3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1960s I’ll Never Ever Forget

Some songs just stick in your head. Really, there is no clear reason why. It could be a word, a melody, or something totally unpredictable. But whatever the hook, the song finds a home in your mind and sets up camp for a long, long time. Here below, I wanted to share three great examples of that—a trio of songs from back in the day that now live deep in my head rent-free. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1960s I’ll never ever forget.

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“Who Put the Bomp (In The Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)” by Barry Mann from ‘Who Put The Bomp’ (1961)

I don’t know what it is about this song, but it just pops into my head at random times during the day. Something about the rhythm of the chorus, the word “bomp”, who knows? But by now, I should probably sit the song down in some sort of couple’s therapy and try to understand why it’s haunting me over and over. But either way, it’s a fun one to sing. Now, all I want to know is who did put the bomp in the bomp?

“Do You Love Me” by The Contours from ‘Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)’ (1962)

This song is the essence of American music. The best vocal performance combined with the most insecure question. But that’s what art is, right? Beauty asking to be loved. That’s why this song will never leave my head, nor will it leave the psyche of the human being. Once The Contours released the song they became immortal. And we can finally answer them: Yes, we love you!

“Monster Mash” by Bobby Pickett from ‘The Original Monster Mash’ (1962)

Even if I wanted to forget this song, I couldn’t. Every Halloween, it comes on television or movies or some other media. The spooky goof track about monsters is ubiquitous in the fall and for good reason. It’s fun, inventive, and imaginative. Bobby Pickett really scored a beast of a track when he created this one in his lab late one night.

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