March 11 2026

One Hit Wonder Wednesday: A pop culture song with its own the documentary…and more

Mid-week we shine the spotlight on some big time tracks

These songs in question are examples of how some musical acts end up being a flash in the pan, but the stories behind the single song that brought them fortune and fame are often REALLY interesting.

It’s ONE HIT WONDER WEDNESDAY!!!

“Spirt In The Sky” from Norman Greenbaum (1969)

This song became a massive hit, reaching #1 in Canada, the UK and Australia, and #3 in the US.

Norman Greenbaum first gained fame as the front-man for a psychedelic jug group called “Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band”. They had a novelty hit called “The Eggplant That Ate Chicago”.

Bonus Song!

Despite SITS’s heavy Christian themes, Norman Greenbaum behind it is Jewish. He says that he was inspired to write a “religious rock song” after watching country singers Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner perform on television.

In 2025, this song received its first-ever official music video, complete with a cameo from Normans himself! Check it out…

“Whip It” from Devo (1980)

This one peaked at #14 on the US charts and at #11 here in Canada.

It’s main riff is inspired by Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman,” with a slightly altered ending.

A lot of people think that this track is about “self pleasure” but the group leader Gerald Casale says it’s really meant to satirize American optimism and “can-do” clichés. He also says that it was partly inspired by the slogans on communist propaganda posters.

“One Headlight” from The Wallflowers (1996)

This was the first single to ever reach #1 on all three of Billboard’s rock airplay charts simultaneously. It’s also topped Billboard’s “Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs” chart.

It even won two Grammy Awards for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.

It was so popular in the radio that some people started speculating that Bob Dylan, who is the father of The Wallflowers’ front-man Jakob Dylan, may have delayed the release of his own “Time Out Of Mind” album, because he didn’t want to compete with his own son for airtime.