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February 19, 2007
The 59 Best One Hit Wonders Ever: #20-18
20. Michael Penn - "No Myth" (1990) Sean Penn's brother has at least one thing in life to call his own, rather than being known as his brother's brother or Aimee Mann's husband. This clever acoustic-driven pop song from 1990 -- which stood out from the hair bands and new jack swing that dominated the charts at the time -- reached #15 on the charts, won Penn Best New Artist at the MTV Video Awards that year, and is perhaps the only video ever to feature a Parmesan cheese shower on the artist. See the video on this page.
19. Autograph - "Turn Up The Radio" (1984) Ah, the good old days when videos were conceptualized and only occasionally related to the song, and full of bizarre things like futuristic robots. This synth and guitar driven classic was a precursor to the hair band stuff that was beginning to take over the radio at that point. And you know what? Day time, night time, any time... things go better with rock. And chicks dig it when band guys give them pens. I said "PENS," there are no missing letters - you dirty minds!
18. Dexy's Midnight Runners - "Come On Eileen" (1983) This song probably brings back the happiest personal memories of any song on this list; as I have mentioned before, this was a perennial favorite of my crew's at T's Pub in Boston, and I have great memories of drunkenly pogo-ing to the chorus with about a dozen friends. Great memories of T's, and of friends I should have stayed in better touch with. I can name this tune from the first three of those six opening bass notes. One of the most distinctive songs of the 80s -- or any decade.
