111th Season of the Ukulele

mattydee

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1 H1t 1-ders! (One-Hit Wonders!)



Welcome, cats, and kittens, to the 111th Season of the Ukulele!

This week's challenge is to cover a song that made an act a one-hit wonder, that single song that got a band onto the Billboard Top 40, but was a success they were never to repeat. This rule can sometimes allow for some weird inconsistencies. An act like A-ha, known for their mega hit Take On Me, is often referred to as a one-hit wonder, even though they had another top 20 hit which was so overshadowed by the first that I can't name it now. Conversely, acts like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix and the Greatful Dead, all hugely successful and influential, only hit the Top 40 once, so they technically count even though no one in their right mind would refer to them as one-hit wonders.

For me, the spirit of the challenge is to keep it to bands really only known for the single song. So, A-Ha is in, but Jimi and Janis are not. Your guiding principle should be: if you are surprised to learn an act is a one-hit wonder, then look elsewhere. If you are surprised to learn an act had a second, completely unrecognizable hit, then they are fair game.

Being one-hit wonder week means you get 1 shot. 1 official entry. Your official entry should be the hit that made the band, BUT you will get bonus points for every additional song you do by the same band. If you are one of the more prolific seasonistas, rather than firing off a ton of one hit wonders, once you choose a song/band, stick with 'em, please and fill out the back catalog, or send it to the island. That said, if you are one of the practice all week seasonistas and someone gets to your song first, don't worry. Do it anyway. Collaborations to help fill out the back catalog are greatly encouraged. :cool:

There will be three playlists:

1. One Hit Wonders: The hit that made the act.

2. The Back Catalog

3. Just for fun, and to give you all something else to do, songs that were number 1 when you were 11.

Prizes are yet to be determined...

Fine Print:
Single continuous take
No Multi-tracking
Uke Front and Center
New for this season -- Please announce Season 111 or something similar.
Starts 12:00am Hawaiian Sunday March 30.
Ends 11:59pm Hawaiian Sunday April 6.
 
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I love this theme...

Mostly because one of the number one songs when I was 11 was "I'm Too Sexy"...so that fits both criteria LOL






I am totally not doing "I'm Too Sexy"...
 
Mostly because one of the number one songs when I was 11 was "I'm Too Sexy"...so that fits both criteria LOL

Whoa - that didn't even occur to me. That would be like a super double secret bonus. Or something.

I really think you should do it. ;)
 
HAHA Nope.

I'm doing real and proper research. I found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtHXzmXlwhw
I can't handle life right now.
Also, I want to watch American Werewolf in London.

I also discovered that "Baby Got Back" was top the year I was 11...and true story...I sing it opera style around work. Just to make my staff think I'm crazy. (I am.)

(I am also not doing "Baby Got Back".)
 
This is funny! I heard "Hot Child In The City" today and thought that would be a great uke cover. I just checked songs that were #1 when I was 11 (1978) and guess what was there? What a cowinikidink!
 
Like the other earlybirds here, I too am the type of overachiever who feels I really ought to do a one-hit wonder from my 11th year. Alas, the only non-goofy one that fits both criteria is the quite wonderful "Rock the Boat" by the Hues Corporation. So why then is that a problem? Blast it ... I already did that one! For BEV's disco Season.

I am totally NOT doing "Seasons in the Sun", "Billy Don't Be a Hero", or "The Morning After". No, I am not, Matty. Don't ask me.

I would totally do "TSOP" if I had the skills. But I don't. Or the "ooga-chugga" song, but Blue Swede had other hits. Or "Delta Dawn", but, you know, Helen Reddy. She had that other big hit.

So bummed about "Rock the Boat".

I don't know ... maybe I can do something with "The Morning After" ... ya think? It's from my 11th birthday week, after all. And "The Poseidon Adventure". So ... maybe.

Hmmm. "Brother Louie" is "Louie, Louie, Louie, Lou-eeeee" ... hmmm ... maybe. Seems there are some possibilities. I shall sleep on it.
 
ooh great theme but man that tunecaster link - this is contentious, could cause fights and fisticuffs - aha, sinead o'connor, one hit wonders, really??????????? :eek:
 
ooh great theme but man that tunecaster link - this is contentious, could cause fights and fisticuffs - aha, sinead o'connor, one hit wonders, really??????????? :eek:

I think it is all about what listed on the "official" top 40 charts. Who knows? I see Midnight Oil is listed for Beds Are Burning. :mad:
I have heaps of their CDs and they did VERY WELL out of the music industry without ever selling out.

It is a pretty shallow classification of music and its worth that means very little (except maybe $$) IMHO.

Still have one ready to go though.:)
 
A connection from 110th season .......... 'Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs' was a one hit wonder for Brian and Michael and the uncredited backing vocals on that track were performed by St. Winifred's School Choir who went on to become one-hit wonders in their own right with "There's No-one Quite Like Grandma" ..................do you think those pesky kids were a jinx ???? Lol
 
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Ahhhhhhhh that song from my youth 'That's no-one quite like grandma':eek:
it still rings in my head and it will never come out.
 
So it turns out the number 1 song in the UK on my 11th birthday was by Girls Aloud. So that's not gonna happen. However, I was living in Sydney at the time and the number 1 there was Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' which happens to be one of the few Eminem songs I like.

Would Simple Minds count as a one-hit wonder? They've had other chart songs but they're mainly known for ' Don't You'. Similar to A-Ha.
 
Can we cover one hit wonders in our own countries rather than specifically the Billboard chart?

I suspect you'll get some anyway.
 
Ahhhhhhhh that song from my youth 'That's no-one quite like grandma':eek:
it still rings in my head and it will never come out.

Lol Its one of those Clive Dunn(pass me the bucket I'm gonna be sick) sentimental type 'Grandad' toons...........give me Joe Dolces 'Shaddap You Face' any day of the week !! ;)
 
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I love this theme...

Mostly because one of the number one songs when I was 11 was "I'm Too Sexy"...so that fits both criteria LOL

Whoa - that didn't even occur to me. That would be like a super double secret bonus. Or something.

I really think you should do it. ;)

Ah - woah there Redders! I was just about go "No! Right Said Fred had a string of hits! Including at least one other #1!" - then I remembered "Billboard Top 40." Hmmm. This Season's not going to be as
simple as I thought :)
 
Great Season, Matty! I'm really pleased, because a song I wanted to do for Season 109, but later discovered it was written by a man, will fit perfectly here. :)
 
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