Six brilliant one-hit wonders from the 1980s

Rockwell - "Somebody’s Watching Me"

Rockwell’s real name will sound familiar, or at least his surname. Kenneth William Gordy, known as Rockwell for a stage name, is the son of the legendary Motown founder Berry Gordy. So it's no surprise that he found himself in a recording studio with all he needed to make a record. And a pretty good one too. 

Amongst that list of what Rockwell needed was a backing singer. He somehow managed to rustle up Michael Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, and Norman Dozier on backing vocals for the single. What it is to have good connections! To be fair, Rockwell was signed for Motown records without his father knowing or being involved, Gordy senior apparently only found out after the event. 

“Someone’s Watching Me” was released in December 1983, on Motown Records. The song is a great mix of creepy tones and Rockwell’s accented vocals, some RnB with electronic drums and synth, and a brilliant hook as a chorus. It soared to success quickly on an international scale. The Billboard Hot 100 saw it reach number two, in the UK it hit number six and was a top ten smash across many European charts, as well as South Africa and Canada. 

Occasionally someone's hit wonders are a novelty song or tied to a specific event and they don’t really last for long. It's great when a record endures much longer and remains valid and very listenable years later. Rolling Stone magazine pinned this song down nicely "an international and enduring smash hit that, more than 30 years later, remains the perennial paranoia-rock anthem and Halloween mix go-to song."