3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s Fans Can’t Stop Singing To

The 1970s were a lush era of music. On the one hand you had robust rock music from bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and The Who. But there was also the birth of rap and the rise of disco. And in between there were a significant number of one-hit wonders that continue to stand the test of time today as fan favorites

Here below, we wanted to dive into three of those songs to explore their histories and impact. A trio of tracks that push the listener to singing along in a matter of moments. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1970s that fans can’t stop singing to.

[RELATED: The 28 Best One-Hit Wonders]

“Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest from Dancing in the Moonlight (1972)

This song has lived many lives. Originally released by Boffalongo in 1970, the song experienced a resurgence in 2000 when the group Toploader released its own chart-topping rendition. But it was in 1972 when King Harvest dropped its version that has given music listeners the most classic and popular offering. Featuring blissful vocal harmonies and soulful keys, King Harvest even featured former Boffalongo member Dave Robinson singing vocals on the track, which is all about partying after hours in the glow of the moon. Indeed, sings Robinson,

We get it on most every night

When that moon is big and bright

It’s a supernatural delight

Everybody’s dancing in the moonlight

Everybody here is out of sight

They don’t bark and they don’t bite

They keep things loose, they keep things light

Everybody’s dancing in the moonlight

“Play that Funky Music” by Wild Cherry from Wild Cherry (1976)

A classic funk song with a twist. Of course, songs are allowed to employ humor, even when they’re not from “Weird” Al Yankovic or Flight of the Conchords. And, according to lore, Wild Cherry, at the time a hard rock group, was playing a club to a predominantly black audience. One of the attendees turned to the group and said, “Are you going to play some funk music, white boys?” Ding! The light bulb went off, the group wrote the silly track, and history was made. Lead vocalist Rob Parissi sings about the difficulty of a rock band trying to perform the popular style at the time, disco. As such, Parissi sings,

Hey, once I was a boogie singer

Playin’ in a rock-and-roll band

I never had no problems

Burnin’ down the one-night stands

And everything around me

Got to start to feelin’ so low

And I decided quickly

Yes, I did

To disco down and check out the show

Yeah they were dancin’ and singin’

And movin’ to the groovin’

And just when it hit me

Somebody turned around and shouted

“Play that funky music, white boy

Play that funky music right

Play that funky music, white boy

Lay down that boogie

And play that funky music ’til you die.”

“My Sharona” by The Knack from Get the Knack (1979)

This debut single from the band The Knack went all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release. How’s that for starting high? It also marked the fastest single to garner Gold status for Capitol Records since 1964. The song, which was inspired by a relationship between lead singer Doug Fieger and a woman named Sharona Alperin, was one of many songs the love affair helped spawn. And on the lusty offering, Fieger sings,

Ooh, my little pretty one, pretty one

When you gonna give me some time, Sharona?

Ooh, you make my motor run, my motor run

Gun it coming off of the line, Sharona

Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind

I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind

My, my, my, I, yi, woo!

M-m-m-my Sharona

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