Song Lyric Sunday: Two One-Hit Wonders

Song Lyric Sunday, Song of the Day 2 Minutes

Jim got this week’s prompts from E. M., also known as Amy:

One Hit Wonders, where an artist or a group had a song that reached the top without any follow-up success.

I thought of two examples and can’t choose, so you get both. Happy Independence Day!

The first is by The Looking Glass, famous for their 1972 hit "Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)". It reached #1 on the Hot 100 and the Cash Box Top 100 for one week. The closest they came to a follow-up hit was 1973’s "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne," which reached #33 on the Hot 100 and #31 on the Cash Box Top 100. It probably did that well because it got lots of airplay in Chicago, where it reached #2 for one week and was #72 on The Big 89 of 1973.

Just seventeen, everything that you’ve seen
It’s all there in her eyes
So many years of her poor mama’s tears
And her daddy’s sweet lies

There’s nobody home
Mary-Anne’s alone
Almost fully grown
And worrying the whys

Jimmy’s been down, he’s been out and around
And he knows where it’s at
Love to be good if he thought that he could
But it isn’t like that

He don’t make mistakes
What he makes, he takes
Jimmy gets all the breaks
‘Cause he knows how

Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
Jimmy wants to be her man
Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
She thinks it’s all right

She’s not alone and she picks up the phone
And she hears Jimmy say
Mother I’m beat, I’m so sick of the street
Feel like running away

There’s no life here at all
The city seems so small
There’s sweeter music calling us away
Let it play

Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
Jimmy wants to be her man
Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
She thinks it’s all right

This big dollar town, it can drag you right down
If you go it alone
Even the strong don’t survive very long
When they’re out on their own

Jimmy knows it’s true
Mary-Anne knows it too
They can see each other through
If they hold on

Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
Jimmy wants to be her man
Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
She thinks it’s all right

Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
Jimmy wants to be her man
Jimmy loves Mary-Anne
She thinks it’s all right

Lyrics from AZLyrics.com

The second song is by the band Starbuck, who had a #3 hit in 1976 with "Moonlight Feels Right". The best they did after that was with 1977’s "Everybody Be Dancin’," which reached #57 in Canada and #38 in the US.

I never won for losing
But it ceased to be amusing when you told me
That every night you’re shining bright
And the big apple band a callin’ out your name

And what do you mean the Rolling Stones ain’t nothing to you
‘Cause they ain’t got the beat right
I’m trying to tell you something
But you’re gonna jump around crazy half the night

Everybody be dancing, dancing
Dancing half the night away
Everybody be dancing
Dancing half the night away

Say you like to have a good time
But you don’t want to go no place cold and old
You’re heading for the neon light
To join the crowd shaking from door to door

You get me in such a heat
You know I’m gonna catch that beat if it kills me
But don’t you think it’s a crying shame
That they don’t dance like Carmen here no more

Everybody be dancing, dancing
Dancing half the night away
Everybody be dancing
Dancing half the night away

Lyrics from Lyrics.com

And that’s Song Lyric Sunday (and Song of the Day) for July 3, 2022.

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

Published

12 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: Two One-Hit Wonders”

  1. Pingback: The Slightly-Delayed Week That Was – The Sound of One Hand Typing

  2. I don’t know the first song but I know the 2nd. Never a fav of mine but it brought back memories of my childhood which was nice.

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    1. I’m surprised because they had a monster hit with “Moonlight Feels Right”…

      They started here in Atlanta and Bruce Blackburn (the lead singter and keyboard) is still active here.

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  5. I remember Brandy your a fine girl great song and I like Jim loves Mary Ann too.
    As for Starbucks, I don’t recall it…sorry but it’s not that memorable 🥺💜💜

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