I Thought I Knew 60s Music—Then I Heard These 3 Forgotten Hits

Since the beginning, there have been one-hit wonders in music. Sometimes a song becomes a hit, but the performer never gets another chance to shine, no matter how good they are. There were a lot of number-one hits in the 1960s that went away as swiftly as they came. Still, some of these so-called “one-hit wonders” are still really good. You might not hear these hidden gems from the 1960s on the radio today, but they are worth finding and even rediscovering.

“(There Was A) Tall Oak Tree” – Dorsey Burnette
Dorsey Burnette was one of the pioneers of rockabilly, and while he had several great tracks, his biggest moment came in 1960 with “(There Was A) Tall Oak Tree.” Burnette actually wrote the song a year earlier and offered it to other artists like Ricky Nelson. When no one bit, he recorded it himself—and it paid off. The song climbed to No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his only major hit. Unfortunately, Burnette never returned to the Top 40, but his influence on early rock music still deserves recognition.

“Rhythm of the Rain” – The Cascades
The Cascades may not be a household name today, but in 1962, they scored a major hit with “Rhythm of the Rain.” The dreamy tune peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and featured gorgeous vocal harmonies that made it instantly memorable. Their follow-up track “Shy Girl” made a small dent in the charts, but the group never managed to crack the Top 60 again. Still, “Rhythm of the Rain” remains one of the decade’s sweetest-sounding singles—and one of its most underappreciated.

“We’ll Sing in the Sunshine” – Gale Garnett
New Zealand-born singer Gale Garnett hit gold with her sunny 1964 folk-pop single “We’ll Sing in the Sunshine.” It rose to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a favorite among easy-listening fans. With a voice that was both soulful and soothing, Garnett seemed poised for a long musical run. But the success didn’t repeat—this was her only Top 40 hit in the U.S. That said, Garnett went on to enjoy a creative life beyond music, finding success as an actress and writer.