3 One-Hit Wonders from the 1960s That I’ve Never Heard Before This Day

One-hit wonders have existed since the dawn of the music industry. It’s just how the industry works; sometimes, even the most talented musician can only get one solid charting hit during their career. And when it comes to the following one-hit wonders from the 1960s, I’m pretty shocked that I’ve never heard them before. They’re all really solid tunes! Let’s take a look and enjoy some niche 60s tunes, shall we?

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“(There Was A) Tall Oak Tree” by Dorsey Burnette

Dorsey Burnette should be a household name among rockabilly fans. He was one of the earliest artists to make it in the genre, and he produced quite a few amazing songs during his somewhat short career. The biggest of these was the 1960 hit song “(There Was A) Tall Oak Tree”. 

Interestingly enough, Burnette wrote the song in 1959 and tried to hand it off to other musicians like Ricky Nelson. When nobody wanted it, he recorded it himself. It was a big success and hit No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Sadly, Burnette never hit the Top 40 on the Hot 100 again.

“Rhythm Of The Rain” by The Cascades

Remember The Cascades? This vocal group was quite active in the 1960s and reunited off and on through the years until the 2000s. Their biggest song by far was the 1962 pop hit “Rhythm Of The Rain”, which peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 that year. 

The Cascades managed to just barely stay on that chart with the follow-up “Shy Girl”, but the group never made it to the Top 60 of the Hot 100 again. I have to admit, their harmonies were very impressive.

“We’ll Sing In The Sunshine” by Gale Garnett

This example of one-hit wonders from 1960s was a bit of an international hit for New Zealand singer Gale Garnett. The folk tune “We’ll Sing In The Sunshine” was released in 1964 and made it all the way to No. 4 on the Hot 100 chart. It’s an easy listening classic, and I’m a little bit embarrassed that I’ve never heard it before. 

Despite having such a gorgeous and deep voice, Garnett never hit the Top 40 in the United States again. Though, she did go on to enjoy an impressive career as an actress and writer.

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