The Chronic Curmudgeon

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February 26, 2007

The 59 Best One Hit Wonders Ever: #5-3

5. Seven Mary Three - Cumbersome (1995) My absolute favorite of the post-grunge mid-90s rock. I know that at least a few of you are going to say, "Yeah, it's a good song... but all the way up at #5?" My answer is, "Yes. Number five. I love this song that much." Any questions? I was surprised that, of all the disposable post-grunge heroes, Seven Mary Three was one of the ones who never managed another hit; this was as promising as any debut single of the past 20 years. Bummer.

4. The Verve - "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (1998) The song that led to the situation that led to me losing a whole lot of respect for Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. The Verve's 1998 opus was a breakout hit in the US and seemed to open the door for the band; the album the song was on, "Urban Hymns" was one of the best albums of 1998. And yet the band was broken up just a year and a half later, and the promise was never fulfilled. What happened?

Well, while there were many factors in the band's split, a major stress was the fact that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards -- you know, those notably poor and destitute down-on-their-luck guys wh desperately needed the money -- decided to sue the band for copyright infringement. The song was based on a loop of an instrumental version of the Stones' 1965 song "The Last Time." While the band had in fact negotiated for the use of the sample and had actually received permission to use it, when the song became a huge international hit, Richards and Jagger decided that the song used "too much" of the sample, and sued to be listed as the song's composers and for all the royalties from the song. Stupider still was that a UK court agreed with them and awarded composer credits to them and all the proceeds to the Rolling Stones' publisher, ABKCO. You know, because they needed the money.

The irony is that, as Verve singer RIchard Ashcroft wryly noted, Symphony was "the best song Jagger and Richards have written in the last 20 years." As it stands, the song now exists as a monument to the unfettered greed and hubris of two giants who should have known better.

3. David and David - "Welcome To The Boomtown" (1986) The video's disappeared from YouTube, which is a shame because this was an overlooked gem and classic from the 80s that deserves to be spread around and remembered despite record company greed. One of the best songs of the 80s, "Boomtown"s depiction of the ugly underside of the glam and glitz of the 80s in Los Angeles is not just a great tune musically, it's one of the best stories told through lyrics in the past 25 years. You get a definite feel and image when you hear the lyrics; it's almost a movie-like feel to listen to it. Another group with a hugely promising first single that never took off the way they should have.

Posted by Christopher on February 26, 2007 03:37 AM

Comments

Posted by: Cuzin Jose at February 26, 2007 06:30 AM

Posted by: David at February 26, 2007 11:59 AM

Posted by: Lisa at February 27, 2007 08:29 AM

Posted by: Marquette Hoops at February 27, 2007 01:10 PM