two-hit wonders

1) At least eight years separating both hits.
2) Both hits must have gone at least top 15 in Billboard.
3) No other hits may have gone -- what, top 20? 25? 30? Let's say 20.
4) No more than three top 40 hits total.
5) But hitting with the same song twice does not count against you.

All of which Golden Earring, Janis Ian, and Dobie Gray do.

Anybody else??? (Sugarloaf, despite how excellent both of those songs are, only had five years of separation. Close, but no cigar.)

To be true two-hit wonder, one must a one-hit wonder TWICE. Okay?

17 (!!??) top 40 hits, including FIVE top 10s. Not even close.

Though there WERE nine years between his first two.

Johnny Cymbal ("Mr. Bass Man") reinvented himself as 'Derek' several years later for "Cinnamon" (as in, "Let me in").

Lenny Kravitz actually comes close: after "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over," he didn't chart Top 40 again until "Fly Away" (but then spoiled it with "Again")

Jimmy Cliff qualifies, though it's unfair to his stature: his only chart hits were "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" and "I Can See Clearly Now," separated by about 20 years. I hate citing him as an example, though; it's such a technicality.

That reminds me: Bob Marley never had ANY hits, right? And I was gonna deal with the Louis Armstrong question, but I changed my mind.

Oh wait, if Johnny Cymbal counts, why not Donnie Iris (ex of the Jaggerz)? Not big enough and too many I bet. Hmmm....Ides of March and Survivor BOTH had too many right? I gotta get back to work...

"Mr. Big Stuff", 1971 - #2
"My Toot Toot", 1985 - #50

Take a look at the original post, will you?

"Babooshka" was a major hit in 1980.

The Small Faces - Itchycoo Park and Lazy Sunday

They had several hits, out of which "All Of Nothing" was their only UK #1. Also "Tin Soldier" is considered a classic these days.

Bob Marley never charted Top 40, and I believe his only Hot 100 hit (astonishingly enough) was "Roots, Rap, Reggae" (or whatever that song was called - sorry, I'm not a big fan).

And I'm proud of myself for just thinking of this one: Tammy Wynette's only pop hit, 1968's "Stand By Your Man," was followed nigh 20 years later when she guested on the KLF's "Justified & Ancient." God I loved that song.

"Love is Strange", 1957 - #11
"Pillow Talk", 1973 - #3

Until Fatman Scoop, that is...

I am now kicking myself for not thinking of Sylvia (who ABSOLUTELY counts--unless you attribute "Rapper's Delight" to her as well, maybe.)

The OTHER Sylvia (of "Nobody" fame) needs another hit now, to catch up.

Gary "US" Bonds (who I just looked up) *definitely* doesn't qualify.

Mike Post, "Rockford Files" (#10 in '75), and
Mike Post, "Hill St. Blues" (#10 in '81)

He hit #25 with Magnum P.I. in '82.

Roger, "I Want To Be Your Man" #3, '87
2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman, "California Love" #6, '96

Nine year break, no other Top 40 pop hits, Troutman was included in the Billboard listing for "California Love"

I actually thought his solo version of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" was a bigger hit, too, but I guess not.

1983 Ricky Pop Singles No. 63
1984 I Lost On Jeopardy The Billboard Hot 100 No. 81
1984 Eat It The Billboard Hot 100 No. 12
1984 King Of Suede The Billboard Hot 100 No. 62
1985 Like A Surgeon The Billboard Hot 100 No. 47
1988 Fat The Billboard Hot 100 No. 99
1992 Smells Like Nirvana The Billboard Hot 100 No. 35
1996 Amish Paradise The Billboard Hot 100 No. 53

And the Box Tops song "Neon Rainbow" was big enough for me to remember it many years later. I think they may have had one more fairly big single. Of course I'm not going by Chuck's rules.

1978 Short People Pop Singles No. 2
1983 The Blues Pop Singles No. 51
1988 It s Money That Matters The Billboard Hot 100 No. 60

the trick with Golden Earring/Janis/Dobie is that their two hits are SEVERAL YEARS APART, not to mention all six songs went TOP 15, AT LEAST. Which is necessity for REAL two-hit wonders. (i.e.: "Radar Love" #10 1974, "Twilight Zone #15 1983).

Those are the only three I can think of that fit those requirements

The Tymes come pretty close to pulling this off: Two top-15 hits (plus a #19) in 1963, then nothing above #39 til "You Little Trustmaker" in 1974, which went #12. (I was thinking "So Much In Love," #1 in 1963, was their only early hit, but I was wrong.)

The Moments came even closer. At least if you count when they changed their name to Ray Goodman and Brown. "Love On A Two Way Street" went #3 in 1970, then "Special Lady" went #5 in 1980. (They did have a #17 hit, "Sexy Mama," in 1974, but I've never heard it. Besides that, no hits higher than #39.)

Ian/Gray/Earring (and maybe a couple other artists mentioned earlier on the thread) all did it better, though. (NO Top 40 hits besides the two real ones, except Dobie had that one that went #37 in 1978, then maybe the Uncle Kracker revive if that counts.)

Icehouse - "Crazy" and "Electric Blue"
Crowded House - "Don't Dream It's Over" and "Something So Strong"

Alfred: See "Eight Years of Separation Between Two Hits" rule as defined upthread, five years ago.

In case of dutch charts, Iggy Pop applies: "Lust for Life" was #3 in 1977, "Candy" #4 in 1990. "Real Wild Child" only just reached the top 30 in '87.

I was also thinking that Robyn might potentially be able to pull this off, now that her new album has finally come out in the States, but apparently both "Do You Know (What It Takes)" (which I don't think I've ever heard) and "Show Me Love" went #7 in 1997. None of her new songs have hit the Hot 100 yet, though "With Every Heartbeat" went #5 on the dance chart, and "Be Mine" was a big hit in Europe.

Breathe - "Hands To Heaven" and "How Can I Fall?"

Has Kylie had any US hits aside from Locomotion and Can't Get You Out of My Head?