3 One-Hit Wonders That Make No Sense Whatsoever but We Still Love Them Anyway

One-hit wonders are often zany. There’s a reason why they rocketed up the charts and there’s a reason why their composers never really achieved the same success again. Sometimes things are totally unique, one of one and can never be duplicated. What, are Men Without Hats going to write another song about a safety dance? And what does it mean to be rocked by Amadeus?

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But because many one-hit wonders are odd, some of them frankly make no sense. Here below, we wanted to explore three songs of that ilk. A trio of tracks that simply confound and confuse more than they explicate and make clear. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders that make no sense whatsoever but we still love them anyway.

[RELATED: 3 Two-Hit Wonder, Foreign-Born Bands that Ruled the 1970s]

“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968)

Say what now? This song, which is the only song from the San Diego-born rock band to break into the Top 40, has a title that is indecipherable. You have to know the inside scoop to know it’s about the Garden of Eden. Not only that but this song clocks it at an incredible 17 minutes and takes up one whole side of the 1968 vinyl album of the same name (although there is a shorter version). Furthermore, if you don’t know what the title is supposed to mean, the song’s lyrics don’t make much sense either. It’s only if you know the band is talking about the garden that walking anywhere finally clicks. Still, it’s a hell of a tune!

In a gadda da vida, honey
Don’t you know that I’m lovin’ you
In a gadda da vida, baby
Don’t you know that I’ll always be true

Oh, won’t you come with me
And take my hand
Oh, won’t you come with me
And walk this land
Please take my hand

“Whip It” by Devo from Freedom of Choice (1980)

Wait, whip what? When? Why? On this tune from the British-born band Devo, we are instructed to whip things. Got a problem? Whip it! Cream sitting out? Something going wrong? Whip those, too! Same with a good time. Huh? It’s possible to decipher the sense or idea behind this song. Seize the day or don’t let something get you down! But from a literal standpoint, this is a lot of whipping without any clear reason why or context. Still, though, this song is catch as all heck! And the group sings,

When a good time turns around
You must whip it
You will never live it down
Unless you whip it
No one gets away
Until they whip it

I say whip it
Whip it good
I say whip it
Whip it good

“The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats from Rhythm of Youth (1982)

As mentioned above, this is a song that doesn’t quite make a ton of sense. It’s great that it’s promoting dancing. But what exactly is a safety dance and why should we dive in? Why is everyone taking the chance and what is the chance they’re taking? Again, like the songs above, we can jibe with the spirit of the tune. But if you want to look at it literally, from its title to its lyrics, it all seems a bit confounding. Either way, lead vocalist Ivan Doroschuk sings,

We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
‘Cause your friends don’t dance and if they don’t dance
Well, they’re no friends of mine

Say, we can go where we want to
A place where they will never find
And we can act like we come from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images