Too Sexy...

I recently wrote a post entitled "If An Artist Falls In The Forest, Does Anyone Care???". I focused on the reality of the pursuit the starving artist attempts as they heed the calling of their craft despite achieving acclaim or fortune.

I received some sensational feedback from lovely readers, most of which agreed in the importance of creating art for art's sake and for the joy it instills in the artist while they are painting or sculpting, singing or acting, etc regardless of the talent ever finding an audience.

But then I considered the plight of the One Hit Wonder.

Every so often I will be watching TV and after flipping through countless channels with no success, I'll settle in on whatever brain candy is on VH1. More often than not, VH1 offers the sweetest mental confections including, "I Love the 70s, 80s or 90s" series, "Behind The Music" and "Celebrity Oops", to name a few.

Among the lineup, there is a bittersweet program that can't be missed, "One Hit Wonders". Music videos are trotted out from the cobwebbed vaults as the commentator reflects on the artist, their story of lightning success with the one hit, then ultimate plummet into obscurity after achieving mega super stardom. Some are interviewed for the show and we get to peek at them like voyeurs in their current lives outside of the limelight. Some are appreciative that at least one of their songs hit the big time and they seem relatively at peace with their status, while others were never able to hang it up, unwilling to allow the hook to yank them off the stage long after the spotlight had dimmed. These diligent artists have tried producing follow-ups to their original smash hits only to be met with lukewarm if any response. Can you imagine going from triple platinum to flop? Coming to terms with an inability to recreate the magic that was once yours has got to be devastating.

Inevitably, we see clips of them still out touring, now performing at local fairs or festivals with other oddity acts. Sure, their big hit still elicits a rousing response from fans who cheer wildly while singing along, every word so ingrained in their heads.

These one hit wonders, strung together during an hour long TV show provide us with a warm fuzzy quilt, each individual song so comfortable to recall, every one of them wonderful to wrap yourself up in as a whole. How can we help reminiscing where we were in our own lives when that song skyrocketed to the top of the charts? That power ballad from the 80s that you cranked up in your car and sang unabashedly at the top of your lungs in traffic when you were going through a painful breakup. That electric monster rock anthem that pumped you up after your first promotion that now literally grabs you and throws you into funky dance moves in the aisle of your local grocery store. You know the ones.

Therefore, I salute the men and women behind the One Hit Wonders. We can never get enough of your catchy, creative song. The collection of audible treats have stood the test of time and will move us as long as we can still get a groove on. Sure, it would have been great if more of their tunes had met equal or greater success, but at least we'll always have...