One Hit Wondering – Deee-Lite

One Hit Wondering is a series of columns where I listen to the album of a one hit wonder, and find three songs, other than the hit, that people should hear. 

In August of 1990 Deee-Lite burst onto the national scene with “Groove Is in the Heart,” one of the most feel-good dance tunes this side of The B-52’s. Over three decades later it is still undeniably one of the greatest pop songs of all-time.

Deee-Lite consisted of the multi-cultural trio of Lady Miss Kier, who hailed from NYC, Supa DJ Dmitry, who was born in Ukraine, and Korean-Japanese jungle DJ Towa Tei. Together, they combined their unique musical influences to create songs that had great energy, and filled dance floors.

Despite the fact that they could always get the party started, “Groove Is in the Heart” would end up the group’s lone hit, spending five weeks in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10, including three weeks at #4. The song featured an impressive array of samples, and an equally impressive lineup of guests, including Bootsy Collins, Q-Tip, Maceo Parker, and Fred Wesley.

The joyous nature of “Groove Is in the Heart” kept it in heavy rotation on Top 40 radio during the fall and winter of 1990, a wildly colorful video helped it become a favorite on MTV.

“Groove Is in the Heart” sparked enough interest in Deee-Lite’s debut album, World Clique – which, just like the single, was released in August of 1990 – to propel it to gold status in the U.S., with over 500,000 units sold.

While three subsequent singles hit the Top 10 on the U.S. dance chart – “Power of Love/Build That Bridge,” and Good Beat” – Billboard Hot 100 success eluded those songs, with only “Power of Love” cracking the Top 50.

Mainstream success may have not have been long-lasting for Deee-Lite, but I popped my copy of World Clique into my CD player the other day, and found three songs, other than “Groove Is in the Heart,” that you should give a listen to.

“Who Was That?”

 

Long before Tamia, and Deborah Cox scored hits with their odes to Canadian home invasion (“Stranger in My House,” “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here”), Deee-Lite was having their own set of questions regarding an uninvited guest. The difference with “Who Was That?” is that instead of an R&B ballad we have a funky jam that includes Bootsy Collins on bass.

“Deep-Ending”

 

“Deep-Ending” is a groove that plays with the English language, as Lady Miss Kier switches back and forth from singing “depending,” and “deep-ending.”

I’m depending depending depending on you
I’m deep-ending, I’m at the deep end
I don’t know, I don’t know what to do 

As a word nerd, I absolutely love this, and when those keys come in after the chorus – pure ‘90s dance!

“Good Beat”

 

It’s pretty easy to understand why “Good Beat” climbed the dance chart, but why on earth didn’t Top 40 radio embrace it???

I guess that will remain a mystery, but just because mainstream radio dropped the ball doesn’t mean the rest of us should follow suit. “Good Beat” is a heck of a good beat, and provides a fantastic vibe.

Until next time, here’s to discovering more great music from one hit wonders!