Article Surfing Archive

Ah, one hit wonders ' songs that allow bands and artists to be famous for about thirty seconds. Love 'em, hate 'em, or shut off the radio in a fit of rage each time one airs, if you like music there is really no escape: one hit wonders are part of the musical world. Some are worth forgetting altogether ' ahem, Do the Bartman ' but others are well worth a listen, or fifty. The following is our selection of the best one hit wonders to put on your Ipod. Trust me, your friends will be jealous.

I'm Too Sexy: There is nothing quite as humorous as a man vocalizing his sexiness, sans a man who is not at all sexy doing it. Right Said Fred brought ego to a new height with this 1992 hit. I'm Too Sexy not only taught us what the heck a cat walk is, but it also topped the American charts for three whole weeks. Yes, three'seriously.

Tainted Love: If you ever feel like you've got to run away, like you've got to get away, you are not alone. This song by Soft Cell was released in 1981. Rumored to have been recorded in just a day and a half, Tainted Love reached number 8 on the US charts, a chart where it remained for a then-record 43 weeks. Not bad for 36 hours of work.

Marcarena: If the Marcarena taught us one thing, it taught us that we can have a song stuck in our heads for months at a time, without actually knowing the words. Recorded by Los del Rio, a Spanish music group, Marcarena was the biggest hit for a duo that had been around for decades. This song went multi-platinum and sold over four million copies in the United States. Marcarena also did well in Australia and ' adopting the tell tale sign of musical success ' came with its own dance.

Come on Eileen: A song still popular among lovers of eighties music, Come on Eileen virtually turned into come on let's sing. Released in 1982, this song was the best selling British single of the year. Performed by Dexy's Midnight Runners, Come on Eileen also saw success in the US: it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in April 1983. Today, it remains one of the most well known and beloved One Hit Wonders of all time.

Ice Ice Baby: Alright Stop. Collaborate and listen. Anyone who says they don't know the words to Ice Ice Baby is either too old or lying. Vanilla Ice's best known cube was released in 1991. A song that 'borrowed' rifts from Queen and David Bowie's Under Pressure, Ice Ice Baby heated up the airwaves and hit number one on the Billboard charts. Possessing fans from everywhere, this song was even nominated for a Grammy. It ultimately lost to MC Hammer's U Can't Touch This.

There is really no end to One Hit Wonders. As long as there is music, there will be groups that are only able to eke out a single success. Yet, despite what the title One Hit Wonder insinuates, these songs remain a part of musical history. We may as well cooperate and put them on our Ipod; they are stuck in our heads for life, whether we like it or not.