Every one-hit wonder has a backstory. Some of those backstories, unfortunately, aren’t so positive. Let’s look at a few one-hit wonders from the 1960s that boast tragic and even heartbreaking backstories. I bet you’ve never heard about some of these unfortunate tales!
“Dominique” by Jeannine Deckers
Remember The Singing Nun? Jeannine Deckers was a Catholic nun who became famous for her gorgeous tune, “Dominique”, in 1963. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became Deckers’ only major hit.
Sadly, this song ended up changing Deckers’ life in a very negative way. She signed a recording contract following the success of “Dominique” which took almost all of her song’s royalties and gave them to her producers and religious congregation, reducing her to poverty later in her life. Times were so tough for Deckers that she experienced a spiritual crisis, leading to her leaving the order and ending her tenure as a nun. Tragically, Deckers took her own life in 1985, leaving behind a note that explicitly said that her financial problems were the cause. I have to admit, it’s hard listening to “Dominique” knowing that it caused that beloved nun so much heartache.
“Tip-Toe Thru’ The Tulips With Me” by Tiny Tim
Tiny Tim had a fairly long career. However, his only Top 40 hit was the 1968 single “Tip-Toe Thru’ The Tulips With Me”, which peaked at No. 17 on the Hot 100 chart. Known for his falsetto singing voice and endearingly awkward stage presence, Tiny Tim also faced quite a bit of controversy while he was alive. He infamously married a teenager when he was 37 years old, and his novelty had more or less fizzled in the eyes of American audiences by the 1970s.
Years after the success of “Tip-Toe Thru’ The Tulips With Me”, Tiny Tim continued to try to revive his career through his 60s. On one fateful day in 1996, Tiny Tim suffered a heart attack on stage while performing. He more or less recovered, but a few months later, while performing his solitary hit, he cut his set short and fainted in front of his audience. He was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead from heart failure.
“Rockin’ Little Angel” by Ray Smith
Rockabilly artist Ray Smith scored a big hit in 1960 with the tune “Rockin’ Little Angel”. The song was quite a success for Smith, as it sold over a million copies and hit No. 22 on the Hot 100 chart. Unfortunately, Smith never had another hit again, despite continuing with his music career well into the 1970s.
Smith’s story doesn’t have a happy ending, unfortunately, earning it a spot on our list of one-hit wonders with tragic backstories. Smith would later take his own life at his home in Canada in 1979. It’s unclear if a lack of career success following “Rockin’ Little Angel” led to his death far too young at the age of 45.
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