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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 40 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 One Hit Wonders - 1950s
Barry McGuire. Barry McGuire was once a member of The New Christy Minstrels.
The Hollywood Argyles. The Hollywood Argyles got their name from Hollywood Blvd. and Argyle Street. Dante and the Evergreens had a cover version of the song but it only went to No. 15.
Paul Mauriat . Was No.1 for 5 weeks.
Joan Weber. It was No. 1 for 4 weeks. Weber died on May 31st, 1981.
Kyu Sakamoto. Kyu Sakamoto was killed in August 1985 in an airplane crash. Hachidai Nakamura and Rokusuke Ei wrote 'Sukiyaki'. Chuichi Nagumo was an Admiral in the Japanese Navy during World War II.
Playboy. It was No. 1 for 2 weeks.
Lorne Greene . Lorne Greene was a radio announcer for the Canadian Broadcasting Company during World War II.
The Teddy Bears. The Teddy Bears were named after Elvis Presley's song 'Teddy Bear'. Founder Phil Spector would later become a well known writer and producer.
Steam. Was actually a studio group. The song I believe is still used by the Chicago White Sox.
Ernie K-Doe . Born Ernest Kador Jr. February 22nd, 1936. He found the lyrics to the song 'Mother-in-Law' in a trash can after writer Allen Toussaint threw them away. Bass vocal was done by Benny Spellman.
Laurie London. Laurie London is a male not a female. He was only 13 years old when he recorded this song.
The New Vaudeville Band. 'Winchester Cathedral' won a Grammy for Best Rock and Roll record of 1966.
Mark Dinning. 'Teen Angel' was written by Marks older sister Jean. All these artists had a song about death. Mark Dinning died from a heart attack on March 21st, 1986.
Bruce Chanel . 'Hey Baby' was No.1 for three weeks. Delbert McClinton played the harmonica solo in the song.
Zager and Evans. 'In The Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)' is the full title of the song. It stayed at No. 1 for 6 weeks.
The Tornadoes. The Tornadoes were the first British group to have a No. 1 hit on the American charts, even before The Beatles.
The Silhouettes. The Silhouettes started out as a Gospel group known as the Gospel Tornadoes.
The Singing Nun. Sister Luc-Gabrielle, real name Janine Deckers, and a chorus of four nuns were from a convent in Fichermont, Belgium. She committed suicide in 1985.
The Elegants. The Elegants got their name from a bottle of whiskey ('Schenley's The Whiskey of Elegance').
| 'Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home)' made the Billboard charts as both a pop hit and an R&B hit. Who sang this tune? | 50s One Hit Wonders
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The Impalas. The Impalas consisted of four singers; Joe Frazier, Richard Wagner, Lenny Renda, and Tony Carlucci. In 1959, they recorded "Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home)", and it peaked as a #2 pop hit and at #14 as an R&B hit. This would be the only hit The Impalas would have and the band would only be together for three years, disbanding in 1961.
| 'Sea Of Love' was a song that was successful both in the 1950s and 1980s as a one hit wonder song. Who sang the 1950s version that made the Billboard charts? | 50s One Hit Wonders
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Phil Phillips. "Sea Of Love" reached #2 on the Billboard charts in 1959. This song was covered by many other artists, particularly "The Honeydrippers", when the song once again reached the Billboard charts at #3 in 1984.
| 'Purple People Eater' was an instant success. The singer of this song, unfortunately, would not have much success in the music industry after this song hit the charts. Which singer sang this song? | 50s One Hit Wonders
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Sheb Wooley. Sheb Wooley was best known as a singer and an actor. He is best known for his 1958 novelty hit "Purple People Eater". As an actor, Sheb Wooley performed in many country and western films including "High Noon", "The Outlaw Josey Wales", and "Rawhide". Wooley was diagnosed with leukemia in 1996 and would succumb to his illness in 2003.
| 'To Know Him Is To Love Him' was a romantic and slow one hit wonder song. Which group sang this tune? | 50s One Hit Wonders
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The Teddy Bears. The Teddy Bears have often been referred to as Phil Spector's band. The famous record producer in the 1960s and 1970s first found instant success with The Teddy Bears. He would help create the band and their 1958 one hit wonder "To Know Him Is To Love Him" would be Spector's first record release. Spector would later go on to produce music for famous musicians like John Lennon and Leonard Cohen. Spector was charged with murder in 2003, however, as of January 2007, he was still waiting to stand trial.
| The Sunnysiders had a Top Twenty hit in 1955 with "Hey! Mr. Banjo". Which member of the group had a solo Top Ten hit with "I'm Available" two years later? | Obscure One Hit Wonders of the Fifties
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Margie Rayburn. Margie Rayburn married Sunnysider member Norman Milkin while she was with the group. When "Hey! Mr. Banjo" made it to Number 12, Kapp records hastily tried to release an album by The Sunnysiders but they only had recorded three tunes. The Happy Harts are featured on most of the album's tracks. Freddy Morgan played the banjo on "Hey Mr. Banjo". Margie Rayburn switched to Liberty Records when she released her only Top Twenty hit, "I'm Available".
"Dark Moon" was a one-hit wonder by Bonnie Guitar in 1957. Joy Layne's "Your Wild Heart" reached Number 20 the same year. "I Miss You So" was a 1957 Top Forty release by Chris Connor.
| "See You in September" was a hit in 1966 for The Happenings. Which group claimed it as their one-hit wonder when their version went to Number 23 in 1959? | Obscure One Hit Wonders of the Fifties
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The Tempos. Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards wrote The Tempos' single, "See You in September". The flip side was a song called "Bless You My Love". The tempos' release of "See You in September" became part of the soundtrack of the 1973 film, "American Graffiti". The Happenings' version fared better on the charts, peaking at Number Three.
The Falcons had a Top Twenty recording with "You're So Fine". "You Were Mine" was released by The Fireflies and The Mystics had a Number 20 single with "Hushabye".
The Blob. A group of Los Angeles studio musicians under the direction of Bernie Nee formed The Five Blobs and recorded "The Blob" for the 1958 Steve McQueen film of the same name. Burt Bacharach and Hal David's brother, Mack, composed the song that featured a saxophone lead. The Columbia Records single reached Number 33 on the Billboard charts.
"Poor Boy" was a Top Twenty by The Royaltones. Jan and Arnie released "Jennie Lee" in 1958. "The Swingin' Shepherd Blues" was a Top Forty single by The Moe Koffman Quartette.
| "Mona Lisa" won an Academy Award as part of the soundtrack for the 1950 film, film "Captain Carey, U.S.A.". Nat "King" Cole had a smash hit with his version. Which artist released a Rock-a-billy version in 1959 that climbed to Number 25? | Obscure One Hit Wonders of the Fifties
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Carl Mann. Carl Mann began his career singing in church and at talent shows. He landed a recording contract with a local label and released a few unsuccessful hits. A member of Carl Perkins' band landed him a three-year Sun Records deal. He was only 16 when his version of "Mona Lisa" made the charts. Although he released follow-up singles, the only other Mann song to dent the charts was the Number 57 song, "Pretend".
"I Ain't Never" was a Number 25 single by Webb Pierce. The Browns' version of "The Three Bells" went to Number One, while Dick Flood's rendition only made it to Number 23. "This Should Go on Forever" squeaked into the Top Twenty at Number 20 for Rod Bernard in 1959.
Robert and Johnny. Robert Carr and Johnny Mitchell wrote most of their own material and recorded approximately a dozen singles on the Old Town Records label. "We Belong Together" was their biggest success, reaching Number 32. Their only other song to make the US Billboard chart was the Number 93 single, "I Believe In You", released the same year. The duo continued to record into the sixties before calling it quits. Ronald and Ruby took "Lollipop" to Number 20 before The Chordettes had their Top Ten hit with the song. "The Freeze" was released by Tony and Joe in 1957. "(It's Been a Long Time) Pretty Baby" went to Number 20 for Gino and Gina.
Stranded in the Jungle. In 1956 The Cadets had the biggest success with "Stranded in the Jungle" on Modern Records when it reached Number Two in July. The same week The Jayhawks reached Number 18 with the song. The following month a group called The Gadabouts barely broke the Top Forty when their rendition peaked at Number 39.
"When You Dance" was the only Top Forty hit for The Turbans. "Graduation Day" was a Number 27 hit by The Rovers in 1956. Despite releasing over 100 recordings, "Since I Met You Baby" was the only Top Twenty single by Ivory Joe Hunter.
Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly listed Jo Stafford as her favorite singer in her high school yearbook. Grace went on to become an Academy Award-winning actress and married the Prince of Monaco. Although not known as a singer, she did enjoy success with "True Love" when it topped out at Number Three in October, 1956.
Jerry Lewis had a 1956 Top Ten hit with "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody". "Eloise" was a Top Forty release in 1956 by actress Kay Thompson. Jane Powell starred in many MGM Musical films and made it to Number 15 in 1956 with a song called "True Love".
Don Robertson. Don Robertson was born in China where his dad was temporarily working at The Peking Union Medical College. He went on to become a Country genre songwriter. Some of the many compositions he wrote or co-wrote that have been recorded by various singers included "I Really Don't Want to Know", "Please Help Me I'm Falling" and "There's Always Me". He also collaborated with Hal Blair to write Lorne Greene's Number One hit, "Ringo".
Eddie Lawrence had his only Top Forty song with "The Old Philosopher". "The Fool" was by a Top Ten by Sanford Clark and the Top Ten "Cindy, Oh Cindy" was Vince Martin's only hit.
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