Mixtape Madness: Other Great Songs By One Hit Wonders

Sometimes one hit wonders are worth a second look. This week’s mix compiles other quality numbers by artists that only got one shot at the spotlight.

The La’s – “Timeless Melody”

The La’s were the band that brought “There She Goes” to the world, first with little success in 1988, but then again with much more impact supporting their self titled debut LP in 1990. The song was an irresistible brit pop ballad and has since been covered by several artists, but too few listeners have ventured further than its warm, hand holding stroll. Lead singer Lee Mavers’ inability to work through his obsessive perfectionism stalled the band to immobility when coming up with a sophomore album. “Timeless Melody” made some progress on the Modern Rock charts but was swept into obscurity in the passing years. Since the band’s implosion, The La’s have seen a fair share of recognition beyond “There She Goes” – Pearl Jam have even known to cover “Timeless Melody” in concert, usually when touring England.

Nada Surf – “Stalemate”

Nada Surf were doomed from the start. Their first single had a cynical, spoken word vocal, lyrics about dating politics, a trendy high school video, and a heavy alternative sound that was just beginning its crawl out of popularity in 1996. Hell, the song was even called “Popular,” which seemed to solidify it right out the gate as a novelty. Nada Surf enjoyed a surprisingly large cult following though. While not massive enough to put their record sales in the red, many listeners champion their records. “Stalemate” is a stand out track from their Ric Ocasek produced debut.

‘Til Tuesday – “Love in a Vacuum”

‘Til Tuesday were a pop rock band fronted by Aimee Mann in the 1980′s. Their debut album “Voices Carry”‘s title track was a top ten hit, but all subsequent singles failed to come close to that song’s stature. One song that somehow didn’t chart at all was “Love in a Vacuum,” a dreamy pop song with a funky bass line in its core. After the band’s dissolution in the late 80′s, Aimee Mann began her solo career in the 1992, after years of legal troubles with Epic records which prevented her from releasing any new material. Mann’s solo work is also worth checking out – while not commercially grandstanding, she has been a critical darling for years, especially her work with producer Jon Brion.

White Town – “Undressed”

White Town is the project of English musician Jyoti Prakash Mishra. It took Mishra some years to complete “Women in Technology,” his debut record. He had beginners luck though with “Your Woman,” which burned up the radio and MTV in 1997 with its androgynous vocals and Lew Stone loop that sounded like nothing else at the time. That record’s second single was a bit more placeable but it belonged nowhere near the mid-90′s. “Undressed” is a tender synth pop ballad with a Bernard Summer style fuzz guitar solo in the middle that sounded as if it was pulled from the “Pretty in Pink” soundtrack. A big problem with “Women in Technology” was White Town’s inability to stick to one genre, a style which came off as piecemeal rather than varied. “Undressed” along with “Your Woman” however are more than worth the price of admission.

Modern English – “Chapter 12″

It’s weird to think that “Chapter 12″ actually charted higher on the UK indie charts than “Melt With You,” but it did. The latter was the closest Modern English came to a hit in the US though, reaching number 78 on the Hot 100. Modern English may never have delivered anything quite as memorable as “Melt With You” but they had plenty of stately goth tinged jangle pop to spare. “Chapter 12″ is from “Ricochet Days,” the follow up to “After the Snow,” which sports their best known track.

A Flock of Seagulls – “Space Age Love Song”

A Flock of Seagulls definitely have a bigger following than those who just know the words to “I Ran (So Far Away),” but the monumental success of that song unfortunately eclipsed their other accomplishments – “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)” was actually a bigger hit in England than “I Ran,” believe it or not. “Space Age Love Song” may be their best work, with Paul Reynolds’ shaky guitar work wobbling behind Mike Score’s stargazed vocals, as the tune shimmers over its own atmosphere.

Spacehog – “Cruel to Be Kind”

Spacehog’s debut “Resident Alien” received a great deal of praise upon its 1996 release for its glammy David Bowie-ness. Much of that could be heard in its spacey Ziggy Stardust inspired single “In the Meantime” which soared high on an irresistible hook. The album’s second single, “Cruel to Be Kind” (not a Nick Lowe cover), took the earthier side of glam rock, with a swagger and strut that sounded straight off “The Slider.”

Devo – “Jerkin’ Back ‘n’ Forth”

To many, Devo will forever be the “Whip It” band. We of course know better. Their Brian Eno produced first record, “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!” was a landmark album, and they made plenty of other great tracks in the years that followed. “Jerkin’ Back ‘n’ Forth” is from “New Traditionalists” and is a standout cut from their catalog. The song rides heavy on pounding synths which eventually make good on their threat with a razor sharp solo. Their look and hit single may have branded them a novelty as far as Billboard was concerned, but they’ve delivered their fair share of great misses.

Sponge – “Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina)”

I may be alone on this but I think this song is pretty good. Vastly different than the power ballad “Molly (16 Candles),” “Wax Ecstatic” was far more abrasive, with a squealed guitar hook and an angsty vocal, the public mostly didn’t buy it, sending both their albums into the bargain bin.

The Breeders – “Divine Hammer”

While those Sponge albums should probably just stay in those bargain bins, one of the best albums of the 90′s can often be found there as well. “Last Splash” put the Breeders on the map in 1993 thanks to the success of “Cannonball,” a song quirky enough to have crossover success. Of course, many of the casual listeners who bought it on the strength of that song couldn’t make heads or tails of odd excursions like “Mad Lucas” and “No Aloha,” but it was fun to know that these off kilter tracks got into the ears of some unknowing soccer moms. It’s still baffling though that a song as sugary as “Divine Hammer” didn’t see more mainstream appeal, but whatever – their loss, our gain.

Harvey Danger – “Meetings with Remarkable Men (Show Me the Hero)”

Much like the cult following surrounding Nada Surf, many would swear upon Harvey Danger. While “Flagpole Sitta” became an unlikely fratboy anthem, their other records fell on deaf ears. “Meetings with Remarkable Men” opens their second record, “King James Version,” and it’s a truly electrifying performance, with lead singer Sean Nelson spouting off run ins with some notable men, including Jesus Christ and Kip Winger. While “Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?” failed to produce another hit, “King James Version” never stood a chance as it went through post production hell, trying desperately to find a label with enough money and interest to put it out.

The Verve – “Lucky Man”

“Bittersweet Symphony” made and then quickly destroyed the Verve. While the song gave them popularity that their previous shoegaze efforts couldn’t afford, their use of an orchestrated sample of the Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time,” found them in a legal battle that they had no hope of winning. To this day, copies of “Urban Hymns” say that “Bittersweet Symphony” is written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards” and the band subsequently reaps no profits from the song. What should have been a new beginning for the band, ended u being their ultimate downfall. In retrospect, the hit they took almost seems like a sacrifice they made so that the rest of the world could enjoy the beauty of the song. What’s also unfortunate about the hoopla surrounding “Bittersweet Symphony” is that it overshadows the fact that it’s the intro to an album full of fantastic music, especially “Lucky Man,” an uplifting ballad that ascends higher than anything the Rolling Stones have put their name on since the mid 70′s.

Feist – “How Come You Never Go There”

Is it too early to call Feist a one hit wonder? Yes, but it’s been clear for a few years now that Leslie Feist doesn’t have an interest in making more songs like “1234.” For one, she purposely didn’t capitalize on her success by making a quick followup to “The Reminder” – most of the people who knew her just from the Apple commercial have probably long forgotten her by now. Secondly, while her new album, “Metals,” isn’t exactly a broad departure from “The Reminder,” it’s pure in its focus to come from the heart. There’s nothing that panders to any audience other than those who want to hear the music she wants to make. “How Come You Never Go There” shimmies with soul and Feist’s trademark guitar tone, and it forms a nice middle ground between the her folk and blues stylings. It’s a shame Broken Social Scene are taking an indefinite break because a BSS Presents Feist album would be pretty snazzy.

There are of course tons more we could put on this mix, but these are the songs that seem the most immediate to get the word out on, just in case you could only name one song by the aforementioned artists. The one year anniversary of Mixtape Madness is next week, so make sure to come by and celebrate with us.