The Big One Offs

Oscar Wilde

I stumbled across a silly fact I wasn’t aware of today but probably should have been: Oscar Wilde only wrote one book: The Picture of Dorian Gray. So I went in search of similar ‘one-offs’ and, of course, ended up completely lost in lists of authors and musicians—the so-called ‘One Hit Wonders’.

After Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell came Harper Lee with To Kill a Mockingbird, followed by Emily Brontë and Wuthering Heights. Nice start. Then I recalled Philip Roth and his notorious Portnoy’s Complaint.

Then I wondered about another famous book. The Bible. Another one-off unknown author?

So, of course, music was next. My favourite one here is Kyu Sakamoto, and the song
Sukiyaki. One of the rare Japanese worldwide hits. Then the list of unforgettables; Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Come on Eileen, Shocking Blue – Venus, Barry Mann – Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp), Billy Bland – Let the Little Girl Dance and, of course, Sheb Wooley and his famous Purple People Eater.

This is way too much fun, so I’d better stop here. But I’m sure you’ve got your own favourites.

8 thoughts on “The Big One Offs”

  1. Akhen1khan2 aka Jack Eason

    "Shuddupa your face" Derek. Not an insult, a one off from Aus, remember it mate? :)

  2. Do I remember Jack? Joe Dolce. What a one off! Great song worldwide and then ….. poooof! lol

  3. Akhen1khan2 aka Jack Eason

    That reminds me. Who was the bloke who always had a bit if dunny paper stuck to his face – Aussie comic. Not quite Aus's version of Fred Dagg, but damned close? :)

  4. Oscar Wilde wrote TONS of plays, though. :)

    The Bible is actually a collection of books, mostly by one-off authors. :D Luke had a couple to his name, though, and the Apostle Paul was fairly prolific. :D

    Moses may have had 5, though personally I've never really been convinced by the idea that he wrote the first 5 books of the Bible. But I'd better not get into the stuff from my theology degree work or I'll bore everyone silly! :D

    Or did you mean God as a one-off author? :D

  5. Oh Jack! What a memory. He was called Norman Gunston aka Garry McDonald! Brilliant he was.

  6. Of course Ruth! I forgot about the Bible. Quite a few one off wonders there! lol But not sure God wrote a book :)

  7. James Schwartz

    Wilde had his book of ‘Poems’ published before ‘Dorian Gray’ I think. I think! :)

  8. Wow, I never knew the author had only written one book, it happens to be one of my all time favourite story… Thanks for sharing yet another great subject.. Xx

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