A two-hit wonder is sort of an unusual phenomenon. Being a one-hit wonder is more commonplace. But hitting the big time twice, and then dropping off the radar for good is rather singular. Some might say that having two hit songs is glory enough, but in the ultra competitive world of professional music, many artists prefer to stay in the limelight. Maybe forever! We decided to look back at the 1980s and revisit the two-hit wonders that had real staying power. People who made music that we enjoyed then and still do. So let's hear it for Cutting Crew, John Parr, Simply Red, and Mike + the Mechanics.
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Cutting Crew
I bet you remember the song, "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" and Cutting Crew's other major hit, "I've Been in Love Before." "Died In Your Arms" is dramatic, intense, exciting, and potent. It made it all the way to number 1 in 1986, per American Songwriter. The song performed impressively in the United Kingdom as well. According to Songfacts, "I've Been In Love Before" may be about the same person [as 'Died In Your Arms'], but Van Eede isn't saying, leaving us to ponder the line, 'The hardest part is when you're in it.'"
John Parr
If you liked the 1985 film, St. Elmo's Fire, you probably also liked the song "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" by John Parr. As catchy and appealing as the "Brat Pack" cast of the movie, the song was a chart-topper in this country and a Number 6 hit across the pond. The year before, Parr had a Number 6 hit with "Naughty Naughty."
Per Songfacts, "Parr hadn't seen the film before crafting the song with [David] Foster, and at first, he did not intend to insert the movie's awkward-fitting title into the song. 'I never thought about fitting 'St. Elmo's Fire' into the song. It just came. That whole song was a gift." It was a gift to us as well.
Simply Red
Ah, for the days of Simply Red! Their hits "Holding Back The Years" (1985) and "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (1986) put them on the music map in a big way. I love their cover of the latter. Swoony, supple, and sophisticated, it is utterly magical. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes popularized the song, but Simply Red added something to it that was truly their own. A Number 1 hit, it was a really special treat to hear.
Mike + the Mechanics
The band had two major hits in the same year, 1988. They were "All I Need Is A Miracle" and "The Living Years." Per allmusic.com, "...[T]he bulk of the long-running band's work, including 'All I Need Is a Miracle' and the wistful 1989 number one hit eulogy 'The Living Years,' revealed a melodic pop band firmly at home in an MTV world."
