to get used to but it's still a very good album and the posthumous "Nico" is another solid album with one of my favorite songs, "Soul One".
1. Living Colour: Nothing annoys me more than when I see "Cult of Personality" listed as a song by a one hit wonder. "Vivid" is one of my favorite albums of all time and includes some absolutely amazing songs like "Open Letter (to a landlord)", "Broken Hearts", "Glamour Boys", "Desperate People" and arguably the greatest cover song of All-Time "Memories Can't Wait". On top of that, Living Colour's second album "Time's Up" is also great. "Solace of You" is one of the most slept-on songs ever while "Love Rears Up It's Ugly Head", "Fight the Fight" and "Someone Like You" are also quality songs. Hell, even their hit-or-miss third album has some great songs like "Nothingness", "Leave It Alone", "Auslander" and "Never Satisfied". Not that it needs to be said but Living Colour was one of the favorite bands and they are the band that is most undeservedly labeled a One Hit Wonder.
