3 One-Hit Wonders From 1959 That Bridge Two Worlds

If you were to compare the popular music today to that of 1959, it might feel like you were not only going back in time but that you’d stepped foot on another planet. Indeed, forget comparing it to 2025. Try even comparing the late 1950s to the late 1960s. What a difference a decade can make! And that is exactly what we wanted to explore here.

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We wanted to look at three popular songs from the year 1959 to determine if they were more of the past or portending the future. Not only did we want to check out a few songs, but we wanted to examine a few one-hit wonders from the final year of the 50s. Yes, these are three one-hit wonders from 1959 that bridge two time periods.

“Waterloo” by Stonewall Jackson from ‘The Dynamic Stonewall Jackson’ (1959)

It’s rare for a country song to transcend the country charts and land on the Billboard Hot 100, but that’s exactly what this down-home offering did in 1959. Indeed, Stonewall Jackson’s “Waterloo” raced all the way up the chart and hit No. 4, making it his sole top-40 tune. The rollicking, snare drum-driven song, which is all about people meeting their great demise, features Jackson’s smooth, deep voice, and today it sounds as if the song came from the 1800s as much as the 1950s.

“Sea Of Love” by Phil Phillips from ‘Sea Of Love’ (1959)

This is another song that is very much of its era. It is not a song that foretells much about the music industry. But that doesn’t make it any less valuable. In fact, the tune is timeless. It’s an incredible example of how a simple track can transcend temporal definitions. And that is what this song, which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, certainly does. Amazingly, it was written while singer Phil Phillips was working as a bellhop as he pined for a lost love.

“Here Comes Summer” by Jerry Keller (Single, 1959)

This song sounds like the 1950s, but there is something about the production that also seems to foretell more for the future of music. While the vocal delivery has that aw-shucks 1950s feel, the lush instrumentation makes you think that there is more around the corner. Just like the Beatles began with bubblegum and ended with experimental, this song, which hit No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, portends a bit more coming.

Photo via Stonewall Jackson “Waterloo” YouTube video