Today’s blog post is inspired by my 12 year-old grandson and my now-confirmed-by-a-professional audiologist hearing loss.

The week before last, I went in for the hearing test I’d been putting off for longer than I care to acknowledge. I pretty much knew that I was going to test “positive” for hearing loss, though the degree to which my hearing has sunk was a surprise. The audiologist said he was stunned that I’ve managed for this long with my level of hearing. Hearing aids have been ordered and I’m trying not to get too anxious about how it might go. But I’m hopeful.

During a recent weekend spent with our grandson, he and I bonded over our love of music. I learned his current favorite song is “Cecilia”, by Simon and Garfunkel. I even introduced him to what it sounds like on vinyl! Since it was on my borrowed “Bridge Over Troubled Water” album, I also introduced him to that most chillingly beautiful song. I just can’t not think about and talk about and listen to great music right now.

On another (musically-related) note, I’ve decided that “In Cahoots” is going to be the name of my pretend band. It’s perfection, really. Though there’s probably another band with the same name out there, somewhere. It stands to reason, right? I will not employ the Google machine to verify this, because it’s way more fun to pretend that I am the clever gal who came up with the best band name ever.

I imagine that my pretend “In Cahoots” band specializes in one-hit wonders (categorized as an act that had one hit song in the top 40 Billboard chart) from 1967, the year I was born, through 2026. I suppose this means they’d have to be a pretty large band with a mix of voices and the ability to perform a variety of musical styles. But, this is my imagination at play here, and there should be no rules when it comes our imaginations.

I’ve been in a happy little bubble for a few days now, curating a Spotify playlist (the 14 year-old version of me is geeking out over here!) for myself of exclusively one-hit-wonders. Just for fun, you know? I’ve started out by picking a couple of “one hit wonder” songs from each year for this playlist, ones that 1) remind me of a specific era in my life and/or 2) that I really enjoy. What I suspect, as I move forward with this quest, is that there will be fewer “one hit wonders” the closer I get to the year 2026. I’ve gotten through all of the 90’s at this point so I’ll see if my theory proves correct before too long.

Why I think this, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I feel like, especially in the 70’s and 80’s, pop music was so much more experimental (hence a larger portion may not have been commercially successful) than it is now. I mean, have you ever listened to the song “In the Year 2525”, by, I kid you not, Exordium and Terminus/Little Kids (what?! So many questions!) from 1969? Not like I actually recommend it, but it is also, you guessed it, a one-hit wonder.

Naturally, I’m also very intrigued about what may have become of these one-hit wonder acts. It makes me think of that character in a movie I still adore in spite of it’s problems, “Love Actually”. One of the love stories within this movie is about a man who was convinced to come out of retirement to re-imagine his one-hit wonder as a (colossally bad and cheesy) Christmas song. There’s got to be so many stories out there of lives lived leading up to, during, and after musical acts and their one-hit wonders. That’s a “behind the music” type of show I would certainly watch. How about you?

Hot takes on this little musical game I’m playing with myself so far:

“Loser” by Beck was a one-hit wonder. I have been a fan of Beck for several years now, and I was stunned to learn he hasn’t had any other top 40 hits. I suppose he is more critically lauded than he is commercially successful?

1983’s “one-hit wonders” were the worst of them all (through the 90’s anyway). To the point where none of them will be represented on my Spotify playlist.

The song “Layla” (with that luscious never-ending piano and guitar melody at the end) from 1972 was technically a one-hit wonder too! It’s because it was released by the short-lived band Derek and the Dominos before Eric Clapton found humongous success as a solo act.

I think the next time our grandson comes over, I’ll share this playlist with him and see his reaction. I’m sure he will be full of questions and commentary about it.

Here’s a one-hit wonder from 1982, which was featured in a movie I remember loving so much in high school, “Valley Girl”. I had quite the crush on Nicolas Cage back then. I thought he was so effortlessly cool and exotic. So, tell me, my fellow music lovers, what is your favorite one-hit wonder? Please share in the comments!