3 Rock One-Hit Wonders From the ’60s Who Deserve Way More Love Today”

Many one-hit wonders from the past have faded into obscurity after their big break, and this seems true for a few underrated 1960s rock bands. But did these groups truly disappear? Let’s dive into the stories of three such bands.

The Brooklyn Bridge: A Lasting Presence Despite Limited Chart Success

The Brooklyn Bridge scored a major hit with their 1968 pop-rock single “Worst That Could Happen,” a Jimmy Webb song originally recorded by The 5th Dimension. Their version climbed into the Top 10 in both the US and Canada, yet despite this early success, the band didn’t receive the recognition they deserved throughout the ’60s. Although they gradually slipped out of the Top 40, The Brooklyn Bridge never fully disappeared. They continued to release music, including a compilation album in 2010, and still perform live today.

Spirit: A Memorable Hit and a Long Road to Retirement

In 1968, Spirit made waves with their progressive rock track “I Got A Line On You,” which reached No. 25 on the charts and became one of the standout songs of that year. The band maintained a modest presence in the charts through 1972 but eventually fell out of the Top 40. Spirit stayed together until their breakup in 1973, with occasional reunions before finally disbanding for good in 1997.

Crazy Elephant: Brief But Impactful

Crazy Elephant enjoyed brief but notable success in 1969 with their garage rock hit “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’,” which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and performed well in the UK. However, this group was essentially a studio project and was never intended to last. After their initial hit, they struggled to replicate the success with later singles and broke up by 1970. Despite this, their follow-up releases were impressive, showing that chart rankings don’t always tell the full story of a band’s quality.