So, I'm Watching VH1's One Hit Wonders of the 80s

[Yavin4]

And it's a painful parade of really, really, really awful music. Songs like "Heartbeat" by Don Johnson.

Yet, I just cannot turn the damn channel.

It's like having a canker sore in your mouth that you keep poking with your tongue.

God, I fucking hated the 80s.

[Kat45]

1. They have a weird definition of one-hit wonders.

I generally think of one-hit wonders as artists who had one hit but were never heard from again. Some on the show fit this category. Others were artists that were still around and known after their one hit. They may have even had other songs that were minor hits, or at least on the radio a bit. Though they only had one "hit," I don't consider them one-hit wonders. On this show, they were taking the word "hit" absolutely literally, and for all I know the definition might have been a number one hit.

Edited to add that I found it both surprising and amusing that a number of the true one hit wonder bands got back together again much later, and not just for a one-off.

[AwakeAtLast]

2. There have been a few gems

"Mexican Radio", "Love Plus One" - I'm forgetting the others.

Basically any song that was considered alternative - those were the ones I liked.

:hi:

[Rob H.]

9. I still like "Mexican Radio"

It's just such a fun song! I also still like Peter Schilling's "Major Tom (Coming Home)" despite the fact that a soft-rock cover version is being used in some car commercial now. (Boo!)

[AwakeAtLast]

12. Here's the funny part about that commercial

My husband is eight years younger than me. It is not a factor at all EXCEPT when pop culture comes up. His head perked up the first time that commercial came on and then he made me find the original on YouTube because he liked the song. He had never heard it before.

Then there was the time I had to explain who Wham! was. And explain the Mean Joe Green commercial to him :cry:

:yoiks:

[Richardo]

3. Divinyls - "Science Fiction"

So much better than 'Touch Myself'

[Rhythm]

5. I like "Make Out Alright" and I Need a Lover" much better

Her voice is smokey, and much sexier in those...

[kentauros]

4. Get a copy of the movie "Urgh: A Music War"

It's even on youtube! :D

[Symarip]

7. Get a copy of the soundtrack, too

The CD only goes for 150 dollars or so on ebay.

[kentauros]

11. Cool!

Because I have the CD, too :)

Was there an album release as well? I can't remember what I have in my vinyl collection (as my turntable has been out of order for decades...)

[Symarip]

14. Oh yeah

The album is relatively easy to find. It only fetches like 10 bucks. But it's a great album. There's also a mini sampler from the soundtrack with only XTC, Echo, Boingo and The Go-Go's. That pulls 30 or 40 bucks. But there's nothing amazing about it because the songs are the same as on the album.

[southpaw]

6. Did they include the band called Living in a Box

with their solitary hit: Living in a Box?

Which, if I remember correctly, was on their overlooked album: Living in a Box.



The 80's were just fucking weird.

[Arugula Latte]

10. Hmmm. What was that song about, again?

[bbernardini]

8. What about Times Two with "Strange But True"?

Was that on there?

[ogneopasno]

13. I watched a little of that too. And I have to add that Madness was not a one-hit wonder.

Thank you.

[Jamastiene]

15. K&R

If I could have only one memory erased from my mind forever, it would be the fucking 80s.