3 One-Word One-Hit Wonders From 1971 That Still Shine Today

For young songwriters out there who want their tunes to rocket up the vaunted Billboard Hot 100 chart, maybe there is a lesson here amongst the songs below. Sometimes, in order to garner the attention you desire, it’s important to create something that sticks in the memory. How do we do this? Well, one avenue is the one-word song title.

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Brief, clear, short, and sweet. That’s the name of the game. Indeed, these three one-word one-hit wonder songs all raced up the Hot 100 charts in their day in 1971 thanks, in part, to their lightning-quick titles. Let’s dive in!

“Signs” by Five Man Electrical Band from ‘Good-byes And Butterflies’ (1971)

This track, which hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, kicks off with a bang. Then it takes a big left turn and becomes a tune that seems both inspired by gospel and Bob Dylan. Organ music blends with a storytelling style reminiscent of The Bard. Those are strong elements to combine when trying to garner a hit, which Five Man Electrical Band certainly did in 1971.

“Desiderata” by Les Crane from ‘Desiderata’ (1971)

This spoken-word offering from Les Crane (perhaps shockingly) hit No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. It almost sounds like a Leonard Cohen song with its deep voice and slow tones. It’s also another track here that includes gospel music and the divine, harmonious vibe it offers its listeners. Crane’s recording was inspired by the 1927 prose poem of the same name by American writer Max Ehrmann.

“Joy” by Apollo 100 (Single, 1971)

This instrumental single release hit No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach’s song, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”. And you can really hear it. Almost immediately, the song becomes recognizable—as if it’s something you learned as a young student at a grand piano. No wonder it raced up the Hot 100 charts—it was as if we already knew it when it hit the airwaves!

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