Greatest One-Hit Wonders: 1975
In 1975, the North Vietnamese captured Saigon, ending the Vietnam War. President Gerald Ford escaped two assassination attempts. Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft, and Sony introduced the Betamax videocassette recorder. On television, Saturday Night Live and Wheel of Fortune premiered on NBC.
Jaws, the first modern summer blockbuster, hit theaters. A distant second on the list of top-grossing films was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, followed by Shampoo and Dog Day Afternoon. The top three Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles were “Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain & Tennille, “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell, and “Philadelphia Freedom” by Elton John.
1975 saw a plethora of great one-hit wonders – from soul and funk to folk rock and soft rock. Nearly 30 artists notched their one and only pop hit that year. Remember, to qualify as a 360°Sound one-hit wonder, an artist must have had just one entry in the Top 40 of the Hot 100. We hope you enjoy these standout one-hitters from ‘75!
Carol Douglas – “Doctor’s Orders”
Songwriters: Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway, and Geoff Stephens
Genre: Disco
Billboard Hot 100: #11 on February 8
The cousin of soul pioneer Sam Cooke, Carol Douglas released her first single on RCA in 1965 as Carolyn Cooke. That effort flopped for her, and she turned to recording commercial jingles. Then, in 1974, producer Eddie O’Loughlin was looking for a singer to cover UK hit “Doctor’s Orders,” for the U.S. market. Sunny Leslie, half of the sister vocal duo Sue and Sunny, had taken this heartache song about a lovesick woman to #7 in the UK charts. Douglas auditioned and signed a deal with Midland International label. Douglas’s “Doctor’s Orders” became one of the first disco hits in the U.S. and went on to be a worldwide smash.
Minnie Riperton – “Lovin’ You”
Songwriters: Minnie Riperton and Richard Rudolph
Genre: Soul
Hot 100: #1 on April 5
With her angelic five-octave voice, Minnie Riperton soared to the top of the charts with “Lovin’ You” in the spring of ’75. Taken from her Stevie Wonder-produced second album, Perfect Angel, “Lovin’ You” was written by Riperton and her husband, record producer Richard Rudolph.
Rudolph had first started composing “Lovin’ You” in 1971, and when their daughter (and future Saturday Night Live star) Maya was born, he turned it into a lullaby. Riperton came up with the melody and bridge while Rudolph strummed guitar and Wonder played electric piano.
After three unsuccessful attempts to record the track with a full band, they decided a stripped-down version was more fitting. Interestingly, Rudolph added the chirping sounds from actual birds they recorded at UCLA’s botanical garden. And the whistle notes that Riperton hits on the bridge are simply unforgettable.
Riperton would go on to have several R&B hits, but the only other single to dent the pop charts was “Inside My Love,” also from ’75, which peaked at #76. Tragically, Riperton died from breast cancer four years later at the age of 31.
Phoebe Snow – “Poetry Man”
Songwriter: Phoebe Snow
Genre: Folk jazz
Hot 100: #4 on April 12
After years of playing Greenwich Village clubs, singer-songwriter Phoebe Snow signed to Leon Russell’s Shelter label and released her self-titled debut album in ’74. It made the Top 20 of the pop albums chart, went gold, and spawned her sole top 40 hit, “Poetry Man,” which rose all the way to #4 in the spring of ’75.
The haunting track showcases Snow’s rich contralto voice and unique blend of jazz, folk, and blues. Also in ’75, she sang on Paul Simon’s “Gone at Last,” a #23 hit from his Still Crazy After All These Years LP. Perhaps because Snow’s music was difficult to categorize and program in the radio formats of the day, she never had another pop hit, although her albums did sell well. The follow-up to her self-titled LP, 1976’s Second Childhood, was certified gold.
Ace – “How Long”
Songwriter: Paul Carrack
Genre: Soft rock
Hot 100: #3 on May 31
“How Long” was originally intended by writer Paul Carrack to have an upbeat Northern soul sound, but the band wanted it to have a smooth R&B-inflected vibe, foreshadowing the yacht rock sound that would become common later in the ‘70s. Carrack provided the soulful lead vocal on this perfect slice of ‘70s soft rock. While the lyrics suggest it’s about sexual infidelity, the song is actually about betrayal of another kind – the bass player, Terry Comer, had also been playing with the Scottish rock band Sutherland Brothers & Quiver.
Pilot – “Magic”
Songwriters: David Paton and Billy Lyall
Genre: Soft rock
Hot 100: #5 on July 12
Pilot were a pop-rock band from Edinburg, Scotland. Their big hit “Magic” was written by former Bay City Rollers members Billy Lyall and David Paton, who sang lead on the song. Produced by Alan Parsons, the assistant engineer for Abbey Road and lead engineer for Dark Side of the Moon, “Magic” peaked at #5 in the summer of ’75. That was before my time, but I do recall hearing that cheery chorus in many a commercial in the ‘90s, so I’m sure Paton made bank from royalties. Sadly, Lyall passed away from AIDS-related complications in 1989.
Pilot’s follow-up single “January” topped the charts in the UK, Australia, and Ireland, but only made it to #87 on the Hot 100. Nevertheless, “January” made our 10 Great January Songs list.
Leon Haywood – “I Want’a Do Something Freaky To You”
Songwriter: Leon Haywood
Genre: Funk
Hot 100: #15 on December 13
Soul singer-songwriter Leon Haywood landed his first Hot 100 entry with 1965’s “She’s with Her Other Love,” which snuck onto the chart at #92. After a few more low-charting singles, he switched up his sound in the mid ‘70s to incorporate funk and disco. He also made a move to the 20th Century label. His new label helped him finally crack the top 40 with “I Want’a Do Something Freaky To You,” which peaked at #15 pop and #7 R&B.
The melody will be instantly recognizable for hip-hop fans as it was prominently sampled in Dr. Dre’s 1993 G-funk classic “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang.” Haywood would score a #49 entry in 1980 with “Don’t Push it Don’t Force It” before he started to focus on songwriting for other artists. He wrote and produced the hit “She’s a Bad Mama Jama” for Carl Carlton in 1981.
