3 One-Hit Wonders From Some of the Funniest People to Ever Live

Humor—it’s so essential. When you meet someone who is funny, you never want to leave their side. These days, the world can be tense. It can tug at you and make you want to scream at the top of your lungs. But when someone cuts the tension with a joke? It’s fabulous.

And that’s just what we wanted to dive into here today. We wanted to explore three songs that were written and performed by people who knew how to deliver a punchline. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from some of the funniest people to ever live.

“Party All The Time” by Eddie Murphy from ‘How Could It Be’ (1985)

Eddie Murphy was the height of comedy in the 1980s thanks to his standup specials like Raw and Delirious. But the Saturday Night Live cast member added the cherry to the proverbial sundae when he collaborated with famed music producer Rick James in the middle of the decade. Together, the two wrote and recorded songs for Murphy’s 1985 debut LP, How Could It Be. Murphy’s debut single from the album raced all the way to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, sitting just behind “Say You, Say Me” by Lionel Richie.

“You Look Marvelous” by Billy Crystal from ‘Mahvelous!’ (1985)

Speaking of SNL, one of the show’s most famous cast members, Billy Crystal, took one of his skits from the program and turned it into a hit song. Indeed, Crystal’s “You Look Marvelous”, which was co-written by Paul Shaffer and released on Crystal’s Grammy-nominated 1985 LP, Mahvelous!, went on to crack the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 58. That was practically unheard of for comedians at the time. But that was the power of Crystal, who could turn any material he had seemingly into gold.

“They Don’t Know” by Tracey Ullman from ‘You Broke My Heart In 17 Places’ (1983)

Originally released in 1979 by Kirsty MacColl, actor and comedian Tracey Ullman tracked her own rendition of this tune in 1983 for her debut LP. Ullman, who had her own variety show in the 1980s (fun fact: it was the first place to broadcast The Simpsons), scored a No. 8 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with the offering. For the performer, the pop song was yet another example of just how successful she could be in show business.

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