Go Home

C&L's Late Nite Music Club with Murray Head

Title: One Night In Bangkok

I was in a conversation about one-hit wonders recently and started thinking about a subset: songs that everyone knows the name of, but few know the artist.

Case in point, Murray Head. It actually turns out (thank you, music dork utopia songfacts.com) that Murray Head had a hit with "Superstar" from Jesus Christ Superstar, in which he played Judas, so he technically isn't a one-hit wonder -- but who's counting.

Anyways, "One Night In Bangkok" (which was written by consummate tunesmithing professionals Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson from ABBA, with Tim Rice) made the top ten despite being about an epic chess match in the far east, and containing a flute solo. Well played, gents.

What other songs can you think of with equally high levels of ubiquity and anonymity?

Share This Post

Link To This Post


252 Comments
Andy K's picture

The Friends Of Mr. Cairo

Don't know if it fits the bill, but whenever I hear One Night... I think of this song.

calgarylady's picture

The first song of the evening and I totally missed it until now!

This song is a special treasure ... and you know how I feel about you, sweetheart!

Matthew Gonder - Der Kommissar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7Uwvt8enBw
Matthew Gonder - Clair, Commisaire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbhjyfrUeZ8

This guy’s version I picked because I worked with his sister at Frederick And Nelson, selling hosiery when his version went to No1 in France. She said girls in Paris chased him down like he was the Beatles…she was one of the nicest co workers I ever had. They're from Wenatchee, WA

After The Fire - Der Kommissar
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2efwb_after...

Falco - Der Kommissar
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5kym_falco-...

Tighelander's picture

Don Quixote- Magazine 60
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFQhgmQcYeM
Pop Rockariffic!!

calgarylady's picture

oops, sorry ... perhaps I should re-word that!

I love that song, Max!

ps, I'm still working on that question from the other night ...

Tighelander's picture

I was thrilled to find it, but got it home and found it was warped.

fastfeat's picture

OK, maybe it's not always done perfectly, but really, is there such a thing as bad head?


"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."

---Southwest Airlines

miss_kitty's picture

The Viscounts / Harlem Nocturne

calgarylady's picture

I have added this one to my fave list. It just may be my all-time fave, evah!

mudshark's picture

What is your conceptual, continuity?

calgarylady's picture

Thank you, mudshark, for that gem!

Flying Blind's picture

My kids just realized that I kept track of the music I listened to during my pregnancies with all of them. I carried my oldest daughter to Edie and the New Bohemians :)


FB
99%

mudshark's picture

What is your conceptual, continuity?

Great choice!!

ecotopian's picture

My daughter loves that song.

Tighelander's picture

From a Whisper to a Scream

And here is a good link for the post above.

mudshark's picture

What is your conceptual, continuity?

sphinx's picture

Rose Rouge SAINT GERMAIN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUvpLlVJKQs&fe...

St. Germain - Sure Thing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhOfC4FOaeE&fe...

edited to include other works of genious

miss_kitty's picture

Judy in Disguise by John Fred & the Playboy Band

sphinx's picture

.

mudshark's picture

Hot Chocolate. You Sexy Thing.
I don't know how much more I can take. :>


What is your conceptual, continuity?

miss_kitty's picture

I just repeated this. below. It IS ubiquitous.

calgarylady's picture

(with glasses, no less) ...

Classic, and classy, miss_k!

CFAmick's picture

about this song is that there's a Robert Plant style moaning interlude in the middle. What's up with that?

Andy K's picture

Q: How many times have I heard those guys play that at the bar?

A: Too many. Way too many.

mudshark's picture

What is your conceptual, continuity?

mudshark's picture

What is your conceptual, continuity?

mudshark's picture

What is your conceptual, continuity?

miss_kitty's picture

Merrilee Rush & the Turnabouts - Angel of the Morning.

I remember hearing about Merilee Rush and the Turnabouts playing at Parker's Ballroom on Aurora or at the Spanish Castle on Highway 99, as shouted by the drive time dj Pat O'Day.

And just because I mentioned it here's a little Spanish Castle Magic

....in the Seattle area. I met some folks last year who are friends with her.

ecotopian's picture

It's where music would have gone without the corporations.

mudshark's picture

What is your conceptual, continuity?

fastfeat's picture

Thanks for that Muddy!


"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."

---Southwest Airlines

sphinx's picture

,

Tighelander's picture

A big hit for this sister act a few years ago uses mangled lyrics from Rapper's Delight. It's a catchy song, but seeing what they do to the lyrics is funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc_rQYlb7EY

miss_kitty's picture
.

Soft Cell - Tainted Love

calgarylady's picture

I am also shameless and I love Ani's music (and attitude) as well!

miss_kitty's picture

Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing

mudshark's picture

I was just thinking about him last week.
Oh. This too.

Leavin On That Midnight Train To Georgia, Woo W00 !


What is your conceptual, continuity?

Tighelander's picture
FYI

"Pips" are the dots on dice!

calgarylady's picture

... what more can I say, miss_kitty ....

miss_kitty's picture

Urban Dance Squad - Deeper Shade Of Soul

Wow, Miss Kitty. Just...wow.

fastfeat's picture

.


"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."

---Southwest Airlines

miss_kitty's picture

The Vapors - Turning Japanese

The Divinyls - I Touch Myself

Tighelander's picture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2krsx7IUEQ
When The Vapors tune was out I had the 45, but didn't know what it was about until a woman I knew told me. 10 years later I shared the same fact about this Jellyfish tune to fans of the group that I worked with at a comic book studio.

cadfile's picture

with the theme of Courtship of Eddie's Father and that is sooooo wrong.....

I miss Jellyfish... great band.

mudshark's picture

Funky Cold Medina.
Ok I'm outta here.
Ga Nite Folks. Be Well.


What is your conceptual, continuity?

mudshark's picture

What is your conceptual, continuity?

calgarylady's picture

You are such a teaser!

haha

miss_kitty's picture

'The The' on the internets?

The The - This Is The Day

miss_kitty's picture

Was (Not Was) - Walk The Dinosaur

fastfeat's picture

"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."

---Southwest Airlines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJtr9iGtTDI&fe...

"...19 tequilas later we had a deal
Havana goes back to the mob
And Fidel and I open a chain of Kentucky Fried Chicken shops

Ain't life sweet? I feel good
I feel better than James Brown..."


"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."

---Southwest Airlines

I believe.


"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."

---Southwest Airlines

ecotopian's picture

Puttin' on the Ritz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG3PnQ3tgzY

It was ubiquitous in the early 80's

SFnomad's picture

Disco Duck - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97RjuC9YeXg

Was #1 for a single week in 1976. And I still can get it out of my head.

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture

dude is 90 and still trying to sound hip

Flying Blind's picture

My boss and I met Rick Dees back in the 80's. Creep likes really young girls, whether his wife Julie is around or not. *shudder*


FB
99%

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture
Jess's picture
Tighelander's picture

in a store got me to buy this when it was new, and a disk by Ofra Haza at the same time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilP0X2FNRCI

aangus's picture

Hi, Miss Kitty, Mudshark, AndyK et. al.
Seems like this place is livening up again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM&fe...

miss_kitty's picture

music club thread go for 24 hours just the other day...one went to 200 the a couple of nights ago...

Andy K's picture

Always glad to see you pop in!

miss_kitty's picture

but it was in an Ali G movie so now it's ubiquitous

M-Beat & General Levy - Incredible

ecotopian's picture

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b714Wi4CDsQ

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture

norman greenbaum....spirit in the sky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAwo-F9CpVE

here is nina hagen's cover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ2UROhv-PI

miss_kitty's picture

Cameo - Word Up

Jess's picture
Tighelander's picture

I felt like an idiot when I found out they were the same person. That explained why in the movie, "Nothing But Trouble", they're not really on screen at the same time.

It was that big fake nose that threw you off, huh?

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture

even had people believing that his nose had been shot off in a street fight

totally brilliant

Ha! Right...cuz he was so hard.

The first time I saw Eric Cantor I thought he looked like Shock G.
We were watching CNN at work I told the guys I want to see this guy do the Humpty Dance.

miss_kitty's picture

Digital Underground - Doowutchyalike

miss_kitty's picture

Del The Funky Homosapien - Mistadobalina

Jess's picture

Let Me Clear My Throat

Probably one of the most ubiquitous club songs EVAH!

Tighelander's picture

LaBelle -- Lady Marmalade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZejEpoNiy0w
The flat cover of this that came out a few years ago just makes this even more astounding.

Surely, Patty is not a one-hit-wonder.

Tighelander's picture

The post of "Kung Fu Fighting" made me think of the song, and I had to vent about the recent version.

aangus's picture

with all the comments on other peoples comments,

is difficult.(Understatement!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fpupBCL6TE&mo...

Jess's picture

Laid

Sorry, I could only find the "clean" version. Whatever.

Andy K's picture
Eh.

That looks like a sufficient NSFW warning in my eyes.

:D

Jess's picture

We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off

Probably one of the catchiest songs ever written. I didn't even know that this was performed by a dude until like 2 years ago. It's so upbeat it will make you cry. RIP, Jermaine.

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture

both only one hit wonders in the sense that they never again had a top ten hit in america, but stayed huge in europe

Kim Wilde - Kids in America

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hWZqllm3mQ&fe...

Nena- 99luft Balons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQYQTFudrqc&fe...

Tighelander's picture
marie's picture

One summer, about 20 years ago, this song was everywhere.

miss_kitty's picture

Because of Fine Young Cannibals and Terence Trent D'Arby Wishing Well

Tighelander's picture

I saw him around this time as a blade wielding pimp in the English movie, "Scandal".

miss_kitty's picture

mangled...I still love original

Modern English - I Melt With You

Just about anything from the Valley Girl (unofficial) soundtrack is a gem. e.g., A Million Miles Away by the Plimsouls

skippy's picture

but i'm kinda partial to the knack's "my sharona."

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture

now married with 4 kids

but 20 years ago...she was wild

thinking about it...she might even be a grandma now...gonna have to ask if her eldest is married yet

seriously?

aangus's picture

:)

miss_kitty's picture

but not one hit wonders

Franz Ferdinand - No You Girls Never Know

Here's another new ubiquitous. I heard it like 4 times last weekend:
Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire

calgarylady's picture

... most excellent ... :)

calgarylady's picture

the LNMC is smokin' hawt ...

Tighelander's picture

Joe Boxer got lucky with this hit.

Tighelander's picture

Don't Try to Stop it.

I'm sensing a theme here. Lovable scamp-type English boys from the 80s? I'm totally there.

miss_kitty's picture

because the rest of the songs on the album were unbelievable -- as in bad. The cd with different mixes is pretty groovy, though

EMF - Unbelievable

ars_moriendi's picture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L30VL4IFzkw

I almost think it's impossible for me to get bored with this song. 15 years and still rocks my c**k right out of my pants.

datacine's picture

"Ali Click" by Brian Eno uses same beat track

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFNFDPpkTJs

datacine's picture


"Jump into The Fire" by Harry Nilsson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8X6mlbq45k

and

"Something In The Air" by Thunderclap Newman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JAX****hbc

Andy K's picture

a few years ago. Great song! I could listen to it for hours on end.

Tighelander's picture

There She Goes
I saw them open for Elvis Costello in the brief time they were promoting the album. I didn't know them, but was blown away, and bought the CD and the shirt. Then they were gone.

miss_kitty's picture

Reminds me I need to burn a little something...8)

fromnorthoftheborder's picture

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_(musical)

miss_kitty's picture

Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick

Jess's picture

This band was everywhere when I was a kid, but I never knew their name. I saw them a few times live. Here they are doing a few covers:
MGMT - Electric Feel
Love in the Club - Usher

Awesome!

cadfile's picture

This thing was in like almost every movie soundtrack in the 1980's

Yello - Oh Ya

This is probably the most perfect example of tonight's theme. Even more perfect than the original example.

Andy K's picture

I thought everyone knew it was Yello.

cadfile's picture

until Ferris Bueller came out on VHS and could freeze frame the music list in the credits..

Tighelander's picture

I always looked for it, but didn't realize I already had it in its original form by the Engish Beat's "Rotating Head".

Tighelander's picture

It now occurs to me that I've had the Laser Disk for 13 years and could have copied it from that.

miss_kitty's picture

Ferris Bueller, after having the shit knocked out of him trying to catch Ferris, who's running home to the tune of March of the Swivelheads, which I've never been able to find as a vid on line. Wait someone posted it a few months back. It's a mix of Rotating Heads, also by The English Beat (Mirror in the Bathroom)

disgruntled's picture

What about his brother's singing ability.
http://s63.photobucket.com/albums/h142/Efwas/...

HaleyW's picture

Yep, he is one of the better singers in REPO: The Genetic Opera.

cadfile's picture

I didn't know this was the backing track of "Am I the Same Girl" and then I didn't know AITSG had lyrics until Swing Out Sister covered it in 1992 although the Barbara Acklin version is just as good.

Young Holt Unlimited - Soulful Strut

Swing Out Sister - Am I the same girl? - 1992

aangus's picture
aangus's picture

Place seems to be livening up a bit lately.
Maybe I will.
;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcuvjYxYJz0

calgarylady's picture

... I'm saving the rest of these goodies for tomorrow :)

Comments are closed on this entry