#1. One-hit Wonders: "Sleeping Satellite" - Tasmin Archer (1992)

More than just my top one-hit wonder, this is easily one of my favourite songs period.

It can be easy to overlook a somewhat low-key pop song from the early 90s, a key high-water mark in music history as multiple genres (grunge, dance, rave, hip hop, Garth Brooks) were all producing memorable tracks. 

But Tasmin Archer's debut single "Sleeping Satellite", from the ironic album title Great Expectations, is nothing short of a pop masterpiece, a special song full of wonder that only comes around every blue moon.

Everything is beautiful about this song: the synth intro, the dreamy melody, Tasmin's inspiring vocals, the subtle guitar, the soaring bridge once the organ kicks in and a great vocal outro. 

"Sleeping Satellite" has both soul and groove, an exquisite slice of hypnotic pop.

And how about the depth of those lyrics. 

Archer talks about relationships using the moon landings as a metaphor. She asks her lover "Did we fly to the moon too soon? and "Have we peaked too soon?" now that both of them are clueless about what to do with their relationship after a great start.

The tune hit #1 on the UK charts, while only peaking at #32 in the US, more evidence that my musical taste is more aligned with the Brits. In fact, the first time I ever heard the single was when I lived in Vancouver enjoying a "UK Chart Attack", a Top 40 program broadcast on a local radio station. 

#2. One-hit Wonders: "You Get What You Give" - New Radicals (1998)

Nostalgic. Fun. Satirical. 

Sometimes a band comes out of left field and whacks us over the head with an irresistible pop song. "You Get What You Give" by New Radicals is one such shining example. 

The song is more than just another hit single. It's a really, really, really catchy tune. 

And a juggernaut. 

The frenetic rhythm of the piano melody and frontman Gregg Alexander's soaring falsetto drive the relentless pace. 

Despite some cynical lyrics tearing up the world of celebrity, "You Get What You Give" is also one of the most feel good tunes ever produced. The uplifting "You've got the music in you" lyric is downright spiritual. 

My only beef: the low blow against Beck near the end.   

Why no encore you may ask. Well, the New Radicals didn't break up for any complex reasons; Alexander just really didn't like fame or success. 

#3. One-hit Wonders: "Lady (Hear Me Tonight)" - Modjo (2000)

The disco-influenced house hit single "Lady (Hear Me Tonight)" by French duo Modjo is a major throwback. Now almost twenty years old, I would consider this track in the timeless category. 

That catchy guitar riff is a Chic sample that impeccably accompanies the bass-fueled groove. 

The nostalgic video featuring various shenanigans of three teenagers perfectly captures the spirit of youth.

#4. One-hit Wonders: "Rapper's Delight" - The Sugarhill Gang (1979)

How lucky were the teens growing up in NYC during the late 1970s? You would have lived first-hand and up close the birth of punk, new wave and rap...at the same time! 

The rhythm and rhyme anthem "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang skyrocketed rap into the mainstream. A strong bass line and snappy guitar riffs add a funky vibe to the mix.

Hard to believe the seminal rap track is 40 years old this year. Perhaps a 40 minute freestyle tribute is in order?

Even more hard to believe: the Sugarhill Gang never had another U.S. hit single, though it had multiple European hits.

Fave lyric: "hip-hop-to the hippitty-hop and you don't stop" 

#5. One-hit Wonders: "Bound for the Floor" - Local H (1996)

Detractors of "Bound for the Floor" by Local H will argue this post-grunge tune aka the copacetic song, is both repetitive and derivative. 

But I think the repetition is deliberate -- it is an anthem celebrating apathy after all.

The almost robotic and stoic delivery of the chorus creates a hypnotic vibe.

"And you just don't get it. You keep it copacetic. You learn to accept it. You know you're so pathetic." 

The intensity builds as the droning vocals become squeals as the guitars crash. Ultimately, it's the sort of tune best enjoyed cranked up. 

The single reached #5 on US Billboard in 1996.