One-hit wonders in the UK - Definition

A one-hit wonder is a Top 40 phenomenon, the combination of artist and song that scores big in the music industry with one smash hit, but is unable to repeat the achievement with another hit. The term can refer to the artist, the song, or both together. The following were notable one-hit wonders in the United Kingdom.

Contents

1950s

"A Pub With No Beer" by Slim Dusty
"At The Hop" by Danny And The Juniors
"Ballad Of Davy Crockett" by Bill Hayes
"Giddy-Up-A-Ding-Dong" by Freddie Bell And The Bellboys
"The Happy Wanderer" by Obernkirchen Children's Choir
"Here Comes Summer" by Jerry Keller
"How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?" by Patti Page
"It's Almost Tomorrow" by The Dreamweavers
"Little Darlin'" by The Diamonds
"Little Things Mean A Lot" by Kitty Kallen
"This Ole House" by Billie Anthony
"Rockin' Robin" by Bobby Day
"Seven Little Girls Sitting In The Back Seat" by The Avons
"Tequila" by The Champs
"To Know Him Is To Love Him" by The Teddy Bears
"Tom Hark" by Elias And His Zigzag Jive Flutes
"Unchained Melody" by Al Hibbler
"Volare" by Domenico Modugno
"When" by the Kalin Twins

1960s

"Dominique" by The Singing Nun (Jeanine Deckers)
"Everything I Am" by Plastic Penny
"Fire" by the Crazy World of Arthur Brown
"Green Tambourine" by Lemon Pipers
"I'm the Urban Spaceman" by Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
"In the Year 2525" by Zager & Evans
"Je t'aime...moi non plus" by Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg (issued 3 times, reached #2 (Jul '69), #1 (Oct '69), #31 (Dec '74))
"Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" by John Fred & His Playboy Band
"Michelle" by The Overlanders
"Nut Rocker" by B. Bumble And The Stingers
"Rhythm of the Rain" by Cascades
"San Francisco (Be sure to wear flowers in your hair)" by Scott McKenzie
"Something in the Air" by Thunderclap Newman
"Sugar Sugar" by The Archies
"Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ricky Valance
"With A Little Help From My Friends" by the Young Idea

1970s

"Back of my Hand" by The Jags
"Barbados" by Typically Tropical
"Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell
"Black Betty" by Ram Jam
"Black is Black" by La Belle Epoque
"Ca Plane Pour Moi" by Plastic Bertrand
"Car 67" by Driver 67
"Dance with the Devil" by Cozy Powell
"Dancing in the City" by Marshall Hain
"Disco Duck (part one)" by Rick Dees
"Drummer Man" by Tonight
"Emotion" by Samantha Sang
"Every Night" by Phoebe Snow
"Eye Level" by the Simon Park Orchestra
"Feelings" by Morris Albert
"Float On" by The Floaters
"Groovin with Mr. Bloe" by Mister Bloe
"Gimme Dat Ding" by Pipkins, includes a bit of early rap
"Grandad" by Clive Dunn
"How Long?" by Ace
"If" by Telly Savalas
"If I Had Words" by Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley
"Jilted John" by Jilted John
"Keep On Dancing" by Gary's Gang
"Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas
"Let's All Chant" by Michael Zager Band
"Little Arrows" by Leapy Lee
"Little Does She Know" by The Kursaal Flyers
"The Lone Ranger" by Quantum Jump
"Love Is In the Air" by John Paul Young
"Lovin' You" by Minnie Riperton
"Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs" by Brian and Michael
"Mississippi" by Pussycat
"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam
"No Charge" by J. J. Barrie
"One Day at a Time" by Lena Martell
"Pinball" by Brian Protheroe
"Resurrection Shuffle" by Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
"Rose Garden" by Lynn Anderson
"Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward
"Sky High" by Jigsaw
"Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum
"Substitute" by Clout
"Sugar Sugar" by The Archies
"Sunshine Day" by Osibisa
"Supernature" by Cerrone
"Telephone Man" by Meri Wilson
"Torn Between Two Lovers" by Mary MacGregor
"Up Town Top Ranking" by Althia and Donna
"Venus" by Shocking Blue
"Wand'rin' Star" by Lee Marvin
"Woodstock" by Matthews' Southern Comfort
"You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" by Bachman Turner Overdrive

1980s

"99 Luftballons" by Nena, anti-nuclear protest song popular in both the German original and English translation ("99 Red Balloons")
"Anyone Can Fall In Love" by Anita Dobson
"Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer
"Birdy Song" by The Tweets
"Brilliant Mind" by Furniture
"Can't take my eyes off you" by Boys Town Gang
"Camouflage" by Stan Ridgway
"Da Da Da" by Trio
"Driving Away From Home" by It's Immaterial
"Drowning in Berlin" by The Mobiles
"Echo Beach" by Martha and the Muffins
"Ever So Lonely" by Monsoon
"Feel So Real" by Steve Arrington
"First Time" by Robin Beck
"Footloose" by Kenny Loggins (had numerous hits in the USA)
"Funkytown" by Lipps, Inc.
"Funky Town" by Pseudo Echo (cover of the Lipps, Inc. song)
"Girlie Girlie" by Sophia George
"I Can't Wait" by Nu Shooz
"It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls
"I've Never Been to Me" by Charlene
"Is Vic There?" by Department S
"Japanese Boy" by Aneka
"Just Say No" by Grange Hill Cast
"Just what I always wanted" by Mari Wilson
"Keeping The Dream Alive" by Freiheit
"Life in a Norhern Town" by Dream Academy
"Live is Life" by Opus
"Move Closer" by Phyllis Nelson
"My Favourite Waste of Time" by Owen Paul
"(Nothin' Serious) Jus' Buggin'" by Whistle
"O Superman" by Laurie Anderson
"Obsession" by Animotion
"Oldest Swinger in Town" by Fred Wedlock
"Only Love" by Nana Mouskouri
"Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag" by Pigbag
"Pump Up the Volume" by MARRS
"Radio Africa" by Latin Quarter
"Rhythm of the Night" by DeBarge
"Save Your Love" by Renee and Renato
"Shaddap You Face" by Joe Dolce Music Theatre
"Since Yesterday" by Strawberry Switchblade
"Solid" by Ashford and Simpson
"Spirit in the Sky" by Doctor & The Medics, song was a two-time one-hit wonder and was re-released by Gareth Gates in 2003
"Stairway to Heaven" by Far Corporation
"Starting Together" by Su Pollard
"Stutter Rap (No Sleep 'Til Bedtime)" by Morris Minor & the Majors, AKA Tony Hawks and friends
"Suicide Is Painless", the theme tune of M*A*S*H
"Tarzan Boy" by Baltimora.
"The Chicken Song" by Spitting Image
"The Groove" by Rodney Franklin
"The Politics of Dancing" by Re-Flex
"The Show" by Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew
"There's No One Quite Like Grandma" by St. Winifred's School Choir
"Together We Are Beautiful" by Fern Kinney
"Trapped" by Colonel Abrams
"Turning Japanese" by The Vapors
"Take My Breath Away" by Berlin, from the movie Top Gun
"Walking In The Air" by Aled Jones
"Words" by FR David
"Wordy Rappinghood" by Tom Tom Club (also one-hit wonders in the USA, but with a different song)
"You're The Voice" by John Farnham

1990s

"Achy, Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus, dance video made it a hit before the record was even released
"A Girl Like You" by Edwyn Collins
"Baby, I Love Your Way" by Big Mountain
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something
"Brimful of Asha" by Cornershop
"Daydream in Blue" by I-Monster
"Dirty Cash" by The Adventures of Stevie V
"Doop" by Doop
"Enjoy Yorself" by A+
"I'll be there for you" by The Rembrandts
"I Promised Myself" by Nick Kamen
"I Swear" by All-4-One
"Macarena" by Los Del Rio
"Mambo Number 5" by Lou Bega
"Mr Blobby" by Mr. Blobby
"One Of Us" by Joan Osborne
"Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo
"Sleeping Satellite" by Tasmin Archer
"What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes
"Your Woman" by White Town

2000s

"Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" by Spiller. A dancefloor hit the previous year, lyrics from Sophie Ellis-Bextor were added and it was re-released as a pop tune
"Do You Really Like It" by DJ Pied Piper and the Masters of Ceremonies
"Another Chance" by Roger Sanchez
"The Ketchup Song (Asereje)" by Las Ketchup
"Make Luv" by Room 5 featuring Oliver Cheatham
"Loneliness" by Tomcraft
"Mad World" by Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules. The 2003 Christmas number one single from the film Donnie Darko
"All This Time" by Michelle McManus, winner of the reality TV show Pop Idol
"Dragostea din tei" by O-zone
"F**k it (I don't want you back)" by Eamon
"F.U.R.B (F U Right Back)" by Frankee. The answer song to the single by Eamon
"Lola's Theme" by Shapeshifters
"Baby Cakes" by 3 Of A Kind
"Call On Me" by Eric Prydz