3 One-Hit Wonders From 1957 I’m Sure You’ve Never Heard (But You Need To)

Have you ever rummaged through your older siblings’ or parents’ closets? Have you ever found clothes you thought looked good that you just wanted to try on, even if for just a second? Well, have you ever done the same sort of thing with music? Albums? CDs? Found some old recordings and just put them on to see if they fit?

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That’s what we wanted to do here below. We wanted to dive back nearly 70 years in the past and see if any of the one-hit wonders of the day fit. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from 1957 that we’re sure you’ve never heard of. But that you might enjoy all the same!

“Cinco Robles (Five Oaks)” by Russell Arms (Single, 1957)

This track, which peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, sounds like one of those YouTube videos you put on in the background to study to. A scratchy recording with crooning, soft melodies. It’s enough to put you softly to sleep—so, it’s a marvel that the tune rocketed up the charts and became a one-hit wonder. But that’s the past for you. Sometimes you can explain it, sometimes it leaves you befuddled and working on your chemistry homework.

“After School” by Randy Starr (Single, 1957)

This song, which hit No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100, was written by a part-time dentist. Indeed, Randy Starr wrote songs for Elvis Presley and he fixed people’s teeth on the side. Either way, he was making people smile! But on this track, he made himself smile, garnering his own top-40 hit. Sounds like a great career from a clearly great songwriter who knew that songs about school always have a built-in audience.

“Let The Four Winds Blow” by Roy Brown (Single, 1957)

This tune, which peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, has great energy. You can see a whole room of people jump out of their booths, leaving their malted milks behind, to get up and dance. Early rock music always feels like you’re looking back on a primitive society. They’re still communicating with snail mail while we have cell phones that can show us far-off galaxies. Either way, this is a fun song to remember back to today!

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