Hard rock delivered quite a few killer tunes back in the 1970s. Many of the bands behind those hits went on to become even more successful in the 1980s and beyond. Some, however, only had one hit during the 1970s golden era of rock. Let’s take a look at three stellar hard rock one-hit wonders from the 1970s that deserve some love!
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It’s worth noting that these bands are pretty famous and enjoyed some success outside of their one-hit wonder singles. However, their additional releases never hit the Top 40, which is why we’re celebrating their one-hit wonder hits on this list.
1. “Never Been Any Reason” by Head East
When it comes to hard rock one-hit wonders, few remember the hit song “Never Been Any Reason” by Head East. Mike Somerville penned this track in 1975, and it was also the band’s debut single from the album Flat As A Pancake. The song peaked at no. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold out the band’s entire inventory of vinyl and 8-track records.
The band enjoyed quite a bit of success in later years, particularly with their self-titled 1978 album. But they never quite delivered a hit like “Never Been Any Reason”.
2. “Black Betty” by Ram Jam
Most people recognize this song, even though the auctioneer-level delivery of the lyrics might be hard to understand. Many would recognize “Black Betty” through Lead Belly’s rendition of the song, but the original song itself is an old African-American traditional song. The first band to turn it into a rock track was Ram Jam in 1977. Ram Jam only lasted a year, and “Black Betty” was their only major hit.
3. “Mississippi Queen” by Mountain
Mountain is one of many hard rock bands that have been credited with the growth of heavy metal in the 1970s. The band’s biggest hit was “Mississippi Queen”, which frontman Leslie West said he wrote after he “got real high, took out a napkin, and [I] came up with the main riff and the chords.” The track was Mountain’s only Top 40 single.
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