A one-hit wonder is an artist or band that has released a song that went straight up the charts. But soon after, that person or group never gets the same success again, with a discography of songs that don’t come near the no. 1 spot again. Historically, many one-hit wonders are quirky, strange songs that capture some feeling or idea at the perfect time.
We wanted to explore three one-hit wonders that seem more curious than they do prescient. We found a trio of tracks that, well… kind of just make you rub your chin. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders that will make you scratch your head and wonder.
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[RELATED: The One-Hit Wonder Band That Came From Talking Heads]
“The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats from ‘Rhythm Of Youth’ (1982)
There’s something about this whole thing that just feels like a glitch in the system. What is a safety dance? What are men without hats? None of this makes any sense and yet, the song from the Canadian-born musical group hit no.3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
How? Why? The group’s lead singer Ivan Doroschuk has said it’s a protest song, written after he was kicked out of a club for “pogo dancing,” or dancing solo and just jumping up and down. Still… what a strange composition.
“Take On Me” by a-ha from ‘Hunting High And Low’ (1984)
There is something about this entry on our list of one-hit wonders that both makes sense and doesn’t make sense, all in one go. Have you ever heard anyone in day-to-day life say “take on me”? It’s not a turn of phrase anyone says. So, why does it work well in this song? Why did this track resonate so, hitting no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100?
“Take On Me” is about a man about to leave town, so he’s asking another to choose him to be a romantic partner. To help persuade her, he says “take on me.” Huh? Whatever works…
“Afternoon Delight” by Starland Vocal Band from ‘Starland Vocal Band’ (1976)
This song is a head-scratcher, not necessarily for the content of its lyrics but for its delivery. It’s a song about having sex in the daytime and how pleasant that can be. But so often today, we think about sexual songs as having a bit of an edge, a beat, something to hold onto. This track, though, is like a local church choir singing harmoniously over acoustic guitars. It almost does not compute. And yet, the tune went to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release. Incredible!
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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