Thank you for including me in your Monday, kittens & dawgs! This week’s theme is “your choice” but being me I decided to use this slot to introduce a new series featuring ONE-HIT WONDERS begining with my birth decade…the 60s.
There are a lot of popular tunes falling in this category. I’m picking only those to reach the pinnacle at #1. In this first part, I’m sharing four one-hit wonders from 1960.
“Teen Angel“, written by Jean Dinning and her husband, Red Surrey. Her brother, Mark Dinning and Alex Murray performed the song late 1959. The teenage tragedy song didn’t do well with radio stations and was even banned because it was too sad. However, the song climbed from #100 to #50 on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts the last week of the decade until it reached the top of list on February 8, 1960.
“Alley Oop” inspired by V.T. Hamlin’s comics was written and composed by Dallas Frazier first in 1957 as a country song. It was The Hollywood Argyles who popularized this crazy little ditty. What’s interesting to know is that there was no The Hollywood Argyles at the begining according to Gary Paxton who produced and sang lead vocals. He stated the band name, a short-lived studio band, came from a street (Argyle) near the studio where they recorded where Paxton exclaimed, “Let’s call ourselves The Hollywood Argyles”. The song peaked July 11, 1960. Dante & the Evergreens also covered this song which charted the same day as T.H.A. at #15.
“Mr. Custer” is a novelty song written by Al De Lory, Fred Darian, and Jospeh Van Winkle. Larry Verne, an American novelty song vocalist recorded the song which sold more than a million copies, earning a gold disc. The funny song story tells of a soldier’s pled with Custer who did not want to fight the Sioux Indians at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. This single topped the charts October 10, 1960.
“Stay” written by Maurine Williams at the tender age of 15 tells how he tried to convince his date to not go home when suppposed to. In 1960, his band made a demo. Initially, Williams and the Zodiacs didn’t draw any interests. It took a ten year’s enthusiasm for the song to impress upon the band and the producer to keep pushing the tune. Four major record producers dismissed the song in NYC before Herald Records became interested who insisted the line, “Let’s have another smoke” be removed to make it commerically acceptable. The song entered at the bottom of the US Billboard Hot 100 charts aearly October 1960 and taking the number one spot November 21, 1960. Other versions include, the Hollies in 1963 took it to #8 in the UK, the Four Season in 1964 peaked #16 in the US, and Jackson Browne in 1977 reached #20 in the US, as well as #12 in the UK.
I thought it was interesting that two other songs with different artists made the Top 40 list the same year. They didn’t top the chart but I thought it would be fun to share these with you. The first song, “Look For A Star” by Gary Mills hit #26 and again with Deane Hawley at #34 on the same day, July 25th. Bonus: The second song title “Hot Rod Lincoln” hit #26 with recording artist Johnny Bond on August 8th and then about a month later with Charlie Ryan and the Timberlane Riders reached #33.
Which of these One-Hit Wonders is your favorite?
I invite you to hit the dance floor with the 4M gang XmasDolly, Stacy, Colette, and little ole me!
Things are a little wild starting today and I’m not speaking of the solar eclipse. Most if not all of Knoxville will be at the edge of the eclipse. Where DH works he’ll be in totality for 30 seconds which is cool but we’re going outside of town to be part of the epic event together! I also have oral surgery mid-week. I might be slow to dance with ya but I will boogie with you ASAP! I’ll close things off with a special song dedicated to the total eclipse.
Have a songtastic week and I’ll see ya back on the dance floor next week with song titles and lyrics featuring “Dance Moves” on Monday’s Music Moves Me!
