Ep. 60: One-Hit Wonders of the 70s

The 1970s gave us some of the most memorable songs ever recorded and some artists who, for one reason or another, only broke through once. In this episode, we take a closer look at those so-called "one-hit wonders" and the stories behind the songs that stuck. From the laid-back groove of " How Long" by Ace , to the quiet melancholy of " Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" by Danny O'Keefe , we explore what made these tracks connect and why they lasted. We'll get into the funk-rock crossover of " Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry , the sunny pop of " Sweet City Woman" by The Stampeders , the tight pop classic " Cruel to Be Kind" by Nick Lowe , and the disco smash "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward. And how do you make a hit song about a brief encounter in a Chevy van, anyway? Was it luck? Timing? Skill? A little of all of that? Tune in for a discussion on these classic hits of the 1970s.

You can listen to Ep. 60: One-Hit Wonders of the 70s online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Ep. 60: One-Hit Wonders of the 70s is an episode from For the Record: The 70s by Amy Lively.

This episode is 45:52 long.

This episode was published on May 1, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from For the Record: The 70s when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.