Top Ten One-Hit Wonders of the Nineties
1. THE DIVINYLS, “I Touch Myself” (1991)
A lippy girl and her shy guitar boy, after eight years of failure, conquer America with the most shamelessly sticky-fingered single entendres in the annals of human depravity. And then they had the decency to go away.
2. RIGHT SAID FRED, “I’m Too Sexy” (1992)
Three London leather boys do their little turn on the catwalk. The “Spanish Version” kicks ass, too, but why they dedicated this hit to Jimi Hendrix is one of those things that makes you go hmmm.
3. VANILLA ICE, “Ice Ice Baby” (1990)
No, dude, word to your mother.
4. VERUCA SALT, “Seether” (1994)
Two girls, two boys and a glorious blast of radio rage. Can’t wait for those solo careers!
5. GERARDO, “Rico Suave” (1991)
God’s gift to the muchachas, a one-man Funky Bunch, a gypsy, a tramp, a thief: We called him Gerardo. Did this guy’s shirts even have buttons?
6. CRAIG MACK, “Flava in Your Ear” (1994)
A dose of New York noise at its most sublimely obnoxious.
7. DEEE-LITE, “Groove Is in the Heart” (1990)
Lady Miss Kier works the shoes while the boys rock the turntables. These guys talked a lot about “the age of information,” but people really did that back then.
8. THE FLAMING LIPS, “She Don’t Use Jelly” (1995)
Change it, Beavis!
9. CHUMBAWAMBA, “Tubthumping” (1997)
Almost the exact same band as Right Said Fred, except (1) one of them wore sunglasses; (2) they had an even sillier name; (3) they failed to use the word “tush.”
10. 4 NON BLONDES, “What’s Up” (1993)
Proof that you can get rich rhyming “revolution” and “institution” while sporting the dreadlocks-and-top-hat look, which somehow failed to catch on. Thanks for the memories!