One Hit Wonders From the 60s – Part Two

One Hit Wonders are wonderful gifts from the music Gods – here today and gone tomorrow. In fact, it would not be unusual to have your tires changed by someone that was in group that made it big with a song that hit the charts only once. Hey, it’s not easy to do, so we salute these artists and hits…

“Cool Jerk” by the Capitols was a catchy soulful song that hit the charts in 1966. This song has an interesting backstory as it was originally given the title “Pimp Jerk,” but the label thought better of it and changed the title to “Cool Jerk.” The song had more success out of the radio work than in it where it was used in movies such as “Home Alone 2,” and covered by the Go Go’s and Todd Rundgren.

“Journey to the Center of the Mind” from the Amboy Dukes of Motor City fame, became the entry of one of the most celebrated guitarist of all time, Ted Nugent. The song was inspired by the sound of the Yardbirds and yes it was about drugs. The band couldn’t get along with the egomaniac Ted, most of its members quitting just before the single hit the charts.