How Well Do You Remember the One-Hit Wonders of the '60s?

By: Staff
Image: YouTube

About This Quiz

Do you hold a special place in your heart for one-hit wonders? We've compiled a list of them that hit the charts in the 1960s. If you think you know every one-hit wonder of the decade, take this quiz to find out how much you really know.

We're gonna be honest. In our opinion, the best one-hit wonder of the 1960s was "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!," by Napoleon XIV. This song was the stuff of nightmares for many kids of the '60s, and if you're old enough to remember it, we bet you agree with us. The song was Napoleon XIV's only chart topper in the U.S., reaching number three on the Billboard Charts. The song was about a guy who was going mad after breaking up with his girlfriend. But what was even crazier than the hit single was the single's B-side. The song on the B-side was "!aaaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT ot gnimoC er'yehT," which is They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" backward... yes, backward. And the entire B-side of the single was "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" played backward. Additionally, the name of the artist on the B-side was VIX NOELOPAN, which is, you guessed it, Napoleon XIV spelled backward. This guy had issues.

Take this quiz so you can brag to your friends about how much you know about one-hit wonders of the 1960s.








The Tornados

The Tornados hit the chart in both the U.S. and the U.K. with "Telstar" in 1962. The song was actually an instrumental tune.

The Surfaris

The Surfaris hit the charts with "Wipe Out" in 1963. The song was featured in the movie "Dirty Dancing."

Barry McGuire

Barry McGuire had a hit with "Eve of Destruction" in 1965. The song was a protest of war.

The New Vaudeville Band

The New Vaudeville Band hit the big time with "Winchester Cathedral" in 1966. The song sold more than three million copies.

Napoleon XIV

Napoleon XIV released "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaaa!" in 1966. The B-side of the single was the song played in reverse. Weird.

Norman Greenbaum

Norman Greenbaum had a hit with "Spirit in the Sky" in 1969. The song made it as high as number three on the charts in the U.S.

The Hollywood Argyles

The Hollywood Argyles had a hit with "Alley Oop" in 1960. The song hit number one on the charts in July of that year.

Mark Dinning

Mark Dinning released "Teen Angel" in 1960. The song was written by Dinning's sister and brother in law.

Larry Verne

Larry Verne hit number one with "Mr. Custer" in 1960. Verne did have another song, "Mr. Livingston," but it definitely wasn't a hit.

Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs

Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs released "Stay" in 1960. The song holds the record as the shortest number one song in history.

Ernie K-Doe

Ernie K-Doe hit number one in 1961 with "Mother-in-Law." But was the song really about his mother-in-law?

Bruce Channel

"Hey Baby" was Bruce Channel's only number one hit. The song hit the big time in 1962.

Mr. Acker Bilk

Mr. Acker Bilk hit number one with "Stranger on the Shore" in 1962. The song was a clarinet instrumental.

David Rose

David Rose hit it big with "The Stripper" in 1962. He is also known for proposing to Judy Garland.

Kyu Sakamoto

Kyu Sakamoto hit number one in the U.S. with "Sukiyaki" in 1963. A Taste of Honey took the song to number three in 1981.

The Singing Nun

Yes, there really was a singing nun. Debbie Reynolds played her in the 1966 movie.

Lorne Greene

Yes, THAT Lorne Greene. The actor hit it big with his only hit in December of 1964.

John Fred and His Playboy Band

John Fred and His Playboy Band recorded "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" in 1968. If you think of it as a play on "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," by the Beatles, you'll never be able to read that title again - you'll sing it.

The Lemon Pipers

The Lemon Pipers reached number one in 1968 with "Green Tambourine." The song was actually re-released in 2001.

Paul Mauriat

Paul Mauriat reached number one with "Love Is Blue." The song was released in 1968.

Hugh Masekela

"Grazing in the Grass" was Hugh Masekela's only number one hit. The song hit number one in 1968.

Jeannie C. Riley

Jeannie C. Riley recorded "Harper Valley P.T.A." in 1968. The song later became the inspiration for a movie and a television series.

Zager & Evans

Zager & Evans released "In the Year 2525" in 1969. The song hit number one in the U.S. and the U.K.

Steam

Steam hit number one with "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" in 1969. The song was recorded by a studio band.

Don and Juan

This New York duo hit the charts with "What's Your Name" in 1962. The song reached the number seven position.

Spiral Starecase

Spiral Starecase released "More Today Than Yesterday" in 1969. The song did well in the U.S. and Canada, but not in the U.K.

Roy Clark

"Yesterday, When I Was Young" was Roy Clark's only chart hit. The song was a hit for Clark in 1969, but it was originally released in 1964 by another artist.

The Contours

The Contours had a hit with "Do You Love Me" in 1962. The song hit the charts again in 1988.

The Cascades

The Cascades has a hit with "Rhythm of the Rain" in 1962. The group was originally called the Silver Strands.

The Exciters

"Tell Him" was The Exciters only chart hit. The song was released in 1962.

Doris Troy

Doris Troy recorded "Just One Look" in 1963. Troy was a backup singer for the Rolling Stones.

The Chantays

The Chantays recorded "Pipeline" in 1963. The group toured with The Righteous Brothers and Roy Orbison.

The Reflections

The Reflections recorded "Just Like Romeo and Juliet" in 1964. The song was featured on American Bandstand.

Cilla Black

British singer Cilla Black hit the U.S. charts with "You're My World" in 1964. It was her only hit in the U.S.

Eddie Holman

Eddie Holman's only chart topper was "Hey There Lonely Girl." The song was released in 1969.

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