One Hit Wonders of the 80s There were so many one hit wonders that it would be impossible to fit them all on this page with a video to accompany each one. However, I will be adding as many as I can over the coming months, so watch this space! Please also visit the Worst Songs of the 80s page as this features many one hit wonders which were just too dreadful to feature on this page, although some of the videos below nearly went on that page - it's a very thin line! Aneka - Japanese Boy (1981) This video features Aneka performing Japanese Boy on Top Of The Pops (UK), with Legs & Co doing the dancing. The single was a No.1 hit for one week in August 1981, and adopted an oriental image, although some critics claimed that the music was more Chinese than Japanese. A follow-up single "Little Lady" saw Aneka adopt the image of a 19th century lady, rather than a Japanese one. This proved to be a big mistake as the single only crawled to No.50 in the UK singles chart, although it reached No.7 in Austria, No.10 in Germany and No.14 in Sweden. Baltimora - Tarzan Boy (1985) Baltimora were an Italian, New Wave dance act and this song peaked at No.3 in the UK singles charts in August 1985. It also managed to reach No.1 in France and the Netherlands, and No.13 in the U.S. It was taken from the album Living In The Background, and despite the success of the single, the album failed to chart in the UK. However, it did do well in Canada, and also charted in Sweden (18), Italy (26) and the U.S. (49). Tarzan Boy was the only successful single for Baltimora in the UK. Baltimora attempted a comeback in 1987 with a second album, Survivor In Love, but the single "Key Key Karimba" was the only notable track that managed to enter the Top 100 charts in only a few countries. Frontman Jimmy McShane died on 29 March 1995, of complications from Aids.
Baltimora - Key Key Karimba (1987) This was the comeback single which failed to chart in the UK. Blue Zoo - Cry Boy Cry (Top Of The Pops 1982) Now this was a quality one hit wonder of the 80s. Blue Zoo charted at number 13 in the UK
singles music charts in November 1982 with this upbeat number, seen
here performed on BBC1's Top of the Pops. Blue Zoo were originally called Modern Jazz and were active between 1980 and 1985. Sadly, their other singles failed to make the top 40, but they did released an album called Two By Two - sometimes written as 2x2 or 2By2 - in 1983.
Laurie Anderson - O Superman (1981) Sadly, the original version is unavailable. But this is a cover version by Institute Of Love. The original song was created by experimental performance artist and musician Laurie Anderson. This minimalist piece unexpectedly rose to No.2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1981. Anderson was little known outside the art world until the release of this song. Lipps Inc. - Funky Town (1979/1980) Well, according to Wikipedia this electro classic was released in 1979, but on some other sites (including Youtube) it states 1980. I get the feeling this was originally released in 1979, but was in the charts during 1980. All I remember is that I was in my first year at comprehenive school. In 1987 (I have the record in my hand, so I definitely know this was a 1987 single, although I'm not sure why I bought it?), it was covered by Australian band Psuedo Echo, who gave the song a different eighties rock sound, with a guitar solo
in the middle. The lead synth sound, however, was pretty dreadful - see what you think in the video below! Pseudo Echo's version reached No.8 on the UK, but spent seven weeks at number one in Australia, while Lipps Inc's electro version was No.1 for only two weeks in Australia. For both Lipps Inc. and Psuedo Echo, these were both one hit wonders.
Sly Fox - Let's Go All The Way (Extended Blix Mix) The original version of this is currently unavailable on Youtube, but I hope you enjoy this extended mix. I actually bought this in 1985 on 7" vinyl from Woolworth's. Now why didn't I buy the 12"? Sly Fox consisted of Gary "Mudbone" Cooper, an African American funk session musician, and Michael Camacho, a Puerto-Rican accented vocalist. The single was taken from the album of the same name, but this was their only chart hit in the UK and U.S.  The Reynolds Girls - I'd Rather Jack (1989) Many critics described this top ten hit as the end of the line for Stock Aitken Waterman and its PWL label. Well, it did look like Pete Waterman had randomly picked these two sisters from the streets of Liverpool to perform this video, but I suppose they did their best. "I'd Rather Jack than Fleetwood Mac" was a response to critics who ignored the younger pop acts in at the time, and to Radio One DJ's who continued to play older bands on their playlists. After their five minues of fame, The Reynolds Girls were dropped by the PWL label and disappeared into obscurity.
Toni Basil - Mickey (1982) This was a 1982 hit U.S. pop song recorded by singer and choreographer Toni Basil. It was actually first recorded by UK pop group Racey in 1979 as "Kitty". The single reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for 1 week and No.2 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was Toni Basil's only Top 40 UK hit. The UK singer Lolly also had a No.4 hit in the UK singles chart in 1999 with a cover of this song. The Vapors - Turning Japanese (1980) It seems that anyone who pens a song about the Japanese only manages to get a one hit wonder! This song came out in 1980 (before Aneka's Japanese Boy) and reached No.3 in the UK singles chart. Taken from the album "New Clear Days", the song's lyrics mainly
consist of the singer talking about pictures of his lover on the wall of
his prison cell. The term "turning Japanese" is controversial, as it apparantly refers to the face a man pulls whilst pleasuring himself! |
More successful 80s pop stars  Singer David Bowie attends a press conference at the Savoy Hotel in 1983, London.  Andrew Ridgeley (right) and George Michael of Wham 24th January 1985.  Former Beatle George Harrison and pop icon Madonna attend a press conference for her new film 'Shanghai Surprise' on March 6, 1986 at the Kensington Roof Gardens in London.
 Sting with his partner Trudie Styler at Stringfellows nightclub in London, 4th August 1982.
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