ONE HIT WONDERLAND: "Your Woman" by White Town

[@JyotiMishra]

THANK YOU, Todd, I'm honoured you did my song and I love how you explained everything. 😀 LLAP! 🖖

[@42neddy]

👏

[@Seachlyn]

Very nice to see you here, so what Top Of The Pops Todd asked about?

[@SuperJNG18]

PIN THIS, TODD

[@SuperJNG18]

Thank YOU, Mr. Mishra, for creating one of the best pop songs of the last thirty years. I’ve loved it since I was (forgive me) a seven year old listening to it on the radio in the family minivan, and I still love it now at 23.

[@OakCityGamers]

This song changed the way i thought about music. It set me on the path of music i am on today. Thank you

[@JyotiMishra]

Also, forgot to say, I LOVE Triumph Of The Nerds, it is essential viewing for any geek. Also, Pirates Of Silicon Valley and the best TV show ever made: Halt And Catch Fire 🤓

[@Shurikenofdoomed]

it seems your original comment went into the abyss for whatever reason. got to love youtube. anyway you seem like a real chill person. it's lovely seeing you respond to all these comments and such. also your music sounds really interesting and i think i'll give it a shot.

[@JyotiMishra]

@@Shurikenofdoomed It did? Oh nooo! It was just a general thank you... oh it may have fallen foul of a link censor since I put my Mastodon in it! Thanks for telling me. 🙂

[@kai4247]

The man himself is here! Love your songs man, you deserved much more!

[@medes5597]

You have amazing taste Jyoti. Halt and Catch Fire is a show I miss so much. Its amazing we got as much of it as we did.

[@JyotiMishra]

@@kai4247 I did okay - I could never have been a proper pop star anyway, I get bored too quickly!

[@philly_sports1558]

This song really feels proto-Gorilliaz to me. The lo-fi feel. The spacey vocals by a British singer. The seamless fusion of pop, rock, hip hop, and electronica. This feels like it would fit perfectly on their debut album.

[@TheLitterboxCritic]

I used to think this was a Gorillaz track at first ngl.

[@chrissennfelder7249]

Great observation.

[@iwakeupandboomimarat]

honestly having a random different vocalist really gave me gorillaz vibes lmao

[@abstellkarma3072]

was thinking the exact same thing

[@scottoleson1997]

That’s where I first heard this song. Back in middle school Pandora was the only app I could use to listen to music without looking at my phone, so I had a gorillaz station and this song came on and instantly loved it

[@sstaners1234]

“Did he deserve better? Yes.” Getting fat shamed in the British press and being labeled as a one hit wonder by a major label who’s supposed to be promoting you? I’d agree.

[@BanyanTree1]

"So much for all your highbrow Marxist ways / Just use me up and then you walk away" is like a top 10 lyric for me. So specific and clever and savage.

[@shjilz]

Because he treats her like a commodity hehehehehehe

[@biggestastiest]

"youre a marxist but you abuse me like a capitalist" goes so hard

[@chernobylcoleslaw6698]

Marx's house keeper speaking to Marx.

[@salvadorromero9712]

It is always interesting when ideological communities, be they left, right, or whatever, examine themselves for hypocrisy and bad behavior. Since this comment section (in keeping with the channel, which I generally like) seems to lean toward the type who talks unironically about "fat shaming" and "transphobia" and so forth, I'm a little disappointed they haven't been elaborating a little more on this subject. I wouldn't normally want to see ideological elaborations from any perspective on a music channel or its comment section, but I have to admit that would have been interesting.

[@VicDealio]

​@@salvadorromero9712There's two ways to examine it. One is to determine if it's true or not. No use doing this. Everyone in the community knows the problem is widespread, and there's not much more to say. The second would be an examination of why leftism allows or enables that behavior. That is simply too long a discussion for yt comments. There are probably some very long video essays about this (most of which are just venting about parts of the movement that the creator has a personal, unrelated grudge against) if you really want to look.

[@bigredjanie]

Between this and Chumbawumba, 1997 had a thing for British artists known for far-left politics having inexplicable pop hits in both the US and UK.

[@salvadorromero9712]

Even back then people were convinced their name was indeed Chumbawumba. That is how poorly the narrow success of that hit was able to translate into something bigger.

[@baja_lawmaster]

Todd getting pissed at the UK tabloids for insulting Mishra is one of the most simultaneously funniest and nicest moments on this show

[@cfredrics]

Todd is low-key wholesome and that's why we love him.

[@ambiorixdeseburons4939]

@@cfredrics He’s not going to sleep with you.

[@cfredrics]

@@ambiorixdeseburons4939 your dad might

[@ambiorixdeseburons4939]

@@cfredrics have fun with a corpse

[@leod-sigefast]

As someone from the UK, I can confirm that a lot of the British press is rightly dubbed: "gutter press". Lowlifes, a lot of British press journalism. There was a big scandal about 15 years ago when a big British newspaper was found to have hacked peoples' phones, including celebrities and worst of all hacked the phones of family members of a poor girl who had been kidnapped and then murdered. Other high profile murder cases too.

[@bouledeberlin8741]

"If you like The Smiths but don't want to reward Morrissey by listening to him" - most of the Smiths' fans know exactly what you mean, Todd.

[@bittipasuta]

There were two big surprises to me in this video: 1. The sample is not the Imperial March from Empire Strikes Back 2. This song is not from the 21st Century.

[@BugVlogs]

Don’t forget that Daft Punk recorded their entire first album from their house, which is why the album was called “Homework”

[@gaymanisfree]

Todd just be saying all kinds of bs on the regular

[@ShadowSorel]

@@gaymanisfreecongrats, you found the main appeal of todd

[@hardnewstakenharder]

Boston recorded that entire debut at home.

[@atomdecay]

Well to be fair, yeah they made it at their house, but it's 100% sample-based, Jyoti only used some samples & played/programmed the other instruments. & I'm not bashing Daft Punk, I am a lifelong DP fanatic, know & love every single thing they ever put out. I'm just saying, they didn't have to worry about the sound quality that comes from early home recordings since they were using mostly vinyls from the 70s. Man Homework is so good though.

[@jamespohl-md2eq]

Home studio ain’t the same thing as bedroom recording aesthetic. Go look at the pics of their setup back then. It’s a studio. It’s not a computer. Drum machine. Keyboard. It’s not the 80s and a Fostex 4 track. Bangalter’s pop was a disco producer.

[@silenceisgolden6097]

Mishra's definition of "most male songwriting" is one of the most accurate and hilarious descriptions of the music industry's version of "men writing women"

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

And sometimes, it would be done by the same artist (I'm looking at you, Ben Folds!).

[@riverAmazonNZ]

Madonna/whore complex or maybe Goddess/whore complex

[@gingerkid1048]

I felt it deep in my bones.

[@pinkcupcake4717]

I appreciate his honesty about why he chose that POV, and it created a far better story and song.

[@xoxonaotchan_7902]

I mean its a valid criticism. But also like women does this same garbage. How many "i didnt mean to hurt you but I dont care I choose me anthems" do we need to hear before we accept men and women gay or straight treat eachother terribly most the time. Call me a centrist lol but idk how bout we just treat eachother well.

[@codeblack423]

The fact that Todd is over 10 years in the game and still haven't Ran out of one hit wonders to cover without having to do a thousand miles by Vanessa carlton is impressive

[@trinaq]

Agreed, just goes to show how many One Hit Wonders there actually are out there.

[@cartersmith54]

It was the subject of a Song vs Song episode

[@mnlizzi]

I'm still surprised he hasn't covered "Where have all the cowboys gone" considering it's more of a legit one hit wonder than many others he's covered!

[@darkcart]

why would he do that? just watch his 500 miles video twice and you'll get the picture

[@davincent98]

@@mnlizzi Paula Cole is more of a Two-hit Wonder since "I Don't Wanna Wait" was probably a bigger hit due to "Dawson's Creek"

[@LostCosmonauts]

Jyoti Mishra is cool. He seems very content with his career and his status as a one-hit wonder. He even to this day answers questions at his website. Very nice lad.

[@pwabd2784]

I've been following him on youtube for years now because he just posts music and nerdy synth videos and he responds to a lot of comments. Just a regular guy.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

@ghost mall Joe Elliot of Def Leppard even has nice advice several one hit wonders could take when he once said in an interview that he doesnt believe the band could ever write a hit as big as Pour Some Sugar On It again. In that he knows Def Leppard probably wont reach the heights of those hits but he understands it

[@DodderingOldMan]

@@pwabd2784 Yeah, I had a brief conversation with him in the comments section of Your Woman. Which really did kind of blow me away, that song was so important to me at a formative point of my teenage years.

[@JyotiMishra]

Haha - thank you, I do try to reply if I can, time permitting!

[@JyotiMishra]

@@ghostmall2421 Oh god no - I'm an enormous extrovert and very, very annoying. I'm out every Saturday, clubbing shaking my old bones to SOAD and MCR 😛

[@Sugarman96]

This is the first time I've seen Todd cover a song and the fans flocking to the video actually get responses from the artist. Jyoti Mishra is a king.

[@brick6347]

This guy is the polar opposite of a sell-out. Does his own thing, and it rocks. Nice chap too, I've interacted with him on YT comments and he's lovely. Wish him the best.

[@matthewlister3755]

I gotta check out this guy's other music now. First time I've though that after a One Hit Wonder vid. Mishra stuck to his guns, never compromised who he is, and he didn't quit music when he wasn't popular anymore. Man is a legend.

[@arturhours]

the cardigans, thomas dolby and dexys midnight runners are definitely cases of artists i checked out after one hit wonderland videos (and that i think *are* worth checking out)

[@Exarian]

Honestly the weird experimental stuff is 100% my thing as well. I can totally appreciate an artist that will do pop stuff and experimental technical stuff on the same release. Hell, that basically describes PC Music.

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

@@arturhours The Cardigans album "Gran Turismo" still goes. Even Timbaland himself said that album inspired his later sound.

[@riordanberry3908]

Same reaction!

[@Kyle_etc]

Became a huge Harvey Danger fan after watching Todd’s video on them

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

I had never heard of this guy but now he's kind of my idol. A nerd of Indian descent who loves indie rock and does bedroom producing? That's me!

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

If you notice, that was also the origin of the Cody Chestnutt album, "The Headphone Masterpiece"...for anyone who remembers that one.

[@jadem9987]

If anyones curious, White Town has a bandcamp where you can purchase his independent releases including his first album and a "1917 version" of Your Woman that was pretty amusing. Check him out if you want to support him directly! Especially since its Bandcamp Friday (first Friday of the month)

[@politicallyincorrectleftis3186]

That's awesome to know. Thanks!

[@JyotiMishra]

So I have you to thank for my Bandcamp surge this morning? 😀

[@smheath]

I love the 1917 version. I was hoping Todd would use that as the end credit song.

[@jadem9987]

@@JyotiMishra !!! I'm glad people are checking your stuff out!!

[@TheSteve5154]

Fun fact, the description of the KZbin video for this song has a thank you and welcome section for a bunch of different people, including Todd in the Shadows viewers! The creator is such a wholesome guy.

[@amandas2639]

This song really does have such a timeless sound. You could have told me it was from the '80s and I'd believe you. You could tell me it was released two years ago and I'd believe you. There's a reason why it fits in so seamlessly in that Dua Lipa song.

[@optiquemusic6204]

Mad respect to Naughty Boy (with Wiley and Emily Sandé) for reviving this track in 2010 as well. That's the track played at the end, specifically the Shy FX Radio Edit.

[@TwoToneShoes]

That first White Town album always sounds exactly like a Gorillaz album to me, and it's hard for me to imagine that Damon Albarn wasn't inspired considering how tuned into the British pop and indie scene he is.

[@JadeCryptOfWonders]

Todd's dedication to hunting down the facts and his compassion toward his subject matter makes him one of the greats of KZbin, screw the British tabloids.

[@cloudstrife4534]

The British tabloids? Is that a joke that’s going over my head, or did they really say something about him?

[@edisonlima4647]

@@cloudstrife4534 They are talking about how a British tabloid hounded the singer Todd is talking about in this video, posting pictures of the singer with offensive texts about his physical appearence.

[@cloudstrife4534]

@@edisonlima4647 Oh, I forgot about that part already! Where is my brain? Thanks, I appreciate the explanation!

[@caramelldansen2204]

It's so cool that most British tabloids are owned by one dude. Freedom of the press? Never heard of it.

[@Air_OK]

Oh my god, thank you for talking about this song. Talk about an artist never expected to have any commercial success, what a story.

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

Especially considering the fact the label it was released under was folded just as the song started getting airplay.

[@walmorcarvalho2512]

@@pervertedalchemist9944 Holy shit! Poor guy, if only he had the chance to go back in time and sign with Warp Records instead, he could've fighting chance. They were BLOWING UP with Aphex Twin and Squarepusher at the time

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

@@walmorcarvalho2512 Chrysalis and the American branch of EMI folded within weeks of the release. I remember it clear as day. That was why Gang Starr, AZ and D'Angelo had their next albums postponed because of that. Marcy Playground was about to release their debut under EMI until Capitol intercepted them after EMI closing.

[@Yeaster]

Man, the UK media is absolutely brutal. Your Woman is massive, and the album sounds pretty good too

[@leod-sigefast]

As someone from the UK, I can confirm that a lot of the press is rightly dubbed: "gutter press". Lowlifes, a lot of British press journalists. There was a big scandal about 15 years ago when a big British newspaper was found to have hacked peoples' phones, including celebrities and worst of all hacked the phones of family members of a poor girl who had been kidnapped and then murdered.

[@Yeaster]

@@leod-sigefast that's sick

[@dannykooks286]

This and the Scatman episode is why this series is so transcendental in our community. You did such a good job on this

[@OfficialROZWBRAZEL]

our community?

[@gxtmfa]

What’s the community?

[@avosmash2121]

YT??

[@cfredrics]

@@gxtmfa The community of people who like weird 90s pop songs

[@FSEThompson]

jesus christ, the uk tabloids are infamous across the globe (incl here in Australia) for their cruel idiocy but I cannot imagine having an awkward candid of me published with a headline like that, no wonder the poor dude withdrew visually so intensely. I'm really glad he didn't disappear entirely and that he still chats with fans and did that little live performance because I wouldn't blame anyone for just giving up and going home after something like that, what a wretched thing to do.

[@stevesstuff1450]

Yeah...these rags that call themselves 'news' papers are a joke; they're not worth the paper they're printed on, and certainly a waste of a good few trees! Full of lies, libel and slander, and total fabrications; they don't care who they tear down, and only seem happier if it's someone they were hyping up when they tear them down.... Total trash; bullshit; lies, and more fuckin' lies.... I don't buy them, don't read them; this video is a classic showcase as to what damage those bastards can do to someone whose just trying to make a living, and bring a little happiness to others; this song was a masterpiece of it's time, and still sounds fresh today! For that shit-rag to publish crap like that about Jyoti - for no reason other than headline space - is unforgivable. And they do it to everyone who's famous....they're shameless, and blatant in their Envy of others who've actually made a name for themselves and bring pleasure to many others....bastards 😩

[@user-zp4ge3yp2o]

The history of the tabloids is just a long list of stuff like that, they're a stain on this country.

[@littlechalkie8030]

we love uncle rupert

[@HolyGoddessMotherAnne]

@@littlechalkie8030 We hate Uncle Rupert.

[@driftingfalling3061]

White Town is one of those one hit wonders where the hit is SO good that I had to check out more for myself. One of my personal favorites is That's Just So from the Socialism, Sexism & Sexuality album, it's so soothing that it actually helps me calm my anxiety on rough days.

[@JyotiMishra]

Thank you!

[@marvelousTUD]

@@JyotiMishra Oh shit it’s the guy. I really adore your song btw.

[@tcookie]

Yeah, I started following White Town on bandcamp because a lot of the old stuff sounds promising.

[@standardofexcellence]

Cigarettes after sex also has a guy that sounds like a girl

[@cartmann94]

I remember hearing this song when i was 15 back in May of 97. It was so unique and it was one of those songs that has never left my mind.

[@Maxmulham]

Same here

[@JuiciferPandoraRex]

right? one of those time machine songs

[@trinaq]

Likewise, it instantly transports you back to the simpler days of 1997, and is definitely one of the more unique songs of the 90's.

[@gingerkid1048]

@ghost mall I was a rock/punk kid but also queer so I had an appreciation for dancey bops with a house vibe. It also struck me as super gay based on the lyrics.

[@CreatrixTiara]

I was 11, so on the one hand completely not the target audience for this song, but on the other hand it's really stuck with me and is one of my favourite songs ever

[@soulfoodie1]

Shout out to the DJ Mark Radcliffe who championed this song first and regularly on his BBC radio 1 months before it was a hit in 1996 and who played a major role in breaking this track One of his listener actually went out and placed a bet at the bookies that it would reach no.1some weeks before it did and got a big pay out

[@notadroid4406]

Yup I remeber Mark Radcliffe plugging this track before it was popular. It was in during his evening shows with Mark Riley (The Mark & Lard show on radio 1) I think there was a seesion & interview on the show as well. Neat track

[@soulfoodie1]

@@notadroid4406 you are right! There was a sessionon the graveyard shift!

[@chickennchips9183]

​@notadroid4406 that's how I first heard it as 16 year old in 1997. This song is so evocative, it'll never cease to be brilliant.

[@andrewbowman4611]

Jyoti Mishra and myself share a mutual friend, although I've never met Jyoti personally. He was certainly something of a local celebrity at the time, although one shrouded in mystery. The highlight for a lot of us Derby folk is the video itself, which was filmed in Derby City Centre. While the stone ram, the waterfall and the Acropolis café seen in the back some of some shots are still there, a lot of the locations have since been demolished, including Duckworth Square (the shopping centre in the video) and the telephone boxes on an area known as The Spot. Also, the Assembly Rooms where the shots of the Acropolis are filmed from are no longer in use due to an electrical fire a few years ago, and have been slated for future demolition. Perhaps oddly, the waterfall is no longer turned on, although I well remember a crowd of us running through it while on a drunken night out a few times. Very much a slice of social history. Obviously, the song itself is a banger, and one which still fills this 47 year old man with slight pride whenever I hear it.

[@Dezzasheep]

People of derby recognise the waterfall thing that looks like a toilet in the vid.

[@Ghost-lt4sf]

Banger comment. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@williambbq]

It is very weird hearing Todd talk about my town... *ahem* city

[@09philj]

I can explain that the production of Aladdin is a peculiarly British form of all-ages theatre called a pantomime, which generally use some traditional story as a loose vehicle for slapstick bits, and are staged during the Christmas and New Year period. The same production team and actors generally put on the pantomime at a given theatre every year. Common features in pantomime include the dame, which is a female role played by a man in drag, lots of audience interaction (which usually involves shouting stock phrases at certain moments, and cheering the heroes and booing the baddies), and use of double entendres. The enduring popularity of pantomime is massively important for the British theatre industry, because they're home grown productions that pull in big crowds to regional theatres.

[@KoopySandwiches]

Realizing that the 90s had so many great one-hit wonders.

[@REDDAWNproject]

The 90s is basically nothing but one hit wonders with the occaisional lucky superstar.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

@@REDDAWNproject I hope he can cover for 90s one hit wonders: Electronic: Getting Away With It (a super duo of Bernard Summer of New Order and Johnny Marr of The Smiths but they collaborated with Pet Shop Boys on a few songs including this one with Neil on backing vocals) Londonbeat: I've Been Thinking About You (he has mentioned wanting to cover them) Extreme: More Than Words (as Mr Big did, this group's biggest known hit is a ballad over their heavier rock)

[@UltrafineDeluxe]

@@REDDAWNproject The 90s were not "nothing but one hit wonders." Entire genres of legendary artists with longevity exploded during the early 90s. I'm guessing you were barely alive then, soy face anime fapper born in 1999. "Bro I just heard about the 90s on Tik Tok, it was liiiiit."

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

One hit wonders that shouldn't have been. I am still salty about how Spacehog's label treated their sophomore release "The Chinese Album", SMH.

[@wyndgrove9452]

It was the greatest decade for them, especially genre mash ups and crossovers.

[@missingwalle9364]

I really appreciate you talking about this song bc when I heard "Love Again" by Dua Lipa I knew right away it used a sample, I just couldn't place what song it was or where I even heard it. I don't even have any recollection at all if I even heard this song, it feels like I was just born knowing that one melody lmao

[@chriswest6988]

I had heard and enjoyed this song, but didn't realize it was in turn sampling something else until Dua Lipa used it. And it turns out quite a few others have too, including rappers in a couple other languages.

[@missingwalle9364]

@@chriswest6988 i noticed that samples popularity among rappers too! Maybe that's why it just feels so familiar to me bc it's been sampled in different songs

[@mangoblaze]

Truly a one hit WONDER in the truest sense. I hope Jyoti does see this because his work deserves appreciation. Also I'm really surprised that you didn't mention the classical style remake he made in 2017 "Your Woman 1917" - it's 100% worth checking out and goes to show how well the song works even stripped down from the electronic original. He still has a beautiful singing voice too 🥰

[@anthonydeadman]

He saw it. There's even a comment left by him dude!

[@Sugarman96]

Not only did he see this, he's actually responding to comments here.

[@lexx2847]

I only thought to explore the rest of his catalogue a few years ago. So much great stuff in there.

[@joebob2311productions]

I love how the font he uses for the White Town logo art on the album "Women in Technology" is the default text font in Sony Vegas. It almost fits the aesthetic even more.

[@betchaker21]

this is peak one hit wonderland to me. a song you only kind of know and have completely forgotten about thats actually really good, from an artist with an interesting story who made other similarly interesting music, none of which you would know about if it wasnt for this video

[@doomsdaydanceparty7646]

Wow this is one of the most interesting one hit wonderland episodes ever

[@ddjsoyenby]

ikr.

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

That one about Evan and Jaron took a weird turn, I must say.

[@gamezharks]

It's legit crazy how ahead of his time this guy was with this track. In case he's reading this hi Mishra, hugely inspired by you rn!

[@JyotiMishra]

hehe thank you!! :)

[@damotheman4196]

@@JyotiMishra Good on ya mate. 👍

[@ackee39]

I love this song to death, its production is so crispy and smooth and futuristic back when everything was made with overcrowded synthy saw waves, and the fact that he didnt need a studio or anything just makes it better. I actually like a lot of his other projects as well, id highly reccomend going diving in his discography

[@Sugarman96]

It's very impressive just how good the song sounds, you really can't tell that he pulled it off with such a small amount of equipment.

[@frailvoid5844]

If you don’t mind could u let me know What are some of your fave songs you’d recommend from him are?

[@johnstebbins24]

John Williams was participating in the British instrumental group Sky at the time of "Pennies From Heaven" being broadcasted.

[@Greenteabook]

Your Woman is one of the few songs I can recognize by just a few notes played. And when Dua Lipa used that sample I kept getting faked out in public places, thinking I was getting a favorite played again.

[@Kriv]

This song also had a difficult birth in the liner notes of the single he mentioned how his disk crashed and had to rush to rebuild the song. It still sounds as fresh as when it was first released, which is a testament to how damn good this song is.

[@oneupglitch2582]

Women In Technology is one of those 90s albums that is surprisingly good despite being a one-hit wonder (similar to Spacehog's Resident Alien and Hum's You'd Prefer An Astronaut)

[@stpyramids]

Now I want an "In The Meantime" OHW.

[@henryglennon3864]

Also throwing out there the album "Bloom" by Crustation.

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

Spacehog was criminally underrated. I remember a lot of people wrote them off as sounding too 70's - which was the entire point!

[@GasparLewis]

Spacehog's second album had a cameo appearance by Michael Stipe. And one of the two brothers that make up the core of the band shows up in the movie I'm Still Here to take a literal dump on Joaquin Phoenix. Probably my second-most-wanted appearance on OHW if my first doesn't count.

[@shikonaori]

God Spacehog was so good, if Todd ever gets around to them it'll make my day

[@xichotl]

Jyoti Mishra is definitely one of the most interesting people you've covered on this show. Up there with Scatman John. I came out wanting to hear more.

[@TLabsLLC-AI-Development]

This song was the first song that snuck into my dreams as a little boy. In it it was the sound the roller coaster made going around and around as my aunt rode it. It took me about 8 years to find the song and that's only because the internet developed some. This song changed my entire life.

[@wendyleeconnelly2939]

Your comment almost sounds like something you could write a song about. Your aunt riding a roller coaster -- actual, or symbolic of her relationships? Or both? Write the song, I wanna hear it.♫♪

[@apocalypsemeow7966]

I remember being 11-years-old and hearing "Your Woman" on my local alternative rock radio station in early spring of 1997. The DJ kept making homophobic comments every time he played the song. I have this CD and "Wanted" is my favorite song on it, but I never heard "Heather's Party." I'll check that song out. Also, that's really awful that the press body shamed him for allegedly balding, fat, whatever. What the hell! Anyway, thank you for the video!

[@politicallyincorrectleftis3186]

Mine's "Death of My Desire," but his songs with Ann Pearson are definitely up there (I mean, the entire album is so genuinely deep without being pretentious in any way).

[@cptrelentless80085]

He wasn’t allegedly bald and fat,he was actually bald and fat. An inspiration to everyone.

[@RacingAtHome]

Welcome to the UK tabloid press. The worst people in the world.

[@pov_music]

The British tabloids just generally hate anyone with actual talent.

[@rdrrr]

@@cptrelentless80085 I read a funny comment on a Smithereens video. "Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it." Ouch, that's a helluva backhanded compliment 😂

[@cremetangerine82]

Yes, one of my favorite OHW! “So much for all your highbrow Marxist ways” is one of the best diss lyrics in music history. In fact, Todd in the Shadows’ “Trainwreckords” episode on Arrested Development‘s second album, he mentioned how some people claim that political boyfriends make the worst boyfriends. 9:18 - Ha, my second favorite diss! I stan Jyoti Mishra!

[@LILBABYN0THING]

Oh my god, I gasped when I saw this pop up. My FAVOURITE one hit wonder, thank you Todd 🙌 ❤

[@Hermititis]

I whisper-shouted, "YES" and clicked right away!

[@kilgore_trout_37]

This song rules, I’m so glad it’s here!

[@politicallyincorrectleftis3186]

I actually thought it was a KZbin suggestion for the video itself. This was a very pleasant surprise.

[@bemysty]

Same here. Just woke up, glanced at my phone and immediately jumped on it. I've loved this song ever since it came out, and it's on my Spotify playlist to this day. Just an amazing song that's never, ever aged in any way.

[@Ashestoashesjc]

excerpts from an essay rules. pioneer of bedroom pop and pc music

[@MCArt25]

This is a master piece look into an obscure artist who deserved better, much like the Chumbawamba and Skatman John ones.

[@shifty220]

An absolute banger of a one hit wonder!

[@ddjsoyenby]

yes.

[@Tylky]

Absolute banger mate.

[@missybarbour6885]

19:09 OH NO, TODD DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT JIMMY SAVILE OH GOD NOBODY TELL HIM

[@trinaq]

Another song that deserves a One Hit Wonderland Retrospective is "Possum Kingdom" by the Toadies. It was in the trailer for "Midnight Club", and it immediately invokes eerie and chilling vibes.

[@wyyyve]

kinda was hoping for it on a Halloween spooktacular

[@tylerking6619]

as a texan I have to say toadies aren’t one hit wonders

[@Hey-Its-Dingo]

@@tylerking6619 I'm not even a Texan and I know that The Toadies aren't One Hit Wonders.

[@andybaxter4442]

That Toadies album is spectacular, and so is the second album. That guy has kept the band going with bluegrass instrumentation, which weirdly completely works.

[@bespectacledheroine7292]

Listening to this song on a leisurely walk *instantly* makes you feel like you're being stalked in a way that really heightens the song's subject matter and effectiveness. Try if you dare.

[@latenightotaku824]

Hey Todd! British person here, just wanted to give you a bit more information about that Alladin play. It is a style of theatre known as "Pantomine", dating back to the 1600's it is usually very popular in the Holiday season in the UK where classic fairy tail stories with a more comedic twist are told, mostly involving slapstick comedy, catchy upbeat musical numbers and audience participation where the atmosphere feels more like a self aware parody of musical troupes. One of the pantomines most famous contributions was the inclusion of Drag acts since Women were not allowed on stage in the very early days, men would play very effeminate woman which was used for comedy. As time went on woman would be allowed to participate and would also adopt Drag roles where they would play as men, often playing very masculine male characters where the joke would be they are not at all. This overal helped with the atmosphere of ridiculessness that would define Pantomine here in the UK. Media personalities always take part in these plays, usually taking lead roles and again there would be a lot of self aware humour involved with this with the audience, sometimes playing Drag roles as well. Now for the not so fun part of this is about racist undertones. Given Pantomines tradition of ridicule and mockery there is history that people of other skin colour were played by white actors, make up and prosthetics were used to over dramatisised the characters appearence which was used for comedy. Whilst I cannot say that the intentions were to offend back in the very early days of Pantomine it is seen as problematic nowdays, and every few years around this season there are a few articles coming out which declares a that Pantomine is problematic when it comes to the portrayal of those of different skin colour, gender and sexuality. From what I have seen though these usually fall on deaf ears though as most Pantomine productions have evolved with the times and because of the cynical and comedic nature of the performance it is the point of the genre, the audience knows its ridiculous and absurd but they can enjoy how stupid it is, the actors usually break the fourth wall and say how stupid it is what they are doing much to the audiences delight. Now I am not saying Pantomine is not problematic but its sort of become a genre of its own and is recognised as part of British theatre history where it is celebrated and beloved by a lot of people, including those of other nationalities. My guess is why this is because of how "Ridiculous" the whole performance is and the audience can just enjoy it. A lot better person could explain this better than me but given the history I have seen it just compelled me to write this because Pantomine as a genre is often misconcieved by people outside or within the UK as modern day black face but when you look back at it and how it has evolved over the years it is not aiming to offend others, mostly just to mock itself. Anyways thats all from me, thanks for those who read this stupid long message.

[@1000huzzahs]

I learned things today.

[@emilyf6566]

I just learned panto is British. Genuinely didn't occur that this is a unique theatre tradition.

[@lemonworm]

@@1000huzzahs replace the word "pantomime" with "minstrel show" and read that again

[@TheEpicukulele]

@@1000huzzahs also panto is super transmisognistic, like a one of the first places that British people are presented with mocking trans femininity- with men dressing up as women's for laughs and to create disgust

[@heathercameron1485]

@@TheEpicukulele Nah, it's good old fashioned drag and a celebration of it. The men are clearly not trying to pass as women. The characters are not trans. It's drag in its most traditional form! Women also play male heros. Sometimes a drag king will end up with the female princess. It's literally a celebration where queerness of all sorts take centre stage.

[@lizfinkelstein1323]

Here's the perfect example of how right you are that this song was ahead of its time. I graduated high school in 1997 and the songs that were hits at that time and got a ton of radio play are burned into my sense memories... When this video came up and you played the first few chords, I thought to myself "this was the 2000-2010 period"... So without remembering that it was a late 90's song, my immediate reaction was to place it at least a decade later.

[@helenanilsson5666]

Honestly, probably the only reason why I accurately pegged it as late 90s is because I vividly remember this song from the "hits of the month" compilation CDs that my mum had a subscription to, before the invention of ipods and mp3 players and the pirate bay. I was too young to properly understand English lyrics but I sure did listen to those CDs often enough that the melody is permanently tattooed in my brain.

[@girlwithaguitar24]

Chalk this song in the same category as "Flagpole Sitta" and "I Miss You" as launching points for really awesome artists that soon become some of my favorites. Seriously, had no clue who this guy was but I'm in love with everything I'm hearing from him so far

[@iheartculture]

Yeah 1997 in retrospect was absolutely overloaded with (semi) meomorable one hit wonders, but there did seem to be this late brit-pop boom that not only produced this but "Brimful of Asha", "Female of the Species" and "in the Meantime". I guess in general a lot of brief european crossovers. I guess just here's hoping we see a OHW for "Not an Addict" sometime soon.

[@carolynmain]

Female of the Species matches Your Woman for me- catchy, old timey, and they both pertain to the female perspective.

[@1000huzzahs]

I remember this song coming on the radio in the car and my mom saying "I think it's really cool when guys sing from a woman's point of view." I had no idea this wasn't a guy, it sounded like a woman with a deep voice. It kinda blew my kid mind at the time. It's pretty great. I'm also reminded of the time Brian Wilson recorded "I Loves You, Porgy" for his Gershwin album, and the people working with him offered to get a woman vocalist in the studio to sing the verses and he'd do instrument and production stuff. But he said "no, I love that song, I want to sing it, it's beautiful!" Props to that.

[@keythah]

Another one of my favorite songs, If I Know You by The Presets, is also a man doing a woman's POV. When asked about it, the artists were like "why not?" Love that attitude.

[@isabellamorris7902]

Are there any other songs like that? I can name one or two songs where a woman is singing from a male POV but not the opposite

[@killerqueendopamine]

@@isabellamorris7902 the white stripes covered Jolene and didn’t change the pronouns

[@josephfisher426]

@@isabellamorris7902 I guess Erasure does not count?

[@dolphinbj1629]

@@isabellamorris7902 The Gold by Manchester Orchestra

[@AlexHider]

Truly one of those songs that are basically timeless, partially due to the homemade feel with that vintage hook, it feels like it can be from any era.

[@JeniJustJeni]

I backed into White Town's Your Woman after Dua Lipa's use of the same sample and I'm so glad I did. It made it onto my list of songs I share with others when given a chance. ❤️

[@trinaq]

Yes, I was always hoping that Todd would eventually cover this song. Please do Bittersweet Symphony, Steal my Sunshine or Walking on Sunshine next.

[@lois7956]

Katrina and the Waves aren't a one hit wonder! They won Eurovision with Love Shine a Light

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

There's a lot of drama behind that song alone.

[@liamfitzgerald7217]

The Verve aren't a one-hit wonder. They had other hits like 'Lucky Man' and 'The Drugs Don't Work'.

[@MortanAMrk]

Walking on Sunshine cant be a one hit wonder if they won fucking eurovision

[@oneupglitch2582]

Hate to be "that guy", but the Verve were one of the biggest and most influential indie bands of the 90s. A Storm in Heaven and A Northern Soul are 10/10 albums and are considered to be even better than Symphony

[@CreatrixTiara]

Darren Hayes's cover of this is devastating - he leans into the "gay male" reading (as a gay man himself) and it was really sweet to see he and Jyoti chat on Twitter about it!

[@JyotiMishra]

HEY CREATRIX! Nice to see you on here as well as Mastodon! 😀 I was soooo chuffed when Darren did it, honestly. What a dude.

[@404FatalError]

"So, that song I was just playing, you recognized it, right?" Surprisingly yes: "All That Glitters" by Earl. That earworm trumpet sample is doing another round online again.

[@herefortheshrimp1469]

@Ryan Schilling that’s what I know it from!

[@heathercameron1485]

Bless Todd for not knowing what a Christmas pantomime is. ❤️ If you've never seen a pantomime, you're missing out! It's been a UK Christmas tradition (in it's modern camp form) for over a century!

[@schrire39]

Todd got the racist vibe of the Aladdin panto totally correct.

[@elizabethhumphries6835]

I love "Your Woman" and "Wanted" - they were on my study mixtapes and I continue to listem to them quite often. I also remember the first time I heard Dua Lipa's "In Love Again" and thinking "Huh. Guess she found White Town."

[@megleland6320]

If you had to pick just one song to exemplify the whole 90's , I wouldn't be mad at all if you pick this one. Instantly takes me back to the time-and-place.

[@riverAmazonNZ]

This one and Six Underground by Sneaker Pimps, I dunno why

[@sycamoredrivemcr]

surprised to see nobody mention how much this sounds like it influenced Gorillaz. if you hadn't told me it was White Town i would have sworn it was an unreleased Gorillaz song

[@jakezanoni]

Your Woman was a big hit in Australia as well (reaching number 2 and staying in the top ten for 11 weeks). Incidentally it was only kept out of the top spot by Truly Madly Deeply by Australian band Savage Garden. Truly Madly Deeply was a worldwide smash. I'd be shocked to come across someone of my age (mid to late 30s) in Australia who wouldn't rate that song to this day and love to listen to it. At the time it just felt so unique and it hasn't aged a day. I like Dua Lipa's use of the same sample in Love Again too.

[@pigfish99]

I'd LOVE to see a savage garden episode. Affirmination could be on trainwreckords, and their self titled album could be an episode of OHW on its own.

[@basedsouljah]

Ohhhh it came out around that time. Truly Madly Deeply was FUCKING IN-ESCAPABLE in the US back then. I don't think I remember hearing this once on American radio as a kid.

[@TimmyTickle]

Ironically, Darren Hayes (Savage Garden's openly gay frontman) later covered Your Woman

[@skunkrat01]

Here to confirm that as a 30-something Aussie this song hasn't left my rotation.

[@Unotuchable]

As Todd said, you might not recognise the name or artist but the track is instantly recognisable.

[@HomebrewHorsepower]

This song has lived in the back of my head rent free for the last quarter century. Massive respect for just doing things his way and making kickass music.

[@Spudcore]

That trumpet riff has not left my brain since the day I heard it on the radio in my mother's car on the way to school. Catchiest hook ever? Maybe.

[@free187s]

Describing this song as decades ahead of its time is so accurate. I remember when it came out and was enamored over how fresh and unique it was to everything before and even after it.

[@CandGoods]

Hell yeah, one of my most favorite of 90s one-hit-wonders, right there with "The Freshmen" by The Verve Pipe and "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in my Hand" by Primitive Radio Gods.

[@tracyveronika]

👍👍👍

[@HolyGoddessMotherAnne]

Todd has to cover those latter two as I wait desperately but idk about The Verve Pipe as they had other hits.

[@DanielleWhite]

I remember this song. Right after my girlfriend and I got an apartment together in Scranton we walked a couple blocks to a local pizza shop and when we walked in "Your Woman" was playing.

[@philipkilmartin2312]

still fresh? this song was and still is in my opinion groundbreaking, its earthy, ambiguous and charming.

[@Stinkoman87]

This song laid the groundwork for me getting in to electroswing decades later.

[@1980rlquinn]

I'm so glad you've finally done my favorite one-hit wonder. Every line of this song hits too close to home.

[@politicallyincorrectleftis3186]

It really is a very deep and touching song that is very insightful. 🙂

[@HolyGoddessMotherAnne]

I deeply relate to it as a trans person.

[@Almafeta]

If Jyoti had had even a year or two more of real success, enough studio support to really back him up, maybe that electrodancepop bubble of 2000 might not have felt quite as awkward. But then again, we're still playing his track 25 years later, so at least it was a lesson that held up.

[@ibsulon]

I remember asking Jyoti about how he felt about streaming music years ago, and he answered. I followed pieces of his post-single career and there are some gems in there, but I think a key component of it all is that he wasn't satisfied to turn the song from his hit single and craft everything he did around that sound. But for highlights, listen to "She's a Lot Like You" off of Monopole, which has some fun songs on there, "Fairchild Semiconductor" off the album of the same name, and "A New Surprise" off of Don't mention the war.

[@JDelwynn]

Wait, what was his answer? The suspense is killing me!

[@uglyaniimals]

wondering this too, can see his response being any number of things tbh

[@eyeheartsushi2212]

How can you not write his answer?

[@Geo_Babe]

This single track is TIMELESS. 1997-1999 I was 11-13, now I’m 38 and a DJ and let me tell you..l I still have your woman in rotation for every single set. It’s a CLASSIC, it’s almost like a perfect tune. I had no idea about any of the backstory or origins, to me it’s always been shrouded in mystery …part of its charm , and I was stunned to learn what you shared here. JYOTI is an icon and he’s got my support for LIFE!❤

[@samwindsor7905]

Not only is it the best 'One hit wonder' of the 90's, it ties as the actual best single of the whole decade. Along with Common People by Pulp.

[@Arcademan09]

I've been rediscovering music that I missed (90s - early 2000s) when I was a kid because my parents only listened to Mexican music, cumbia ect. I wasn't able to hear many other kinds of music growing up unless it was on a movie or i caught it randomly watching MTV. I also didn't have access to the internet until 2006. So I've been listening to this song for a while when I rediscovered it earlier this year, I remembered how it sounded but I was blown away by how good it still sounds

[@trippymchippy8586]

If nothing else, he was a massive inspiration to other amateur "bedroom artists", with an Atari ST and a 4-track, like me lol. Now you can make a smash album, on a laptop for free.

[@JyotiMishra]

And now, goddamn DECADES later, the AtariST *still* has better MIDI timing than any modern DAW.

[@mike04574]

Bedroom music was made in the 70s

[@stephenwilliams163]

Holy shit. I clicked on the thumbnail not recognizing the artist or the song, but as soon as I heard Todd's intro I got goosebumps from the nostalgia. I could almost hear the radio bumper caught on a high school mixtape. I remember this song sticking out like a sore thumb. It wasn't like anything else I was into back then, but it was so intriguingly different that I couldn't ignore it. Thanks Todd. I'm gonna have to go give the song another listen now

[@paulisaperson0516]

I love Al Bowley. That riff from “my woman” is so popular I love it

[@lexidarling]

I remember when this song came out. It had a unique haunting quality that only an old scratchy sample can provide. Definitely sticks in your head, even as an 8 year old there was something mesmerizing about it.

[@andrebrynkus2055]

Every once in a while you cover an artist I'm genuinely excited to learn about because that one hit was so good and the other stuff I heard was interesting too. This one is up there with the Cardigans, Semisonic, and Dexys. Also it's always fun to hear something from that weird period of 97-2002.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

So in the vein of those 3 examples, he got into a lot of cool different music paths post one hit?

[@Stratocasterlaserblaster]

I literally can’t believe Semisonic’s FNT wasn’t a big hit, it was even on the 10 Things I Hate About You soundtrack!

[@kolbykauffman4180]

This has been one of my favorite songs of all time. From second grade, first hearing it because my grandmother threw my brother and I a picnic in the living room because it was raining. When I was thirteen, I fell in love with it. It was haunting. And lyrically, it just struck a deep chord in me. I found it brilliant. I'm recording a cover of it, in a Tame Impala meets Deftones kind of way. And yes, I'm rerecording the sample with a trumpet.

[@Revidescent84]

Ah please, link us when you're done! I actually would really love to hear that! Also you have a knack for transporting me to your memory, I can totally feel it.

[@kolbykauffman4180]

@@Revidescent84 done and done. ♥️ Thank you so much; that was a really kind comment.

[@kevinjohnston4923]

Episodes like this are why I love One Hit Wonderland!

[@adam_nathan]

Hey Todd I’ve noticed that whenever you talk about a one hit wonder it shows up on my local radio station, I think you have a fan there

[@ujustgotpwned2008]

As a British person, Todd's "wtf" at 3:55 at the concept of panto is delightful

[@koneheadcokehead4981]

The way he was able to transform a genre in just one song is pretty insane if you think about it

[@brokengirrafe]

This is like a Gorillaz song before the Gorillaz even existed - and that slowed-down outro reminds me of Sicko Mode in a weird way. What a talented lad!!

[@hour_logic]

very rare instance here of going from “i don’t know anything about this song” to “oh yeah i do in fact know this song” to “this guy just earned an honest to god fan”

[@zyxaqc]

Thank you for including "Make the World Go Away" because that song almost immediately became one of my favorite songs

[@KahinAhmed72]

I checked it out myself a month after I watched this video and it was pretty good! I even paid homage to Mishra by thanking him in the comment section of the music video.

[@56postoffice]

The fact that it hit #1 in the UK charts is all the more amazing.

[@deeganpoores1652]

As someone named Deegan who audibly gasped when they saw the early band credits, I’m disappointed Todd didn’t mention them so I could get a Deegan soundbite 😢

[@escritora84]

I kind of get the sense White Town somehow was an influence for Bloc Party. They kind of give me similar vibes. Does "I Can't Wait" by Nu Shooz count as a one-hit wonder? I'd love Todd to cover it.

[@getschwifty5271]

I have always got the same vibe! I was just gonna say on my comment I'd love to see him cover Bloc Party, theyre so great & underrated dude

[@Nightfall815]

I love when the episode's about one-hit wonders from the 90's! - Still hoping for "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (Deep Blue Something) or "Lemon Tree" (Fool's Garden) one day!

[@ZapperRS]

DBS deserved more recognition

[@jdramirez77]

I love that song. Every time... EVERY TIME I hear it it makes me happy.

[@ericepperson8409]

When Dua Lipa sampled My Woman for Love Again I remember seeing something questioning if she sampled Star Wars and brought this up. It's fascinating to be reminded of this song from the 90s and realize how much it fits into music being produced today, and yet somehow is better than almost all of it.