two-hit wonders

"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?

Maybe no huge ones. "I Should Be So Lucky" went #28 and "It's No Secret" #37 in 1988; nothing else through at least 1999. Not sure about since then, but yeah, she's a pretty good candidate for this.

Breathe (who I've never heard of) had another Top 10, "Don't Tell Me Lies," and two more Top 40s, all between 1988 and 1990. So nah, they don't qualify.

Pop rap 3 for 1: Tone Loc, Young MC, Kris Kross

"Wild Thing"/"Funky Cold Medina;" "Bust a Move"/"Principal's Office;" & "Jump"/"Warm it Up" respectively

Kris Kross: Actually had four Top 20 hits, 1992-1995 (also "Alright" and "Tonite's The Night"), fwiw

"The Humpty Dance" and "Doowatchalike"?

"Doowatchalike" didn't even hit the Top 100; two other DU songs ("Same Song" and "Kiss You Back") went #61 and 40, respectively.

time travelling and pedantic xpost for mr. osborne:

i always heard the line as "No the only thing a gambler needs is a suitcase OR a trunk"...

...which would make it one thing. why would a gambler need both things? especially when they're basically the same thing...

Brother Beyond: "The Harder I Try" and "He Ain't No Competition"
A-ha also qualify as a two-hit wonder in the case of the Billboard list, but had lots of other hits elsewhere.

Kris Kross: Actually had four Top 20 hits

Was "I Missed The Bus" a single in the US?

Nada Surf had "Popular" in 1996 and "Inside of Love" in 2002

Was "I Missed The Bus" a single in the US?

Maybe, but if so, it wasn't a Top 100 hit.

Nada Surf had..."Inside of Love" in 2002

In what country (or planet)?

Also, who are Brother Beyond? (Not being sarcastic; I'm actually curious.)