One hit wonders are great songs from bands or singers that made it to the charts just once. These songs were great, but their authors just couldn’t come through with another hit. We won’t hate though because they gave us 15 seconds of happieness with these hits. Here is part one of our thoughts on one hit wonders from the 60s.
Fontella Bass was born in 1940 (deceased 2012) in St. Louis, sang in a Gospel chorus, but moved to Chicago as a young woman to jump start her career. Fontella did a great deal or background with Earth Wind and Fire, then lit her own match with “Rescue Me” in 1965. Years after her flame blew out American Express used the song without permission, so she sued and won a sizable settlement to last her last days.
“Monster Mash” by Bobby Boris Pickett was released as a joke in 1962 after he broke into a Boris Karloff impression on stage then went onto the studio to record the song. Get this. Leon Russell played piano on the single, the drummer from the Ventures. Royalties from its annual airplay in October total over six figures.
“Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire was a number one song in 1965 and yes its origins and purpose is protesting the Vietnam War. The Byrds and Turtles turned down recording the song, so Barry grabbed it up. What was unusual about that, was that Barry became a born again Christian, refusing to play the song after it made him famous. Barry is now 80 and splits time between Fresno and New Zewland.