It has been a few months since most of us have been inspired by one man’s amazing story, and even more, his surprising success. Jeremy Lin’s rise to the hard court has been one of the most shocking occurrences in the sporting world, and this quick ascension leaves much of us wondering if this young star will keep on shining, or if he will eventually burn out and join the world’s list of one hit wonders.
The Menagerie now takes you on a journey to the past, to look back at some of the one hit wonders in our generation. These items will really make you wonder, “Where are they now?”
Bad day – Daniel Powter
It would be stupid to say that nobody has ever had a bad day. We have all had days when everything seems out of place. For some, the train can be too crowded and for others, the line at the elevator can seem eternal. Everybody has had a bad day, days to be exact.
But then we hear this song on the radio, and find solace in knowing that we are not alone, and that there will always be another day around the corner. But sadly, no other hits came any day in any corner for Mr. Powter.
William hung – She bangs
A wonder hit turned icon and trend, William hung paved the way for aspiring artists. With his sweet disposition and lovable image, people could not help, but cheer the guy on during his charade of stardom. But he banged too much to realize that people saw him as the icon for the hopeless; a star that commits to his own unique style, if not eccentric shine. He would give the world inspiration (which is his debut album title) and prove that when you “Bang” with all your heart, nothing is impossible, except a Grammy.
Buster Douglas – Knockouted Tyson for the championship
If there could be a literal hit in this list of one time wonders, it would have to be the charmed punches of this one-time world heavyweight champion. Buster Douglas is the ultimate underdog as he faced one of the most dominating boxers of the 90’s, “Iron” Mike Tyson. The fight consisted of an astonishing 35-1 odd against Buster. And as with every Cinderella story in the list, the slipper, or glove fit perfectly well in his fist that night as he defeated Tyson via knockout. But on the way to the sunset, his carriage turned back into a pumpkin; he eventually lost the title in his first and only title defense.
M. Night Shyamalan – The Sixth Sense
The idea of excluding Mr. “I see dead people” from one hit wonders might render this list artistically lacking. The genius behind the blockbuster hit the Sixth Sense gave the world the twist of its life. And with all the commercial success garnered from the film, Mr. Shyamalan was regarded as an up and coming director to watch out for in the future.
But as people continued watching his films, they were surprised to see him lose his title of up and coming, which then became end up with the down and decreasing. Case in point his latest movie “The Last Airbender.” It had a story twist only Mr. Shyamalan could come up with and like for that matter.
The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
It seems very ironic how Holden Caulfield, the main character in his (Salinger) most and only renowned novel, spent the whole book looking for his purpose in the world. While Mr. Salinger needs no soul searching to figure out why he will always be known in pop culture, who knew that The Catcher in the Rye would build a cult so big that no other works of his could ever live up to it?
