Songoftheday 7/5/12 - Where does it go I fear, is it down to the lake I fear...

Haircut One Hundred - "Love Plus One"

from the album Pelican West (1982)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #37 (one week)

Weeks in the top-40: 4

Today's Song of the Day is the debut and biggest hit by British new-wave band Haircut One Hundred. Led by singer Nick Heyward, the group came together in 1980, and their first album, Pelican West, was a huge success in England, becoming a #2 record and splitting off three top-10 singles. They combined island-style rhythms with jazzy saxophone (courtesy of Phil Smith). "Love Plus One" was their biggest, reaching #3 in the UK, and becoming their first and only Hot 100 hit in the States.

"Love Plus One" also was big in the US dance clubs, making the top-10, and was a top-20 rock hit as well (one of the first British new-wave acts to make that chart). However, after a tour and battling depression over the fame merry-go-round, Heyward was booted from the band before their second set, which pretty much fizzled, producing 2 minor singles and not even charting on Britain's album chart. However Nick went on to a moderately better success in their homeland, with a top-10 record, North Of A Miracle, that even made the US chart, and gave him an adult-contemporary (soft-rock) top-20 hit with "Whistle Down The Wind". He proceeded to have five more British top-40 hits, and even popped up in the 90s in the States with a top-5 modern rock hit with "Kite". A couple years ago, Heyward and Haircut 100 rekindled their professional relationship and played a reunion show and released a live set. And "Love Plus One" remains one of those "one-hit wonder" type of songs that has aged well.


Up tomorrow: The Gambler shows you his Six Pack.