4 One-Hit Wonder Lyrics That Every 80s Kid Remembers

There are certain lyrics in songs that are almost more identifiable than the songs themselves. Here are a few 80s lyrics that keep their one-hit wonders very much alive.

“Take On Me” by a-ha

“Take on me (Take on me) / Take me on (Take on me) / I’ll be gone / In a day or two.”

Even if you’re not an 80s kid, you’ve probably heard this song. “Take On Me” wasn’t a-ha‘s only hit. The duo also had success with “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.”. That song was actually more successful on the charts in the U.K. and Ireland than “Take On Me”. Regardless, though, this international hit is one of the most defining songs of any decade ever.

“Maniac” by Michael Sembello

“She’s a maniac, maniac on the floor / And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before.”

This song always reminds me of “Maneater” by Hall & Oates. Actually, upon rediscovering “Maniac”, I actually thought they were the same song. This Michael Sembello hit, however, is its own thing entirely. The track was used in the 1983 film Flashdance, which also features the iconic song “Flashdance…What A Feeling”. Sembello didn’t go on to have any songs that were quite as successful as “Maniac”, but the song did get nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

“Mickey” by Toni Basil

“Oh Mickey, you’re so fine / You’re so fine, you blow my mind / Hey Mickey, hey Mickey.”

Similar to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, “Hey Mickey” was actually originally written from a guy’s perspective, with the title “Hey Kitty”. Basil used her own experiences as being a head cheerleader in high school for the video concept. The music video for “Hey Mickey” eventually aired on MTV, which helped the song briefly reach No. 1 at the end of 1982.

“Your Love” by The Outfield

“Josie’s on a vacation far away / Come around and talk it over / So many things that I want to say / You know I like my girls a little bit older?”

This song took only about twenty minutes to write, proving that Top 10 hits don’t always have to be fancy or complicated. “Your Love” is still one of my favorite 80s songs, and personally I feel like it’s kind of slept on.

Photo by: Ron Wolfson/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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