3 One-Hit Wonder Songs From the 1980s That No One Else on Earth Could Have Written

Some songs are so unique you can’t imagine anyone else writing them. They are like acting roles. You can’t imagine anyone else in The Godfather, just like you can’t picture anyone else singing a certain lyric or melody. That’s just what we wanted to highlight here below. We wanted to explore three songs from back in the day that are particularly unique. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonder songs from the 1980s no one else on Earth could have written.

“Whip It” by Devo from ‘Freedom Of Choice’ (1980)

No band could ever write a song like “Whip It” by Devo because no band has ever been like Devo. In fact, it’s unclear who Devo even is. Are they some band of robots, some gang of futuristic entities? Well, in 1980, all of that was unclear and uncertain. All audiences knew was that some outfit named Devo wrote hit songs that inspired action, dancing, and smiles. Today, for many of us, that’s all we still know. That’s all we want to know. As unique as it is, the music is more than enough.

“The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats from ‘Rhythm Of Youth’ (1982)

This entry on our list of one-hit wonder songs from the 1980s remains confounding. A safety dance? That doesn’t sound particularly cool or hip. It sounds like something school-aged children have to do if there is ever a fire alarm. It sounds like something scientists might have to do if they get certain chemicals on their skin. And yet, the group Men Without Hats somehow turned the track into a hit single in the early 1980s. No other group could have pulled that one off.

“Come On Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners from ‘Too-Rye-Ay’ (1982)

A hit rock song brimming with passion that also uses Irish folk tune language? Well, that could only be Dexys Midnight Runners and the band’s classic 1982 number, “Come On Eileen”. This offering is all about shedding the shackles of your small town home. Let the world be your oyster. Don’t die with any regrets. Indeed, that is the message of this tune. And it hits you in the gut in a very singular way.

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