Some one-hit wonders are actually covers that you weren't aware of. A cover can exceed the original version in quality and popularity. We examined four one-hit wonders that are covers which surpassed expectations and did extremely well. The artists who sung them deserve a lot of credit for putting a new, fresh spin on existing material. That in itself is an art. So it's kudos to Bruce Willis, Walter Murphy, Nicki French, and Sinead O'Connor for their one-hit wonder covers. See what you think!
Videos by Wide Open Country
'Respect Yourself' by Bruce Willis
It's hard to imagine Bruce Willis as a crooner. But the Moonlighting and Die Hard franchise superstar put his vocal chops to use on the song "Respect Yourself," which was previously done by the Staple Singers in 1972. Per 11points.com, "The original version of the song was written as an empowerment anthem for black Americans in the post-Civil Rights era. I know Bruce Willis was really hot in 1987 thanks to Moonlighting, but I'm still not sure he brought the correct gravitas to the song."
Frankly, I was pretty skeptical about this too. Then I watched the video. I found myself happily grooving along with Willis's energized singing and the soulful music. You got this, Bruce!
'A Fifth Of Beethoven' by Walter Murphy And The Big Apple Band
Roll over, Beethoven, tell Tchaikovsky the news. Your famous, stately 5th symphony was repurposed for the disco craze. It was part of the insanely popular Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1977. Murphy, per Songfacts, worked with Doc Severinsen, bandleader on The Tonight Show. as an arranger. He "played nearly every instrument on this song but was forced to credit it to an imaginary ensemble. It landed at #1 in the US on October 9, 1976 (ousted the following week by 'Disco Duck'). Murphy never had another Top 40 hit on the Hot 100." Beethoven probably never dreamed that his legendary symphony would go from classic to campy.
'Total Eclipse Of The Heart' by Nicki French
While we are on the subject of social clubbing, Nicki French adapted Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" for twirling on the dance floor. According to 11points.com, "Bonnie Tyler's version has this bombastic, overdramatic, life-or-death tone.... Nicki French's has more of a vibe of talking to someone in a fun suburban nightclub over neon-colored shots." Be that as it may, French's lively, slick, and upbeat treatment of the song landed gold certification from the RIAA. Among the splendid one-hit wonder covers for the ages.
'Nothing Compares 2 U' by Sinead O'Connor
Per American Songwriter, the inimitable Prince crafted this tune in the mid-1980s. The late, enigmatic O'Connor assumed that he would be elated with her cover of the tune. Alas, fate would not have it be so. According to the outlet via The Belfast Telegraph six years ago, she said, "I thought Prince would fall in love with me and it would all be lovely, but he was the most frightening human being I ever met in my life, even more frightening than my mother." Yikes!
