Your Fave One-Hit Wonder From 1986?

You love Don Johnson, don't you? Hey, I'm not going to mock you. In fact, I need to hear your passion for DJ and other one-hit wonders of 1986. Steve Spears and I are about to record a Stuck in the '80s podcast about this very subject, and we need material.

So tell me your favorite song on the following list and the reason (anecdote, etc.), and we'll read it on the show.

The Final Countdown -- Europe
Keep Your Hands to Yourself -- Georgia Satellites
Heartbeat -- Don Johnson
Let's Go All the Way -- Sly Fox
The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades -- Timbuk 3
Beat's So Lonely -- Charlie Sexton
Feel It Again -- Honeymoon Suite
When the Heart Rules the Mind -- GTR
The Captain of Her Heart -- Double
Welcome to the Boomtown -- David & David
One Step Closer to You -- Gavin Christopher
Digging Your Scene -- Blow Monkeys
Shake You Down -- Gregory Abbott
Tarzan Boy -- Baltimora

Comments

[dolly]

tainted love by soft cell.

[Tonianne]

As an Arrested Development fan, I’d have to go with Gob Bluth’s theme song, “The Final Countdown.”

And I probably wouldn't change the station if "Tarzan Boy" came on, either.

But "Heartbeat?" I'd rather listen to "The Curley Shuffle." Twice.

[chase]

I love Don Johnson. But ... to be a one-hit wonder, doesn't someone have to have a "hit?"

Enlighten us, oh Emperor of the 80s, what was the highest "Heartbeat" got on the charts?

(And you gotta love that song, essentially Don's is saying his only requirement for a barenaked lady is that she be technically alive ... )

[Ray]

Here are the songs that I would include in a 1986 one hit wonder podcast:

The Final Countdown -- Europe
This is one of the better cheesy 80s songs. I didn't really like it at the time; however, it has grown on me thru the years.

Keep Your Hands to Yourself -- Georgia Satellites
A great silly song. You can't help but like it.

Let's Go All the Way -- Sly Fox
Awesome beat - great song

The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades -- Timbuk 3
A favorite of mine in college; particularly when I thought my first job would pay $50,000 (back in the 80s)

The Captain of Her Heart -- Double
A personal favorite of mine... even today. I like the smooth jazz elements. Back in 86, all my friends hated it.

Tarzan Boy -- Baltimora
Back before this song was used to sell mouthwash; it was a great dance track.

Just my $.02

[Brad]

Timbuk 3. Hands down.

When this song broke I was a young engineering student trying to get through psychotic math homework sets and insane physics professors - one of whom used the phrase "this is intuitively obvious to the most casual observer" at least twice a lecture.

A funny song about an engineering student? Are you kidding me? "50 thou a year will buy a lot of beer..." I'm going to make $50k when I graduate? Maybe my life doesn't suck after all!

Epilogue:

1. I did not study nuclear engineering (or nuclear science for that matter).
2. My crazy teachers did not wear dark glasses. At least not in class.
3. I graduated as the bottom was dropping out of the aerospace business in Southern California and did not make "$50 thou a year" for quite a while after leaving school.
4. I realize now that the song is probably not a simple happy tale of an engineering student but a social commentary on pending Armageddon.
5. Very little is truly "intuitively obvious to the most casual observer."

[David Pagano]

The Final Countdown!

Also, would Paranoimia by Max Headroom and Art of Noise count?

[Guy]

For all the one-hit wonder purists, you gotta take Europe and Honeymoon Suite off the list, since they had other hits.

The more pressing question: if you would slow-danced to Carrie or What does it take instead of Foolin', would things have turned out differently with Julie Rothera?

By the time 1986 came along I was working my first post-college job, no longer watched MTV on a regular basis, and had a roommate who was more into 1950's jazz than the hits of the day. So why am I so shocked that I only remember five of the songs on this list?

Of the songs I remember, my favorite would have to be "The Captain of Her Heart." I could go on a silly tangent about how this song was the "Brandy" of it's day (both had nautical themes, both were one-hit wonders that are still played) ...but the real reason I picked it is that even after a rotten day like the one I've had today, "The Captain of Her Heart" is a nice, pleasant tune I wouldn't mind hearing right now. I can't say the same for "Keep Your Hands To Yourself" or some of the others.

[GlennS.]

Oops... that was me who wrote the last entry. See, I told you I was having a bad day...

[Anne]

Tarzan Boy, all the way. Great dance track and who can resist whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh,whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!

[chase]

BTW ... what about

Kyrie - Mr. Mister
Life In A Northern Town - Dream Academy
and...
Let's Go All The Way - Slyfox

(btw, my bad, DJ hit Number freakin 7!)

[Bassnote]

Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
Perfect Way - Scritti Politti
I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz

[sparky]

I'll start the ball rolling for GTR. When the Heart Rules the Mind is a great son.

What about Radioactive by The Firm.

[Greg Jones]

While GTR only had one hit, the main guys in this band were far from one-hit wonders. You had Steve Howe from Yes and Asia, and Steve Hackett from Genesis. Unfortunately, this band had two stars, and 3 bit players. Their hit was just proggy enough to satisfy Hackett-Howe fans, and mainstream enough to make it to #3. The rest of the album didn't carry the day, as you might expect an album built on the strength of two prog (albeit great) guitarists. And they didn't even have a real keyboard player. They should have used Geoff Downes (Asia/Buggles), who produced their album. Oh well.

[Tonianne]

OK, I need to invoke my chick-given right to change my mind. I completely overlooked "The Captain of Her Heart," which is definitely my favorite from the list. I never really associated it with the 80s, because it has such a timeless quality.

[Bassnote]

Expanding on what Greg Jones said about GTR, they did have a second hit off that album, 'The Hunter', which was written by Geoff Downes. They didn't use any keyboards purposely because they wanted it to be an all guitar album. All keyboard sounds were played on guitar synthesizers.

[Sean Daly]

Upon further review:

"Rock Me Amadeus".....1985

[Bassnote]

Accordin to i Tunes it charted in 1986.

[Sean Daly]

Upon further, further review...

Falco also charted with "Der Kommissar."

(Spears was livid that you even questioned his '80s knowledge, Bassnote.)

[Bassnote]

My apologies to both you and Steve. I would never want to do anything to upset you ;-)

[Al]

Sean, Honeymoon Suite was not a one-hit wonder.......you just did the Canada podcast! Remember "New Girl Now"?

Sigh. My vote is for Europe and for Sly Fox.

[Al]

And the Georgia Satellites did have some other hits.......you guys have to research these things.

[Sean Daly]

When you listen to the show, you'll hear me berate Spears about Honeymoon Suite. I waged war against Canada, but even I defend the Suite.

However, in defense of my buddy Spears, he does a ton of research for these shows. Me? I'm a slug. But Spears, the guy is on top of it.

[Al]

Ok, fair enough Sean. Keep up the good work. Had to keep you on your toes.

That being said, it comes back to the A-ha debate.......because Honeymoon Suite had many hits in Canada, are they a one-hit wonder? Or are we only looking at American charts?

And I like Ashley Tisdale too.......but I'm in my 20's, so the creepiness factor is mild.

Is her music any good?

Oh, and glad you enjoyed Helix. Gimme an R!

[Walter Cox]

If you name that Gregory Abbott song or Europe as the best, then I'm done listening to the podcast. I haven't heard "Shake You Down" in probably twenty years, and just the thought of it makes my teeth hurt.

Best song has to be "Come On Eileen"

[Al]

"Come On Eileen" is like any song with the name Eileen in it......a piece of utter crap. It's been played to death.