3 One-Hit Wonders That Could Be Made Into Cartoons (Or Already Have)

Have you ever noticed that some songs you hear just sound like they could be made into cartoons? It’s as if listening to them, they conjure vivid, odd images in your mind. You can see the characters, you can imagine the story in all its wacky animated glory. This dynamic is especially true when it comes to one-hit wonders.

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Some one-hit wonders are just so blissfully strange that they resemble cartoons. They are less musical works and more part of a bigger, colorful picture. That’s what we wanted to highlight and explore here. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders that could really be turned into cartoons.

“The Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley (Single, 1958)

In his classic one-hit wonder, Sheb Wooley is practically making a pitch for a new cartoon show. He’s describing the main character—a purple monster with a big ol’ horn and a penchant for playing music. Wooley’s descriptions were so vivid that they captivated an audience in the late 1950s, and his song became a smash, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Rockin’ Robin” by Bobby Day from ‘Rockin’ With Robin’ (1958)

Similar to Wooley’s vivid descriptions of the purple people eater, on this song from the late 50s, which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, Bobby Day paints an excellent picture of a bird singing in the treetops. Disney might as well have taken this song and put it to animation. A red-breasted robin that likes rock music? Sign us up! We’d watch that with a bowl of cereal on Saturday mornings.

“Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies from ‘Everything’s Archie’ (1969)

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this song is a literal cartoon. “Released” by a cartoon band and boasting a music video featuring that cartoon group, this sweet track hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. And for good reason. It sticks in your brain instantly. Bolstered by the delightful animation, this tune defines the idea of a one-hit wonder that could be a cartoon. Because it is one!

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