ONE HIT WONDERLAND: "You Get What You Give" by New Radicals

You got the music in you! Todd breaks down the long shelf life of the pop masterpiece "You Get What You Give" and the brief career of the band behind it.
(Support Todd on Patreon! / toddintheshadows )

[@mattlanguedoc8634]

I consider this song and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to be like bookends for the 1990s. "Teen Spirit" came out in 1991 and is an alternative song that rejected mainstream pop music. "You Get What You Give" came out in 1998 is a pop song that rejected mainstream alternative music. Everything just went full circle.

[@DanB-sh3wt]

You could say the same about Flagpole Sitta.

[@lordbander8767]

And in 2013 we had royals

[@VinchVolt]

@Jason Hurk Mainstream alternative as a concept did exist throughout the 90's when you consider that it was the decade where alternative rock no longer became alternative. Really, it was in need of a shakeup for years, but no attempts to do so succeeded, if the decline of rock music from the public eye throughout the 2000's is any indication.

[@realm23x73]

@Jason Hurk jesus..I feel like thumbing threw the phone book..er..Rolling Stone mags book on music trend and commercial labeling for today's modern radio. Figure I could get in on the debate..

[@realm23x73]

@Jason Hurk lol..good question..I just actually read the comments and I figure that an alternative can also be mainstream the terms don't automatically cancel each other out..also the guy getting cut a blank check to write music until he retires by some massive record label for pop stars makes him richer right now then a lot of small countries in 2019..so I guess it's just catchy fiction. The last couple lines about kicking rich celebs asses as they run screaming to their mansions..or nevermind..your the person that agrees sorry..

[@lizardjesus]

The funny thing is that Marilyn Manson was more pissed off about being put in the same sentence as Courtney Love than being dissed.

[@theoneandonlymichaelmccormick]

Lizard Jesus Wouldn’t you?

[@stevethepocket]

I imagine she felt likewise.

[@lizardjesus]

@@theoneandonlymichaelmccormick Yeah you have a point

[@DrewberTravels]

@Mister Skarred that is a weird venn diagram of audiences.

[@davidmonypeny5734]

I think I read somewhere Hanson actually got a kick out of being mentioned.

[@RyanTheSharkie69]

And now, in January 2023, Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Murder On the Dance Floor debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 at #98. Are you behind this, Todd?

[@josephtafur]

Never underestimate the power of the The Toddstradamus

[@AaronAnaya]

His endorsement probably didn't hurt it, but it's charting now because a lot of younger people heard it for the first time at the end of Saltburn.

[@iwasanangryyoungman]

@@AaronAnayagood for Sophie, as she is getting her Kate Bush boost on the US Billboard charts

[@anonymousperson3023]

​@@iwasanangryyoungmanKate Bush was pushed close to #1. She was barely able to scrape the #100. It aint the same

[@RyanTheSharkie69]

Didn’t expect this to get so many likes!

[@justinrector03]

I lost my shit when he said "here comes the lawsuit, baby" and just randomly busted into Foghat.

[@pawnhearts8785]

Justin Rector Todd needs to do a OHW on Layla by Derek and the Dominos

[@roguishpaladin]

@@pawnhearts8785 No. Just no. It's one thing when an artist from a OHW band goes on to a level of greater success, even though those kind of feel like cheating too. But it doesn't even count when a rock superstar forms a band to intentionally get out of the limelight. It also doesn't count when you have a second rock superstar from a different legendary band. It also also doesn't count when there's a second major song which has, over the years, been referenced by such artists as Bruce Springsteen and Lady Gaga and been covered by Cher. It also also also doesn't count when an album features Eric Clapton's freaking cover of Little Wing, which is the guitarist version of playing Hamlet (a trend which, arguably, was started by this very cover). It also also also also doesn't count when your band has enough pull to get Phil Spector AND Tom Dowd to work on your album due to your previous connections. Even if all of the above weren't true, Derek and the Dominoes would have to get a major asterisk because the band broke up partly due to Allman's death. Maybe, had the second album Derek and the Dominoes album ever been released, it would've been a candidate for Trainwreckords...but calling what was essentially a Clapton side project a OHW is the craziest thing I have ever heard in relation to music.

[@pawnhearts8785]

@roguishpaladin It was not a Clapton side project. All members of the band made the song. Also about the second major song part. Remember how many people have covered Someday we’ll know yet New Radicals are still considered a one hit wonder. Hell the whole album of New radicals has plenty of notable songs people know but todd still considers them a one hit wonder

[@theriffwriter2194]

LMAO. I was going through the comments and listening to the video at the same time and, at first, I thought you were talking about Todd.

[@charlesclark3840]

@@pawnhearts8785 At *least* three songs by Derek & the Dominos were AOR radio staples through the 70s and into the early 80s. They were not one hit wonders just because 50 years later you don't know their music.

[@chefbanjo8139]

"If you don't show your eyes, it's for one reason: you don't want to be famous." -Todd in the Shadows

[@pavook]

He's right. That and it also helps to push out more outward performance when you are shy.

[@michealmcleod4330]

I'm trying to find this song from the early 2005 and the lyrics alway get me confused it go's like i'm the one your looking for i'm the one you need!, but i remember the music video very well it mostly about girl laying on dark cold floor and is putting a gigantic mirror puzzle and each of the piece's reveal the guy who singing in the music video.

[@AC-ih7jc]

Not accusing anyone, but I thought it was because you didn't want anyone to see how dilated your pupils were from whatever recreationals you enjoy.

[@powerpopaholic876]

@@AC-ih7jc Depends. Matthew Powter wore a hat out of shyness. (he states...and I believe him). Whereas, the blond chick from the Go-Go's worse sunglasses because of heroin. such a terrible distasterous drug. And "The Edge' from U2 wears sunglasses because...he's been up all night and his eyes look exhausted the next day and his brain needs some darkness *(i.e. sleep)...glasses approximate that. maybe more than you asked for ! Cheers.

[@AC-ih7jc]

@@powerpopaholic876 Very true. Lots of reasons for wearing sunglasses...from "My eyes are sensitive to light" to "I'm shy" to "I want to look cool" to "I want to look intimidating" to "I don't want to incriminate myself." Everyone’s different. Cheers.

[@claire4127]

No wonder Todd liked "teenage dream" by Katy Perry so much, it has basically the same chorus !

[@trimmien2350]

holy shi-

[@gabe_s_videos]

AND "Cool For The Summer."

[@freddyfriend8498]

@Eric McGuire and todd called that one a katy perry ripoff, so.....

[@gabe_s_videos]

@Eric McGuire I guess that's just a really common rhythm?

[@someguy7582]

Max Martin's tried like 5 times to rewrite this song basically

[@DrewberTravels]

David Bowie was once quoted saying that he wished he wrote this tune.

[@jfrsnjhnsn]

Probably. It's very "Young Americans". Which I also hate.

[@BlueGuy98]

It does have a Bowie-esque sound to it. Kinda reminds me of “Heroes”

[@Dontrel3030]

Wasn't it Bono that said this?

[@johnnybensonitis7853]

I think Jesus surprised critics when he came back for a few to express how much he loved the song.

[@duffman18]

It always reminded me most of Benny and the Jets by Elton John. Like it's got very similar chords, both songs feature piano prominently. Benny and the Jets is better though

[@jmckenzie962]

All these posers discovering Murder on the Dancefloor from Saltburn got nothing on us real ones who found out about it from Todd

[@iwasanangryyoungman]

Knew that song from way back....even while Skepta sampled it "Love Me Not"

[@tomboz777]

Bruh, you merely adopted it...I was born with it, moulded by it from 2001

[@KremBotop]

I first watched the MV on TV as a kid in the early 2000s. It's a legit childhood classic.

[@PaulinaAngel]

I knew about it since 2008, when I first discovered SEB

[@technounionrepresentative4274]

Was murder on the dance floor not a hit song before? People seem to be acting like it wasn't well known

[@danderson8431]

I had an awful job at Greenpeace, and I order to inspire me they showed me a video with this song over a montage. I was so inspired by this song that I quit on the spot and found a much better job. Best decision ever!

[@geranball9678]

What made it so bad? (Also I'm biased not a fan of Greenpeace)

[@danderson8431]

@Geran Ball....my job was to harass people on the street and get them to sign petitions by telling a bunch of half-truths.

[@danderson8431]

@Peruvian Leftist Fella....dude, why you gotta take it there?

[@geranball9678]

@@danderson8431 ooh you were one of those people, always wondered the perspective of doing that job, never looked fun, PLAN international is bad to, guilt you just tp get money

[@spectrallik]

@@danderson8431 I've had nothing but bad experiences with Greenpeace's street preachers. You leaving that job likely made your community a better place to live in.

[@gfbm13]

Joni praised it, and she hates EVERYTHING. That's how you know this was quality

[@firthbythesea]

Joni is very prickly indeed 😂

[@galleryofrogues]

Jacob McMillan She does?! She seems so sweet!

[@grahamkristensen9301]

@@galleryofrogues If you go by her music, yeah, but she's extremely hard to please when it comes to other people's music or who she lets play in her band. (Jaco Pastorius was her bass player, if you need a unit of measurement for that.)

[@SamAronow]

And conversely, Nathan Rabin hated it.

[@TheWinstonSlip]

Sam Aronow who is that anyway and who care what he thinks?

[@Aster_Risk]

I love that Gregg ended up working with Hanson. I definitely see Hanson as being the type of guys not to be offended by what he said and be able to have a good laugh at it.

[@Tazzie1312]

Yeah, they seem super chill honestly.

[@andu1854]

They did a sketch about how much mmmbob was overplayed on SNL, also I don’t think they care to be honest, they make the music they want and I still don’t like them that much

[@DestinyKiller]

​@@andu1854I remember that episode, it was hilarious lol There was also a school that did a charity thing called Stop the Bop where they played MmmBop constantly until a donation amount had been met. Iirc they themselves donated some money because no one should be put through that lol

[@TheAlexSchmidt]

​@@DestinyKillerThey did that at my school too, that's actually how I found out the song even existed.

[@drygnfyre]

Hanson is pretty cool because they have never stopped making music. They've been pumping out music now for almost three decades and they don't seem concerned with commercial success or anything like that. They just make stuff they like. I remember they used to get made fun of a lot, but it's cool how they took it in stride and just focused on making music.

[@nickrustyson8124]

"I'm a jew and you're my hitler" that's a rare insult.

[@SuperDevolution]

Does it make it better or worse that he's not actually Jewish? I'm going with worse.

[@UnderdogRecords91]

I laughed to hard during this entire segment. I'm not sure if he was serious about this or if these first two albums were just one glorious piss take. If he was serious, that certainly makes him throwing shade at "sellouts" a lot more hypocritical.

[@MrJedroi258]

That's a rare compliment

[@nickrustyson8124]

@@SuperDevolution That just make it even funnier

[@jenniferw7928]

I'm kinda shocked over how soft Todd was on that- what an awful excuse for a song that also tries to appropriate the Holocaust for this wasp's teen angst- gross!

[@yserareborn]

Todd has been really good at "What is that song? I've never heard of... OH WAIT!!!" feeling for me. I am glad to be reminded of this song in particular though. It's nice :)

[@SomeRPGFan]

I had the same reaction. I knew the song but only now found out what it is called courtesy of Todd.

[@CustomKnights]

I feel like there's like 100 songs that I've kept listening to throughout the years to never forget about them, this is one of them. I just heard it last week lol the bad thing is it doesn't feel special

[@ChildrenOfRadiation]

@@CustomKnights Try listening to it in a crappy quality, it might could feel special then.

[@nosidezero]

Same here. I remember this song from when I was a kid, but I never knew the name, and I slowly forgot about it until now.

[@fermintenava5911]

I'm strangely certain I heard this song as a bumper on a KZbin video somewhere (maybe it was even one of Todd's top ten-lists - who knows?)

[@StardustNovaChannel]

That line about kicking Marilyn Manson's ass in aged well.

[@MarcusBlueWolf]

Lmao

[@MortanAMrk]

i mean who doesnt want to kick him, I've wanted to kick him since i first saw him

[@TheSteve5154]

Wait, why?

[@RennWickam]

@@TheSteve5154 he's a predator

[@typicalfurry2747]

@@RennWickam wait what

[@p4rz1val]

That New Radicals guy wrote "Murder on the Dancefloor." An unexpected piece of information, but an appreciated one.

[@nadiabishop5650]

Serupael I love heaps of those songs he wrote how cool is it to know it was him!

[@michaelfarrow5817]

It was like the New Radicals fell apart and he took the next two albums and sprayed them liberally across the pop world.

[@LeatherScorpio]

I really liked Murder On The Dancefloor when it first came out. Didn’t know it was written by him until now, very interesting!

[@uglyposterboy]

That song gives me speed flashback 😂

[@spikejames4995]

He wrote a load shit of pop songs

[@sullivangate]

The early Gregg Alexander stuff sounds like it was written by Trent Lane's band from Daria.

[@RyanStorey1231]

Hey, Trent wrote some decent bops. "Freakin' Friends" still slaps. 😂

[@queenemma5823]

“We’re Mystik Spiral, but we’re thinking of changing our name”

[@bv9434]

Freaking nailed it

[@archimmes]

Omg yaaaasss

[@colin-nekritz]

Sweet jesus you’re right!!!

[@AvatarSmurf]

I think "Someday We'll Know" is my favorite failed follow-up that you covered on the show.

[@kidwaryodproduction]

I love this song especially when Hall and Oates ft. Todd Rundgren cover it :)

[@ivy16x81]

This guy wrote "You get what you give" AND "Murder on the dancefloor"?? Well, I found my favorite songwriter.

[@willritter4076]

Game of Love by Michelle Branch actually sounds a lot like Get What You Give... no surprise it's the same writer.

[@anaritacoelho6689]

Yeah, like those are my favorite song of that era!

[@Dracinard]

And the music for Begin Again? That's a good damn writer.

[@ANT96-x8d]

What I recommend should be next: “Let The Music Play”-Shannon “Point Of No Return”-Exposé “It’s My Life”-Talk Talk “Destination Unknown”-Missing Persons “Catch Me(I’m Falling)”-Pretty Poison Any comments?

[@hallamhal]

@@ANT96-x8d I mean any exposure to Talk Talk is great? But a one hit wonder? Such a Shame, life's what you make it, I guess...

[@andilengcizela]

"I am a JEW. A JEW. And you're my HITLER!" Amazing! Incredible lyricism. Wow. :'D

[@gabe_s_videos]

@Aaron A420 Yeah, it seems to be the early signs of the people of the 90s were rejecting political correctness.

[@marccolten9801]

Exactly how I proposed.

[@arithefierysecretary6411]

Todd shouting the "ONE TWO ONE TWO THREE" for the intro just makes me so so so so happy. You being joyful lifts my spirits after a really really rough month, Todd. Thank you.

[@MomLAU]

That must've been fun to play, too!

[@number8tyeight]

he wrote murder on the dancefloor? and love is a rollercoaster? wow legend

[@4ctmam]

Co-wrote with Sophie, yes.

[@RacingAtHome]

So many great songs. Even Brisebois has some fantastic ones too. Natasha Bedingfield's Unwritten and Pocketful of Sunshine are great. Gregg also did Carly Hennesey's 'I'm Gonna Blow Your Mind' which I like a lot too.

[@JimGroome]

The guy from New Radicals wrote Murder On The Dancefloor?! Consider my wig absolutely snatched

[@highheeledfagin]

I knew about the Ronan Keaton one but have no idea how that little nugget passed me by.

[@spikejames4995]

He wrote a shit load of pop hits, him and danielle the keyboardist. Such a talent dudes

[@robertfield2209]

...and co-wrote Inner Smile by Texas..it sounds very New Radicals compared to Say What You Want and Sleep with Paul Buchanan

[@etkbruze5526]

Holy shit

[@BarbadosBeerFestival]

😱

[@sawbonesquad4876]

"I AM A JEW AND YOU'RE MY HITLER" -Written by Eric Cartman

[@williamz7011]

Written by Kyle to Cartman

[@david2869]

The musical equivalent of Godwin's Law

[@briansergeant]

Trey and Matt were inspired by Archie Bunker to create Cartman. The same Archie Bunker of which a young Danielle Brisebois was a child star in that show! Surreal isn’t it?!

[@NeoKingGhidorah]

Hearing Murder on the Dancefloor pop up put a giant smile on my face.

[@g.waldmeister1851]

It was "Inner Smile" for me. Love that song.

[@RastaSaiyaman]

Not for me though, it got played to death here, making me wonder if I'm the only one totally sick of that song.

[@cartmann94]

New Radicals: The Ultimate One Hit Wonder. Scored their first great hit. And then returned to the background... in the Shadows.

[@ENJ4321]

Yeah, but to be fair...it was by design. The lead singer wanted to work behind the scenes, it's admirable. Especially, when he has wrote for alot of different people in the US and the UK.

[@TweekMorgan4dictator]

With Todd!

[@Astolfo2001]

Just like Lindanna from Phineas and Ferb

[@alanwright8218]

The Hitler song sounds like something Eric Cartman would sing

[@tylerhackner9731]

Yay another One Hit Wonderland! Tbh I like the One Hit Wonderlands and Trainwreckords as much (if not more) than the regular pop song reviews.

[@msminmichigan]

I think he hasn't done any new episodes though. I think I remember watching this a few years ago.

[@poeterritory]

Same. It's why I'm subscribed.

[@bryanchilders5162]

msminmichigan this is a completely new episode

[@CWB342]

They’re the only ones I can enjoy anymore tbh. Occasionally the pop song reviews will be solid but he either leans way too hard on TGWTG nitpicking or Breadtube-lite analysis. Idk what happened there but OHW & Trainwreckords stay great.

[@0supermoose804]

OHW is why I watch the channel

[@mightyfilm]

Can't decide if "You're my Hitler" or "here comes the lawsuit" is the more awkward lyric.

[@SuperDevolution]

Definitely the Hitler one.

[@mightyfilm]

Sure, it has that 15 year old emo boy trying to be "deep" and "provocative" feel to it, but the law suit bit annoys me for a different reason. There's no way in hell the record label would have let him release the song without clearing the rights to the song he "borrowed." I'd like to think it's an unfunny dig at Vanilla Ice and "Under Pressure," but that's giving him too much credit.

[@mightyfilm]

Vanilla Ice is and always was low hanging fruit. Of course, the artist in question did eventually get out of the "I'm in college" level of " I think I'm deep" and found what genuinely worked over time. I knew TOO many artists like that in my life that had that late teens to early 20's viewpoint in their works and it's always just a phase for most of them. When the ones that get their real voice later, that's when they really shine.

[@birdmusic1206]

@blake bishop I love his writing and I think a lot of people misunderstand his sense of humor. He sneaks terrible lines in amazing songs and in my opinion he is messing with people that take music too seriously. I like his song lost stars too and he says "I saw a lion kiss a deer" just randomly in it. He is an incredible writer and it's hard for me to believe he writes that stuff without a subversive motive. He is taking a jab at the pop industry and it's funny once you catch on. Then again maybe he just chokes and writes terrible lines. Listen to his tone when he sings though, it's overly dramatic. Learn to laugh at it and you will appreciate their music more. Check 14:30 in this video for more to back this up, he just checked out because he thought it was all a joke.

[@mightyfilm]

They're both pretty cringe, mostly because both lyrics smack of someone that thinks they're deep AF, but are in reality more shallow than a kiddy pool flattened by a monster truck.

[@themodereviews3182]

Extremely funny that both Murder On The Dancefloor AND Unwritten are currently having huge global revivals right now!

[@michaelgraham9774]

Real talk right there. I remember when Murder on The Dance Floor had like less than 4 million views on KZbin and now its got almost 150 mil

[@philly_sports1558]

One of the most underrated songs ever, and quite possibly the greatest song by a one-hit wonder artist. It almost seems impossible that a piece of music this well-written and this skillfully crafted belongs to an artist that never had another hit. I can't compare it to any other song, artist, or genre. It's simply the masterpiece known as "You Get What You Give". It stands by itself.

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

I guess he put absolutely everything he had into it, and had nothing left afterwards.

[@plasticpassionplasticfashion]

I mean...I love this song but it definitely sounds like a Todd Rundgren rip-off. Which is by no means a diss!

[@Raitor33]

To me it’s between this and Come On Eileen, but the Dexys had other hits so I guess they don’t really count

[@RenaldyCalixte]

I think Flagpole Sitta is better than You Get What You Give.

[@rzeka]

"Not every great song starts with a count-in, but every song that starts with a count-in is great." - a youtube comment I read somewhere

[@nicemarmot.5353]

Gunter gleiben glauchen globen

[@crimsonvampyre602]

Counterpoint: Vertigo by U2

[@rzeka]

@@crimsonvampyre602 doesn't count cause he doesn't count right

[@maikubraxton]

Summerboy by Lady Gaga isn't bad but it definitely does not fit on the Fame.

[@Megafighter3]

A Love Bizarre counts, right?

[@robjgolde3221]

Holy shit, I had no idea he wrote “Game of Love” and Brisbois wrote “Unwritten”. Good on them for basically owning 2002 and 2006, respectively.

[@RawChristianSuperman]

2004

[@blazicgd]

@@RawChristianSuperman I associate Unwritten with 2005

[@fransbuijs808]

Or Murder on the Dancefloor.

[@pokepress]

You can end up a lot worse in this video series.

[@YelenaSkunky]

They wrote so many of my favourite songs. It's unbelievable.

[@BrentLabasan]

Damn, Ice-T giving props to New Radicals.

[@AlexOnTheBus]

Starts the nineties singing Cop Killer, ends the nineties praising The New Radicals, goes on to play a cop on TV. Slippery slope, I tell ya...

[@eltiochusma]

@@AlexOnTheBus I hear what you're writing, but it doesn't mean what you think it does...

[@IsiahTomas]

RE: Ice Cube's beginnings, if you guys don't already know, for references.

[@samuelstensgaard4828]

@@AlexOnTheBus Sometimes rappers grow out of speaking the truth, it happens.

[@samuelstensgaard4828]

@Kausachun Velasco I meant the whole playing a cop on TV thing

[@SeanStrife]

Honestly, I think You Get You Give is what I like to call a Fine Wine song. It's kinda like Closing Time in that it's only gotten better as the years have gone on.

[@calmbbaer]

Those two songs were like, "Okay - everyone can go home now; music is over. it's all retreads from here on."

[@chrisitalia8868]

It's a wierd thing where it was like a minor hit, that holds up incredibly well and was quality songwriting that's timeless. As compared to other late 90s pop hits that aged horribly like smashmouth or barenaked ladies or boy band crap

[@gjgsssgjgsss]

@@chrisitalia8868do NOT diss Walkin on the Sun or All Star

[@dorksouls978]

The summer of 1999 started with a broken engagement and a cancelled wedding but ended with meeting the love of my life. An absolute rollercoaster of a year.

[@Spud4free1]

Tell me this song was the love of your life

[@Raitor33]

I was born then too lol

[@TishyRose]

That sounds like the plot of a cute romcom, this song would be on the soundtrack 🙈 really though it’s nice you found a positive at the end of a year that started so rubbish for you.

[@RenaldyCalixte]

​@@TishyRoseThe summer of 1999 started with me completing 3rd grade and the fall of 1999 began with me beginning 4th grade.

[@derekconwaygd]

Todd appreciating murder on the dancefloor is 50000% what I needed today, this man’s taste is unparalleled

[@gheefreak]

I'm so glad to have been turned on to it. It's so good!

[@KremBotop]

Agree. MOTDF is legit my favorite pop song ever. Absolute perfection.

[@4ctmam]

Let's not forget Guy Pratt's killer bass line in that track.

[@RyanTheSharkie69]

I have no idea why, but this song just debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #98 this week.

[@haydengarrett8125]

It’s on the Saltburn soundtrack, and that movie’s getting a lot of buzz

[@namebrandmason]

These are my favorite class of One Hit Wonders; the guys who had a better career after they were famous.

[@Friedegger]

This is basically The Buggles all over again.

[@jessenathan9346]

Like Hanson

[@MonzennCarloMallari]

Chamillionaire is my tentpole for that category

[@ancomfin4270]

Dan Wilson from Semisonic too (Cant think of them as 1 hitters though because I remember Secret Smile more than Closing Time)

[@jonothanthrace1530]

@@Friedegger Gregg Alexander/Art Of Noise collab please

[@danford4275]

Correct: Murder on the Dance Floor is a fantastic song, thanks for the recommendation.

[@vwestlife]

You reminded me of another one-hit wonder from 1999: Tal Bachman's "She's So High". Son of Canadian rocker Randy Bachman, his unsuccessful follow-up single was the sad ballad "If You Sleep", which was the polar opposite of his big hit -- just like the New Radicals' failed follow-up. He had one more Top 20 hit in Canada and then disappeared from pop music, leaving him with plenty of free time to have eight kids (!).

[@Demiglitch]

@Psy Duck Blur has a song called She's So High and Tal Bachmann has scratchy vocals during the chorus. Only things I can link to Oasis since the rest of the song sound like Matchbox 20 or something.

[@blazicgd]

She's SO High is a nice happy pop rock song, and easily the one of the least pretentious and ironic ones

[@neosquid9609]

I've listened to interviews with both artists (as little as there is)... Tal wanted a followup album but they just wouldn't let him have it; he was like "It's like you go up to bat, hit a home run and are never allowed another at-bat"; meanwhile Gregg wanted to get out of the business pronto, and people didn't want him to. Before the Biden thing, Gregg said he's been offered big amounts of money for a followup/reunion from major label-heads. His genius is undeniable.

[@Blizofoz45]

I always thought that song sounded like a tampon commercial.

[@RyleeStrange]

thats another song with the perfect guitar solo, played at the perfect spot, for the exact right amount of time. tasty as hell.

[@empressmarowynn]

I used to listen to this album on repeat while playing Diddy Kong Racing. I don't think you can get more 90's than that.

[@VIDS3687]

Hahaha, Yes forgot about DIDDY'S Racing!! 😂😂

[@Descro382]

I don't know man, when Nakeyjakey was talking about listening to Endtroducing... and playing Tony Hawk, I felt the 90's just slap me in the face lol. But yeah, most definitely 90's

[@llamabot9889]

"I'm Banjo!"

[@madderthanever]

1999 was 20 years ago... Geezus Effing Krist, where does the time go?

[@littlekingtrashmouth9219]

I remember being sick at home and seeing this on MTV. I thought it was Weezer at first, but they rarely (if ever) used piano

[@davincent98]

@@Tornado1994 I don't think the comment was so much about the release of the song, as the actual year

[@ThatOneGuy0006]

I was born the week Metal Gear Solid came out, and I'll be able to drink in less than a month.

[@unstoppableExodia]

ThatOneGuy006 if you were born the week MGS came out did your parents name you Snake?

[@madderthanever]

@@unstoppableExodia If not, they should have. Solid Snake is a solid name.

[@jackmcgee5331]

The reason for the low #36 peak on the Hot 100 (it actually peaked at #30 on the airplay component of the chart) is You Get What You Give was never released as a single in the US. Billboard didn't even allow album cuts to chart until they changed their policy starting with the 12/5/98 panel which is when YGWYG entered. But not having single sales points put album cuts at a disadvantage on the broader chart. In the late 90s some labels felt releasing singles cannibalized more lucrative album sales so they were willing to sacrifice chart placement.

[@RenaldyCalixte]

This was detailed in a podcast I listened to called Hit Parade. Great music history podcast.

[@dragonpullman23]

Hall and Oates covering "Someday We'll Know" makes way more sense than it should.

[@dangrel]

I remember some press (maybe Spin?) calling YGWYG 'a really good Hall and Oates song' at the time.

[@dragonpullman23]

@@dangrel Well, I can see the connection. Gregg Alexander does sound like a younger, hipsterier Daryl Hall.

[@ponygon777]

Who knew the little girl from All in the Family would write Unwritten, one of the most overplayed songs of the 2000s.

[@JarrodBaniqued]

That’d be a great topic for One Hit Wonderland, though. I always wondered what happened to Natasha Bedingfield after ‘07...

[@lunatikkrazieazylum6226]

@@JarrodBaniqued Do you not remember "Pocketful of Sunshine?"

[@ponygon777]

@@JarrodBaniqued Natasha Bedingfield actually had a few hits. Her brother Daniel on the other hand...

[@Zezlemetkun]

@@JarrodBaniqued new album coming this year

[@appletree6898]

Good song, though.

[@broadway331]

1) Thank you for introducing me to “Murder on the Dance Floor”. It’s a bop. 2) I am not surprised Hall & Oates covered a New Radicals song. My dad loved watching Daryl Hall’s show “Live From Daryl’s House” and he has a lot of different musical acts on it from well-known to more music nerd groups. Like look it up. The list is wild.

[@joaquinlezcano2372]

Daryl hall, for example, worked with Robert FRIPP of King Crimson. He definitely knew his stuff

[@mwmaggles]

For future episodes of One Hit Wonderland: "Barely Breathing" - Duncan Sheik "Voices Carry" - 'Til Tuesday "In a Big Country" - Big Country "No Diggity" - Backstreet "What I Am" - Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians "My Sharona" - The Knack "Got To Be Real" - Cheryl Lynn "96 Tears" - ? and the Mysterians "Under the Milky Way" - The Church "I Melt With You" - Modern English

[@carybeweary7209]

I hope he does Melt with you. I love that song.

[@randomassortmentofthings]

The knack was purposefully created to be a one hit wonder, iirc, under the milky way is pretty good.

[@chicagoakland]

*Blackstreet Also, I'm adding Return of the Mack -- Mark Morrison to your list. Best song of the '90s...yeah, I said it.

[@carybeweary7209]

@@chicagoakland love that song too

[@SatoshiKong]

Brimful of Asha by Cornershop is an absolute must.

[@MANJYOMETHUNDER111]

"I am a Jew! And you're my Hitler!" HOW DID HIS CAREER SURVIVE THIS?!

[@Dawnbreakerr]

@@AsylumSaint Translation: we used to let people say dumb shit and get away with it twenty years ago

[@colmivers]

Because no one heard the shitty song

[@RobLives4Love]

He didn't have a career.

[@MANJYOMETHUNDER111]

@@RobLives4Love Solid point.

[@einootspork]

His career survived it because nobody ever heard it until this video.

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

"Brisebois wrote a couple of hits too." I remember the first time I watched this video and heard that line and was immediately gobsmacked by what proceeded.

[@awzthemusicalreviews]

Same. I still can't fully comprehend it, nearly 2 years later. "You might know this one" just makes it work even more

[@kabpoetry]

The fact that Danielle's music never got popular is fucking criminal. She's so talented.

[@P00katube]

Danielle Brisbois wrote hits for Natasha Bedingfield.

[@bornoncentral4485]

@@kabpoetry Being a former child actor is always going to carry a stigma. Danielle was hoping to escape that by going into music, but I think it was even worse there. The radio / retail world would always see her forever as the kid from Archie Bunker’s Place so the music industry was never gonna take her seriously.

[@kabpoetry]

@@bornoncentral4485 It's a damned shame, too. There are plenty of people who deserve that stigma, and mostly because a lot of them are doing it out of pure ego. Danielle is legitimately talented. Another I can think of is Leighton Meester, who was a singer/songwriter before she was an actress, and made a lovely album called "Heartstrings". It should have been bigger. We get stuck with the mostly undeserving a lot of the time.

[@lifeispuzzling]

Never clicked on a video so fast. One of my favorite songs from the late 90s + Todd = gold!

[@Karmy.]

Same here!!

[@trinaq]

The perfect combination! I recall hearing it in seemingly every movie from the mid 2000's, from "Surf's Up", to "Click".

[@EzioMonty117]

One of my favourite pop songs of all time. Glad to see Todd covering it.

[@lifeispuzzling]

@@EzioMonty117 I just want you to know that your profile pic made me smile. My favorite band of all time 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@davidmonypeny5734]

Same here. Masterpiece.

[@endcensorship874]

This and "Steal My Sunshine" by Len are just perfect for that era. Timeless, and would only fit in this time period.

[@pigfish99]

This song has aged pretty damn well. It's message has resonated with every person who has been on hard times, but are still doing good.

[@guardianeris]

*points finger* You!

[@pigfish99]

Me? Who are you? :o​@@guardianeris

[@guardianeris]

@@pigfish99 I'm Felix/deadchialiveson!

[@isetmfriendsofire]

I would love to hear Todd talk more about the mythification of grunge

[@wadespencer3623]

Sees title of video: "Huh, never heard of this one." Five seconds of song plays: "Oh, never mind!" This happens all the time with one hit wonders. Their names are always so weird I don't associate the lyrics I know with them.

[@SatoshiKong]

At least you end up recognizing them eventually. More often than not, I'm not familiar with them at all, and it always sends me into a bit of an existential quandary.

[@FrenkTheJoy]

I've watched so many of these videos specifically to figure out what song goes with the title. I've almost always heard them, but like you said, the names are so weird I usually don't put the song with the title.

[@Sandwich1414]

I think the biggest shock to me was finding out that three or four of my fav childhood songs were written by Gregg (Murder on the Dancefloor is an unabashed classic, always gets the dancefloor going). When you started showing off the songs, I was like "Wait a minute, he did all these?"

[@A-Oh-Trey]

"What if Beck thought he was Jim Morrison." Ha! I was unfamiliar with pre-New Radicals Gregg Alexander, but that description feels perfect. Ugh! Thanks for reminding how great this song is. I'll forget about it, but then when I randomly hear it again it never fails to make me happy

[@P00katube]

Beck is Jim Morrison reincarnated.

[@kennydnolan]

I'm amazed that Gregg ended up becoming so hostile to his sudden fame with New Radicals, because everything about "Intoxification" era Gregg's music and videos desperately screams "Everybody lookit me I'm cool and wanna be famous!!!"

[@8rickey]

"What if Beck thought he was Jim Morrison" is the greatest line ever. Also, you showed it for a second but I have been dying for "Steal My Sunshine" by Len for an episode of One Hit Wonderland!!

[@cartooncottage2024]

Same.

[@crazy1234573]

@@cartooncottage2024 Oh yes!!! "Steal my sunshine" is a great song!! The sample use was so good in that song.

[@patricklauer4452]

8rickey same

[@jerryconnorsjr.2798]

If he talks about Steal My Sunshine, he then has to mention that the "spine" sample comes from a disco hit called More More More, which was recorded by adult feature superstar Andrea True, so maybe he doesn't want to go there. (The story about how More More More got recorded is a great story in itself.)

[@musicman6555]

Oh my God yes. Apparently one of the collaborators in that band went on to help found Broken Social Scene

[@jbhanna6855]

I’m a hop hop head but always liked this song. Yrs later, a few months ago I lost my big brother to COVID. Around this time I RE-discovered this song while mourning my brother, and it hit me TOTALLY different. Cool video tho.✊🏾

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

You have a similar story to the Bidens. This was Bo Biden's favourite song. He died of cancer years ago. The band reunited to play at his dad's inauguration last year

[@heelstevenmaggle5615]

Todd: *"1 2 3"* Phone: Crashes

[@creebea6741]

The fact he wrote one of the most iconic UK hits “murder on the dance floor” has me honestly shook to the core.

[@mathieuleader8601]

I met Sophie Ellis-Bextor my dad used to drive celebrities

[@matthewdrummond1340]

"So what the present was bull$hit. You are still awesome." *I needed to hear that in June 2020. Thank you Todd.*

[@gracekeddy]

LOVED seeing todd dance, even for just a second. just sheer joy

[@amynero1135]

As well as his cute little laugh before he gets up and goes for it :-p

[@wadekemmsies7180]

Do "Jerk It Out" by the Caesers

[@andrewamann8855]

I second this suggestion...

[@philwilson4167]

I second this seconding

[@mythex8698]

Or as I remember it, "that song from SSX3"

[@santiagobauza4257]

@@mythex8698 And FIFA 2004

[@unstoppableExodia]

Santiago Bauzá and that iPod shuffle commercial

[@MiketheNerdRanger]

This was a marvel of a song! It's so upbeat and infectious, and it feels so conclusive; like the sun's going down, you've had a great day, you're on your way home, and this song kicks in, roll the credits.

[@mariosonic4ever]

You just described the ending of Surf's Up (which uses this song).

[@louiscyfear878]

1999 was the functional equivalent of lifting someone's chin up to the sky before 2000 socked you in the mouth.

[@queenemma5823]

And then 2001 gut punched you

[@archer1949]

Louis Cyfear The entire 21st Century has been a complete shitshow compared to what I was led to believe as a kid in late 80’s and early 90’s.

[@gabingston3430]

I'd say that it was a certain sunny Tuesday morning in September of 2001 that socked us all in the mouth.

[@louiscyfear878]

@@archer1949 I couldn't agree with you more. Has anyone copywriten the term *_"FALSETTO OPTIMISM"_* yet?

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

@@gabingston3430 Shit, it was a Tuesday. Now I'm imagining Raul Julia giving a soliloquy on it. "For you, the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon were the formative events of your life. But to me... it was Tuesday."

[@williamsullivan4640]

Duncan Shiek “Barely Breathing” would be a great one hit wonder video as well. The guy ended up really successful in the Broadway circuits after his career floundered, creating a little musical not well known called Spring Awakening

[@NidorinoAlliance]

I like hearing Americans discover Murder On The Dancefloor. Since we Aussies and Brits have cherished it as a pop masterpiece for years. :D

[@meowtherainbowx4163]

It really is amazing and should’ve caught on here! Maybe it just sounded *too* British or played more into the trends going on in the UK at the time. Maybe the label didn’t even think it’d be successful here. Who knows? It’s certainly not for lack of quality.

[@breezybailey767]

Me and my mates will be in the car and as soon as that banger comes on we stop talking about whatever we were talking about and just sing it at the top of our lungs

[@pmberry]

@@meowtherainbowx4163 I think Sophie does play up her posh bird accent a bit... not for international consumption.

[@kidwaryodproduction]

I remember on that time Australian have a cool music like Tina Arena "Dare you to be happy" and also Disco Montego.

[@KremBotop]

The song also gained a lot of traction in Latin America back then, and is still remembered fondly. I distinctly remember watching and enjoying its music video on TV multiple times as a kid. Nowadays it still shows up in retro stations and playlists every once in a while. It's definitely my favorite pop song ever.

[@imogenx9145]

I love when Todd gets passionate about songs/ artists.

[@PancracioProductions]

I love living in a time when I can watch super interesting essays of whatever thing I like made by people who love that thing even more than me. Thank you.

[@Raitor33]

I love your animations man

[@isaganipalanca8803]

"Someday We'll Know", the second single is just as heartbreakingly beautiful! A band with songs like this and "You Get what You Give" deserve to have a had a stellar career! The melodies, harmonies and songwriting craftsmanship are Carole King good level!

[@mrkd2k10]

I’m actually in shock at the amount of excellent songs Alexander and Brisebois have written

[@spikejames4995]

Me too I'm fucking surprise

[@kenpudsey6435]

I've just started listening to some of their other songs..these guys should have not split up!

[@amp888]

0:45 - LEN - Steal My Sunshine. Great song...next up on One Hit Wonderland?

[@soapybeats4111]

god the verses were dumb in that song

[@ronstoppable5659]

My Own Worst Enemy by Lit, which also came out in 1999, would make a great OHW episode as well

[@soapybeats4111]

@@ronstoppable5659 That song bangs hard as fuck

[@roguishpaladin]

He's teased it a couple of times now, so I have a feeling we might see it soon.

[@thewheelsoffury1992]

@@ronstoppable5659 is it weird that I remember "Miserable" more than "My Own Worst Enemy"? I saw the Pamela Anderson vid for the former a few times as a kid, and the video and the hook just burned itself into my brain forever. I have no memory of My Own Worst Enemy being popular at all

[@Ezoangelofdeath]

The sad thing about the New Radicals album was it was all pretty awesome, full of catchy pop songs, and melodic choruses, many tracks could have been successful singles.

[@Leogun94]

"Murder on the Dance Floor", the Americans really missed out on that one. Great episode, Todd! You've given me a new songwriter to look into.

[@FeelingShred]

And the british missed out on "Running With the Devil"

[@Leogun94]

@@FeelingShred Wikipedia says Running w/t Devil actually charted higher in the UK than in the US, so I'm not sure what you're on about

[@FeelingShred]

@@Leogun94 Wow I made up stuff out of my ass and learned something new. Thanks! For some reason I thought VH was never huge in europe at all

[@Leogun94]

@@FeelingShred No problem! Wikipedia also says the song charted highest in The Netherlands, #2. I think that's probably because of the Dutch roots of the Van Halen brothers, but I'm not sure.

[@angelluna9599]

It's very popular in Mexico

[@richarddorazi8565]

“Having nothing figured out and yet having everything figured out at the same time.” Having just entered my 20s, that connects with me a whole lot.

[@EpicB]

I feel the same way.

[@SatoshiKong]

It gets worse the older you get, believe me.

[@queenbench3114]

Waiting for the Murder on the Dance Floor Episode now

[@bombercountyblues]

I feel very qualified to confirm that the 90s was Indeed "a great time for weird outsiders"..

[@fungi42o0]

Indeed

[@TheLuci915]

TODD PLEASE DO TEENAGE DIRTBAG BY WHEATUS

[@Karmy.]

yes

[@madderthanever]

Definitely should happened.

[@peelslowly28]

Are you a Teenage Dirtbag or am I?

[@fancypondfrog]

Bruh

[@vickytsurka8109]

you gotta pay him

[@NemFX]

Honestly, Gregg Alexander deserves so much more credit than he has. This guy has contributed a lot of music to the world and a lot of it has been through other artists. I sincerely hope he will put out those other New Radicals cds. Shit, if he said he'd put them out next year, I'd go line up right now.

[@alejandrobustilloschacon1482]

I will not stand hate for "Someday We'll Know".

[@jessicazeller8060]

Alejandro Bustillos Chacón Someday We’ll Know is a jam. I’m surprised it wasn’t a hit. I’m more familiar with that song than You Get What You Give.

[@alainacrowell8695]

All of the songs on the album except maybe Technicolor Lover have my full respect and love

[@santiagobauza4257]

It's got decent airplay in a classics radio here in Argentina, considering their playlist is reeeeaaaaally tight and the song never seemed to take off.

[@robjgolde3221]

I don’t get how anyone could hate that song at all

[@Bradley_Lute]

Is a good song. Didn't get very popular, but the pop crowd aren't too sophisticated.

[@jefffanelli4380]

If it hasn't been done yet I think we need a deep dive on Lit's My Own Worst Enemy haha

[@KejnTheImmortal]

Not a one hit wonder though, "Miserable" was a hit too.

[@jefffanelli4380]

@Jasonkejnn I think miserable is probably a failed follow up as I have never heard of it?

[@KejnTheImmortal]

@@jefffanelli4380 Nope, not a failed follow up. You not having heard it doesn't make it so either. It was all over the radio back in the day, and gets played more than the other to this day. Not only that, but it's also the superior track from that record, it's aged better. #3 on the charts is nowhere near a failed follow up, it's just not a #1 like "My Own Worst Enemy". Zip-Lock on the other hand, that's closer to a failed follow up, #11 was as high as it went. Still, 3 tracks in the top 20 is still not shabby for one album. The follow up album "Atomic" didn't do as well, having only one top 10 single, then there was "Over my Head" from the Titan A. E. OST.

[@punker-gamer-trucker-guy]

I hear miserable just as much if not more than my own worst enemy on alternative radio.

[@basedsouljah]

@@jefffanelli4380 You've heard it.

[@closertoheaven923]

It was from a perfect pop album, so catchy but never saccharine, no duds, no missteps. Like the lyrics from his ballad ‘church on Sunday’ , he sings “have I been seduced and forgotten?” - yeah that’s the way the audience feels (or how I feel anyway). It really is a hole in one and then the guy drops his club in the bag and says ‘I think I’ll try my hand at tennis’. Good on him. Will always treasure him and that album.

[@afroceltduck]

That was one of the most bizarre "Before the Big Hit" sections ever.

[@PaninaroAurora]

Alexander actually sounds like Mick Jagger if you do the aural equivalent of squint.

[@smitten8951]

PaninaroAurora absolutely!

[@robjgolde3221]

I remember playing this song in the car as a kid while my dad (a massive Stones fan) was driving and he was like “wow, this guy sounds a lot like Mick Jagger”

[@nathanharrison1739]

I always mistake this song for "You Can't Always Get What You Want. "

[@LeviBulger]

Great comment

[@Bradley_Lute]

The album is rather like Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair in that it seems to pull heavily from their early late 70s/early 70s workM particularly Exile On Mainstreet. And they both work so well at that goal.

[@meowtherainbowx4163]

I really REALLY want to hear those ten albums of New Radicals songs. He might as well dump them somewhere if they’re recorded, and releasing them with any fanfare would mean reliving all the things he didn’t like about being the New Radicals frontman.

[@SliderGamer55]

Man, I would love to see an alternate version of reality where the New Radicals kept on at it. If they had and been able to keep up the quality, they'd probably be like my favorite band ever, or at least like top 5.

[@robricloc5663]

18:05 Well, looks like it’ll finally be a hit in the US

[@josephtafur]

Who'a here after learning Murder On The Dance Floor Charted

[@ECL28E]

"Someday, we'll know" "But somedaaaaaay never comes"

[@electrickoathanger]

"You Get What You Give" is one of the few songs not made in the 80's to pull off that 80's-power-ballad feel.

[@sethralavode9012]

😂

[@fyllingenoy131]

This song sounds nothing like an 80s power ballad, wtf are you smoking buddy

[@Septicor]

Todd showing some balls by showing a clip of LEN Steal my Sunshine, knowing that the comment section could be flooded with requests to do that song next. Also, I agree with him, this is one of my all-time favourite songs.

[@tjones2112]

I would love one on LEN. They have some other good stuff and a lot of reach but also Marc used to be in Sum 41 and claims to have discovered them since he was also a producer at the time so would be a real interesting episode

[@RatzaChewy]

Before watching this, I was ready to comment on how much BBC Radio 2 LOVES this song. It's pretty much the only late-90s pop-rock song not by U2 that still gets played there... Then it turns out the guy in the bucket hat wrote some of the most enduring pop songs of the early 2000s too. The man deserves an honourary knighthood.

[@MedalionDS9]

This song I swear came out at perfect time in my life... I was so fucking depressed in 1998/1999 and this song saved me... I wouldn't say I was suicidal but I was just shy of that and this song kept me going on

[@SergioMach7]

Toddstradamus predicts Murder on the Dancefloor as a US hit?

[@professor_mystery]

This was my second most listened to song on Spotify for 2021. It’s such a cliché to say but this song helped me through some incredibly difficult times.

[@MMCLLC7]

Thank God for Todd in the shadows for showing me this song 3 years ago. It's been an anthem for me since then. Any time I'm down I play this song and dance around my apartment just to shake the negativity off me. Never fails.

[@daigle1396]

HE FINALLY REVIEWED IT THANK YOU TODD AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[@eadlynjune]

I will forever keep commenting begging you to talk about “No Rain” by Blind Melon and the Shakespearean tragedy that was Shannon Hoon.

[@gxtmfa]

Eadlyn June I mean, I feel like that one’s been done to death

[@emeraldkat2167]

Well there is the legitimate issue that "Galaxy" was a minor hit. Plus the fact that their band has had documentaries made over it all, including one by the band with Nico (if you listen to their music, you'll immediately recognize that). And add into all this that the band is playing again with Nico.

[@DanielleWhite]

"After a childhood of cultural isolation." That was 89 for me. Roxette "The Look" is a song I love for that reason; it was #1 when I was finally allowed to listen to the pop/today's greatest hits stations.

[@trinaq]

YES, this was the BEST song of 1999, it brings back memories of my childhood, and of never giving up. Its beat is so infectious, and Todd is right, it just makes you want to get up and dance wherever you hear it!💃🎉

[@o.9428]

This was a joke/parody song. like Weird Al music.

[@MyspaceEmo]

@@Tornado1994 Shove your technicalities up your ass.

[@ivandekad7249]

Does anyone else have this same weird sixth sense where any given day you start thinking to yourself "Hmm, been a while since a Todd in the Shadows video dropped...." and literally LATER THAT DAY a new one pops up?

[@denisenova7494]

Yup.