Someone Left a Cake Out in The Rain

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Writing is a subjective business, a lonely, difficult, often thankless, subjective business. As author Robin Black says in her excellent post on Beyond the Margins, every time we start a new project, we have to teach ourselves to write all over again. You must check out this article; it's fantastic! ...as is Ms. Black's post on Subjectivity.

As I sit here on a snowy New England Day, the kids alternately squabbling and going Jedi in the next room, I contemplate this crazy writing thing. It could be easier, I think, to take up some more reasonable activity, bungy jumping for instance, or basket weaving or batik.

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Some days, I open up my document and I can see every flaw. But then I think of this one-hit-wonder:

A song so bad that it was named "The Worst Song Ever Recorded" in Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs. A song that is often lampooned... even more than 40 years later:

A song that was a HUGE hit.

Here's what the soggy cake teaches me: Do the best you can. Make sure you are happy with it and that you develop your skills and editor's eye, and let the chips (sprinkles?) fall where they may. And also, watch those metaphors, they can be a little over the top.

Another One Hit Weekend!

What ridiculously catchy, totally inane, avian-themed hit stormed both the British and American airwaves in 1970 and 1971?

Why, "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" of course!

I was four when the Kisoons, a brother and sister team, made it big with "Chirpy". I believe it was the first pop song I ever liked. Being the kind of song ONLY a four year old could like, it quickly faded. But there are TONS of versions out there.

I always thought this song was about a "little baby boy" abandoned by his parents. But it turns out the Kissoons are singing about a bird, or, a "boid" anyway.

There are no videos of the Kissoons performing "Chirpy". Just this kind of boring photo montage:

But here's Lolly Stott, the song's composer. One of the comments on YouTube said that Stott looks like "Robert DeNiro's hippie brother" and it is SOOOO true. The video is all around interesting, in a Candid Camera outtake sort of way: a random group of people standing around singing about some baby bird and clapping all out of sync at the prompting some random looking guy on a street corner.

The Scottish Band "Middle of of the Road" also had a hit with "Chirpy". Although band leader Ken Andrews had this to say about the song: "We were as disgusted with the thought of recording it as most people were at the thought of buying it. But at the end of the day, we liked it."

If ya just can't get enough, here's Middle of the Road's rendition:

One Hit Weekend!

Gary Numan: Cars

1980. Synthesizers, eyeliner and brooding. I used to think this song was put out by "The Cars" but no, It's one-hit wonder Gary Numan.

In this awesomely bad video, Gary appears in a pyramid, a tambourine, and a red plastic jumpsuit

but not in his CAR.

Go figure.

A Tad Creepy...

This is the one hit wonder Exile with "Kiss You All Over"

When I was 11, I thought this was a pretty cool song. But now it just seems creepy. And the video doesn't help.

Exile spend decades trying to get the magic back. They went country for a while (back when country was cool, I guess) and, pop once more, they're still touring.

Here's the website: http://www.exile.biz/

Possibly the Worst

This may well be the number one cheesy 1970's one hit wonder

Morris Albert. "Feelings"

Bill Murray has this terrific "Nick the Lounge Singer" version of this cheesy hit but I can't find it anywhere on the web.

If you find it, please, please please send the link.

Seasons in the Sun!

Here's another one-hit-wonder that reduced my child-self to tears every time:

What was with those 70's anyway?

Then and Now: Michael Martin Murphey

This one isn't from an actual one-hit wonder. Murphey had some other hits in the country music world.

Wildfire is so over-the-top its painful. But when I was 9 year old, there was nothing more romantic than a story of a girl searching Yellow Mountain for her lost pony, dying in a "killing frost" and forever after haunting the night with her calls. A confession: The emotions "Wildfire" engendered must have set some pretty deep roots, because listening to this cheesy video gave me goosebumps. (Embarrassing, I know, but I'm trying for blog-honesty)

I guess I wasn't alone in loving "Wildfire". It was one of the biggest songs of 1975, and fits pretty well, with the similarly melodramatic "Brandi" and "Shannon".

They must have liked to cry back in the 70's.

In 2007, David Lettermen invited Murphey to play Wildfire on his show:

Looking Glass: Then and... Well, Just Then

Okay, I sort of like this cheesy song that just screams (Screams!) 70s at the top of its lungs

But Brandi really needs to pick up the pieces and move on.

Anyway, Looking Glass broke up two years after "Brandi" and that was that.

Interestingly, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers covered this song in the 90's and it sounds pretty much the same

Then and Now: Walter Egan

Walter Egan pioneered Yoda-speak ("With you, I'm not Shy") and this song (however awful) totally sticks in your mind, doesn't it?

When I was a kid, I could swear he was singing "You are a madman and I am a steal". But the Magnet thing -- "You are a magnet and I am steel"-- is much better. Can't count the number of times I've told my honey this very thing.

Walter is still touring some, and also works as a substitute teacher in Tennessee.

Here he is:

Back with a Vengeance

Okay. I hate to do this to you, but if ever there was a song that screams "bad 70's music", it's this one. I remember my sister and I bawling in the back seat of our gigantic station wagon with the fold-up, backwards-facing back-back seat when this one came on the radio. Or, anyway, alternating between crying and arguing about what kind of dog "Shannon"might be.

So.. be forewarned: This one is extremely, hazardously awful. AND it includes equally awful cute doggie pictures.

Go ahead. I dare you not to cry.

Here's a current picture of Henry Gross, self described "One Hit Wanderer"

Just in Case You Were Wondering...

These guys from my post way back on July 13th?

They're the Pipkins, a pre-Monkees, pre-Menudo, non band. Evidentally, the guys on the album cover didn't even try to mouth the words. But they sure did rock the look.

The kids jump around so enthusiastically they injure themselves when I play this one.

Then and Now: Nick Gilder

If you are of a certain age, you might recall this one:

Technically, Gilder is NOT a one-hit-wonder, but this song says 1978 to me. (Whether that's a good thing remains to be seen)

Here's Mr. Gilder nowadays: