3 Perfect One-Hit Wonders From the 1990s That Clock in at Under 3 Minutes

In music, there is an important expression to remember: Less is more. It can be easy to go into a recording studio and add instrument after instrument to a song. Or maybe you want to add a third or fourth or fifth or sixth verse to the track, just to get all your feelings out. But while that can seem like a proper idea, it often isn’t. Most of the time, it’s best to subtract rather than add. Indeed, as they say, less is more. And that’s just what we wanted to dive into below. These are three perfect one-hit wonders from the 1990s that clock in under three minutes.

Videos by American Songwriter

“There She Goes” by The La’s from ‘The La’s’ (1990)

Some songs you can just hear play out in your head once you read the title a single time. You can literally hear the melody, the lyrics, and the instruments in your mind just after seeing a few words. The La’s “There She Goes” is most assuredly one of those tunes. When they wrote the track, they channeled some terrific melody. It’s one that our brains can never let go of once we’ve heard it. And all of this was achieved in well under three minutes. That’s talent!

“I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred from ‘Up’ (1991)

Sometimes a title says it all. You can imagine Right Said Fred sitting around the studio, wondering what their next recording will be. Then someone looks in the mirror and comments on his own appearance. Boom! Hit single material! Not only is this song entertaining, but it’s also encouraging. You put it on, and you strut around your bedroom knowing that you’re the most attractive person on Earth. It’s true! Right Said Fred said so! They’re too sexy, you’re too sexy, we’re all too sexy!

“Sex And Candy” by Marcy Playground from ‘Marcy Playground’ (1997)

This song is a vibe. A weird vibe. What does it mean? No one can be sure. But we can all feel its mood. It’s as if we’re hearing some musical offering from another dimension. And all of this is achieved in well under three minutes. For those who missed the late 1990s, this song encapsulates so much of what it was like back then. Part-nonsense, part-urgency, and part-poetry. We were willing to say and do it all back then. What for? Who knows.

Photo by Manfred Schmid/Redferns