3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s We Could Listen to Forever

Sometimes a song can feel like a puzzle piece. The track, as soon as you hear it, seems to somehow fit into your psyche or your soul like it was meant to be there. That’s the magic of music, after all. It’s almost like meeting a person for the first time and feeling like you’ve known them your whole life.

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It’s those kinds of songs we wanted to highlight here below. We wanted to explore three songs from the 1970s that we adore—three one-hit wonders we can’t live without. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1970s we could listen to forever.

“One Toke Over The Line” by Brewer & Shipley from ‘Tarkio’ (1971)

Two guys with acoustic guitars singing about getting a little too stoned? Sign us up! This song seems like it should feel way more psychotic or way darker. But in the hands of Brewer & Shipley, the sense of being too stoned is almost whimsical. We need more whimsy in the world! Sing on, Brewer & Shipley!

“In The Summertime” by Mungo Jerry from ‘Electronically Tested’ (1970)

Do you want a song with great energy? We do! And this is certainly that. Mungo Jerry has entertained millions over the decades thanks to this composition, and they will continue to do so for decades to come. And if every other fan melts away, we’ll be here staunchly to say, “Play it one more time, Mungo Jerry!” It’s so wild to me that “In The Summertime” was the band’s only major hit. Ray Dorset remains a hugely underrated musician.

“Happy Days” by Pratt & McClain from ‘Pratt & McClain Featuring Happy Days’ (1976)

This is a song that just puts us in an incredible mood. For those of a certain age, this song was, as its title indicates, happiness in melody form. If you were homesick from school in the 90s, you could rely on the reruns of Happy Days to keep you company. And with that show came this hit theme song that we could listen to over and over, forever and ever.

Image by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns