Bakers Dozen...

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek




It's a cheat, really. Johnny Cymbal (That's his real name, btw.) was a singer/songwriter who had lots of hits... As a songwriter. But as a singer, he only charted twice. Once, under his own name, and again 6 years later using just his brother's first name. But since he used different names for the recordings, he's the only solo artist ever to be a one-hit wonder twice. He also recorded (either solo, or with others) as: The Eye-Full Tower, American Machine, The Sideshow, Brother John, Simonshy, Dallas, Milk, Taurus, The Cymbal Roberts Band, James River Drive, The Non-Conformists, Cymbal and Clinger.

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100



"Joy" is a rocked up version of Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring". Apollo 100 were a "studio-based" group. I'll assume that means they never gave any concerts. They recorded 2 albums in the early 70's with primarily classical(ish) tunes. Some were based on "In the Hall of the Mountain King", Mendelssohn's 4th, Saint-Saens' "Danse Macabre", "Amazing Grace", "William Tell", and Beethoven's 9th. They also recorded Anderson's "Jazz Pizzicato" and "Nutrocker".

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100
5. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris



The song was written by Jimmy Webb as the coda of a 22-minute cantata, which was first offered to The Association. They were interested in recording "MP", but Webb insisted that they record the entire cantata. So they passed on it. A year later, Harris recorded the song. (I guess Webb decided the whole cantata would never get recorded.)

Webb has been quoted as saying that "MP" is about the end of a love affair. "MP" and "By the Time I Get To Phoenix" were inspired by his breakup with Susan Ronstadt (Linda's cousin), who later married a phone engineer from Wichita. (The "Wichita Lineman"?)

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100
5. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
6. Terry Jacks - Seasons in the Sun



As a member of the band The Chessmen, Jacks had 4 regional hits in Vancouver. Later, with The Poppy Family, he had a several international hits. One of those ("Which Way You Goin' Billy?") was written and produced by Jacks. After The Poppy Family, Jacks worked as a producer with The Beach Boys on a song that was never finished: "Seasons in the Sun". Jacks and his wife (Poppy Family lead singer, Susan) decided to record the song themselves, but never got around to it. When Susan left him, Jacks decided to record it as a solo. He later recorded another Rod McKuen adaptation of a Jacques Brel song ("If You Go Away") which went to #8 in the UK, but peaked at #68 in the US. So you could argue that Terry Jacks isn't really a one-hit wonder, if you say that anything on the Hot 100 is a hit. Or that he's only a one-hit wonder in the US, which doesn't often appreciate Canadian artists.

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100
5. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
6. Terry Jacks - Seasons in the Sun
7. The Murmaids - Popsicles and Icicles



The Murmaids were a trio of high school aged girls, two of them the daughters of composer/arranger Carl Fischer, who worked with Frankie Laine for 12 years. "Popsicles and Icicles" was written by David Gates, who later fronted Bread. The record company charged exorbitant amounts against the royalties, so The Murmaids never made any money off their one hit.

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100
5. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
6. Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
7. Popsicles and Icicles - The Murmaids
8. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' - Crazy Elephant



Crazy Elephant was a studio concoction, created by Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz of Super K Productions. Unlike most Kasenetz-Katz "bands", this one actually had them same lineup for more than one recording. But of the 6 singles they released, only 3 made it onto the charts, and only the one charted in the Hot 100. (The other two peaking at 104 and 116.) Super K Productions were also responsible for other bubblegum "bands" such as Ohio Express, Music Explosion, 1910 Fruitgum Company, and The Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus.

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100
5. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
6. Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
7. Popsicles and Icicles - The Murmaids
8. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' - Crazy Elephant
9. Der Kommissar (US) or One Rule For You (UK) - After the Fire





After the Fire is one of those rare bands that had two different songs to be their only hit in different parts of the world. "One Rule For You" was their only UK hit, and charted in 1979, while "Der Kommissar" (an English version of Falco's German hit) charted in the US in 1983.


I was going to list Exile's "Kiss You All Over", as it's on a CD of one-hit wonders that I own. But in looking them up online, I found that they also had a pop hit with a song called "You Thrill Me", which hit number 40 in the US. I also was going to list "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire, whose only other hit (or so I thought) was "Green Green" with the New Christy Minstrels. But looking him up, I see mention of other solo hits: "Sins of the Family", "Child of Our Times", and "Cloudy Summer Afternoon (Raindrops)" (none of which I've heard).

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100
5. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
6. Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
7. Popsicles and Icicles - The Murmaids
8. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' - Crazy Elephant
9. Der Kommissar (US) or One Rule For You (UK) - After the Fire
10. Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead - The Fifth Estate

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100
5. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
6. Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
7. Popsicles and Icicles - The Murmaids
8. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' - Crazy Elephant
9. Der Kommissar (US) or One Rule For You (UK) - After the Fire
10. Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead - The Fifth Estate
11. Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto



Kyu Sakamoto had several hits as a singer in the band Danny Iida and Paradise King, and as a solo artist... In Japan. His first solo hit in Japan was "Ue O Muite Aruko", which translates into English as "I Look Up When I Walk". Its first introduction to the English-speaking world was an instrumental version by Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen. The record producers didn't think the title would be pronounceable to the English-speaking world, and so called it "Sukiyaki". Sakamoto was the ninth of nine children. "Kyu" was actually a nickname, which is the Japanese word for "nine". He was a trumpet player, singer, and actor. Sadly, Sakamoto was one of the 520 people who died in the Japan Airlines flight 123 crash in August of 1985.

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100
5. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
6. Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
7. Popsicles and Icicles - The Murmaids
8. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' - Crazy Elephant
9. Der Kommissar (US) or One Rule For You (UK) - After the Fire
10. Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead - The Fifth Estate
11. Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto
12. Al Di La - Emilio Pericoli

[PapaMouse]

1. Mr Bass Man - Johnny Cymbal
2. Cinnamon - Derek
3. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse
4. Joy - Apollo 100
5. MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
6. Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
7. Popsicles and Icicles - The Murmaids
8. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' - Crazy Elephant
9. Der Kommissar (US) or One Rule For You (UK) - After the Fire
10. Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead - The Fifth Estate
11. Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto
12. Al Di La - Emilio Pericoli
13. Magnet and Steel - Walter Egan

Next up: 13 songs which have a noticeable French horn (either solo, or it can be heard distinctly in the background.)

1. You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones

[PapaMouse]

1. You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones
2. Run Samson Run - Neil Sedaka


Not one of his better-known hits, and it sounds a bit more "country" than most of his other stuff. But the horn in this one is what made me think it might be a good Baker's dozen category.

[fiona]

1. You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones
2. Run Samson Run - Neil Sedaka
3. Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (there were four French horns on this one)


Not one of his better-known hits, and it sounds a bit more "country" than most of his other stuff. But the horn in this one is what made me think it might be a good Baker's dozen category.[/quote]

[jodlyn]

1. You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones
2. Run Samson Run - Neil Sedaka
3. Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (there were four French horns on this one)
4. Overture - The Who (It's more toward the end of the song but it's there)