When a song has achieved the status of “one-hit wonder,” it means that at one point in time, it was popular. It means the track rose up the charts and was part of the cultural zeitgeist. It also means the song may still be part of pop culture in some way, shape, or form. But that’s not always the case. In fact, there are many one-hit wonder tracks that have come and gone over time.
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Some have left our collective consciousness to such a degree that they have all but vanished from the face of the Earth. Some have become songs we don’t even remember. Case in point: these three tracks below.
“Don’t Let Him Know” by Prism from ‘Small Change’ (1981)
Canadian rock band Prism sounds like a group you should know well. They have catchy, buzzy, electric guitar-driven songs. But there was something about them that, it would seem, wasn’t nearly as memorable as some of their contemporaries. Yet, in 1981, the group achieved their highest-charting song in the United States. And that tune, “Don’t Let Him Know”, earned them official one-hit wonder status (by a hair). The track hit no. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100. Don’t remember it? It’s okay, we don’t blame you.
“If The Love Fits Wear It” by Leslie Pearl from ‘Words & Music’ (1982)
This easy-listening adult contemporary track, which peaked at no. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, gave songwriter and performer Leslie Pearl her sole Top 40 hit of her career, “If the Love Fits Wear It”. The track, which was released on her 1982 LP, Words & Music, is one about the importance of love and the acceptance of it, too. It’s a simple idea, but it’s also a profound one. Love is love, don’t deny it, and don’t fight it if it feels real. That’s an admirable message, even if we don’t remember Leslie singing about it today.
“It’s Inevitable” by Charlie from ‘Charlie’ (1983)
In 1983, the British-born rock band Charlie released its self-titled LP, and with it came the band’s highest-charting song, which was also their only Top 40 hit. The one-hit wonder’s most popular song is the driving tune “It’s Inevitable”. Featuring gang vocals, an inspiring guitar solo, and a definite 1980s feel, the tune is catchy. But, it’s also one we’re sure you haven’t heard since it came out in the early part of the decade. Maybe it will be your new favorite, or maybe it will continue to be lost to history.
Photo by Georg Wendt/Picture Alliance via Getty Images
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