Behind some of music's most memorable singles lie heartbreaking tales of loss and struggle. Join us as we explore the poignant stories of artists who reached the top of the charts, but faced devastating personal challenges. From health battles to untimely deaths, these are the bittersweet legacies of unforgettable hits.
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MusicTranscript
00:00All I can do is transpose a T for two
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at artists known for one song whose life stories ended on a down note
00:11Tommy Page
00:16Before turning 20, Tommy Page had a number one hit with I'll Be Your Everything, which members of New Kids on the Block helped him write and produce
00:23Aside from his hit single, Page is probably best known for his appearance on the Full House episode, Crushed, where he was the object of Stephanie's affection
00:37After his career as a performing artist ended, Page went back to NYU and graduated from its Stern School of Business
00:43When he returned to the music industry as a record executive
00:50His tenure was instrumental in the careers of artists like Green Day, Alanis Morissette, and Michael Buble
00:55Sadly, Page died in 2017, and is believed to have taken his own life
01:00The Singing Nun
01:07Jeanine Decaires was a Belgian nun and then-member of the Dominican Order, when her song, Dominique, took off
01:20The cheery tune about the priest, named Saint Dominique, was nominated for several Grammy Awards in the mid-1960s, winning one
01:27In 1966, there was even a movie based on Decaires' life starring Debbie Reynolds as the titular singing nun
01:33His armor was devotion and the gospel was his soul
01:36Unfortunately, her success was short-lived
01:39Though still religious, Decaires found herself in disagreement with the convent and the Catholic Church
01:44After parting ways, she tried unsuccessfully to continue her music career, but money troubles got in the way
01:49Decaires and her life partner, Annie Peixia, took their own lives in 1985
01:54Though the singing nun is gone, Dominique lives on in movies and TV shows
01:58Domenique, nique, nique, nique, mais la vie, je l'ai veron, l'écon et la vie, j'entends
02:04Jennifer Page
02:06A light pop track from the late 1990s, Crushed by Jennifer Page isn't a song you would associate with tragedy
02:11See, you're doing me a kiss, it doesn't take a scientist
02:16However, a decade after the song came out, Jennifer Page faced a host of tragic setbacks
02:20In 2008, her parents both died about two weeks apart
02:30And in 2010, their home was washed away in a flood right before Page was set to sell it
02:35In 2015, she was diagnosed with skin cancer, though she ultimately recovered
02:39Pages admitted that these tragedies kept her spirits down, but her music and her fans were able to help her power through
02:49Not like every thing I do, depends on you
02:53Ray Smith
02:54Fans of the Fallout video game series might recognize the Ray Smith song, Right Behind You
02:59However, the song that Smith received success on the charts with was the early 1960s hit, Rockin' Little Angel
03:10Rockin' Little Angel, come down from the sky, down from the sky, come on down from the sky
03:15Despite the Rockabilly track selling more than one million copies and peaking at number 22 on the Hot 100
03:21Smith wasn't able to replicate another hit
03:23Rockin' Little Angel, I love you so, I love you so, I love you so
03:29After some shows and bouncing from record label to record label, he and his family moved to Burlington, Ontario, Canada
03:34Where he eventually returned to playing country music
03:37Rockin' Little Angel, you're all so sweet, you're all so sweet, you're all so sweet
03:42In 1979, Smith took his life at the age of 45, Rob Bass and DG EZ Rock
03:48If you're a fan of old school hip-hop, then you've certainly heard It Takes Two by Rob Bass and DJ EZ Rock
03:54I wanna rock right now, I'm Rob Bass and I came to get down
03:58I'm not internationally known, but I'm known to rock the microphone
04:02The song, which peaked at number 3 on the U.S. Dance Club Songs Chart, was a top 40 hit on Billboard's Hot 100
04:08Helped its eponymous album reach platinum status
04:10It Takes Two is such a classic that it's been used in samples by artists such as Snoop Dogg
04:15And in video games such as Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
04:18The duo from Harlem had been friends since the 4th grade and had moderate success in the 80s and early 90s
04:28However, diabetes complications would lead to DJ EZ Rock's death in 2014 at age 46
04:40Scatman John
04:52John Paul Larkin had a rough childhood in which he struggled with stuttering
04:55Though he was able to cope by playing the piano, Larkin also struggled with substances and alcohol
05:07After relocating to Europe, the American released an album where he fused jazz with Europop
05:12And the 1994 single, Scatman, Skee-ba-bop, ba-da-bop, really took off
05:17Its popularity, including multiple number ones in Europe, led him to take on the Scatman persona
05:28To help him shed his insecurities related to his speech difficulties
05:31Following his newfound success, the 53-year-old Larkin encouraged young people to accept themselves
05:36No matter their shortcomings
05:37Scatman John continued to make music for a few more years
05:40But unfortunately died of lung cancer in 1999
05:43Blind Melon
05:49This 90s band had some critical and commercial success
05:52Thanks to their performance of their song, No Rain
05:54Though it has a cheery, folksy melody
06:01The alt-rock track was actually based on bassist Nathan Towne's girlfriend's depression
06:05I just want someone missing me
06:10The music video for the top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hit was directed by industry veteran Samuel Baer
06:17And is best remembered for the young woman in the B costume
06:20However, just after Blind Melon released their second album
06:23Lead singer Shannon Hoon died from an overdose of illegal substances
06:26You don't like my point of view, you feel that I'm insane
06:31The band struggled to replace him and broke up in 1999
06:35Only to reform, break up, and get back together again throughout the 21st century
06:39You don't like my point of view
06:41OMC
06:42Short for Otara Millionaires Club
06:44This group from New Zealand is best known for How Bizarre
06:48Now a major source of 90s nostalgia
06:50Following the chart-topping track
06:55OMC managed to find continued success in their native New Zealand
06:58For a short time thanks to other singles off of their one album
07:01However, in 1998, frontman Pauly Fumana and OMC partner Alan Janssen
07:13Went to court over royalty disputes
07:15But they got back together in 2005 to record more music
07:23Sadly though, Fumana died of progressive, die-my-elinating neuropathy in 2010 at the age of 40
07:29Del Shannon
07:35This artist is best known for the hit song Runaway
07:38Shortly after the Rock and Roll Tune's 1961 release
07:46It was the number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 for a month straight
07:50And it was selected as one of Rolling Stone's 500 greatest songs of all time
07:54While Shannon continued to have a bit of success during the next few years
08:02His music career hit a bit of a rough patch in the 70s
08:05Due to his alcohol use disorder
08:07In 1990, mounting pressures and possible mental health issues
08:15Led Shannon to take his own life
08:17Nine years later, he was honored with a posthumous induction
08:20Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
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08:41The mother of SNL cast member Maya Rudolph, Minnie Riperton, was a talented singer who had a five octave vocal range
08:57Her vocal range was on full display for the 1974 song, Lovin' You
09:01No one else can make me feel the colors that you bring
09:08The Billboard Hot 100 chart topper was a soul and pop number written by Riperton and her husband, Richard Rudolph
09:14Unfortunately, Riperton was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1976 and became an outspoken advocate, spreading awareness
09:21She was later honored by President Jimmy Carter with the American Cancer Society's Courage Award
09:29She did not disclose her terminal status publicly and continued to make music, putting on a brave face
09:34Three years later, she would die at the age of 31
09:37Which one hit wonder do you think deserved more hits?
09:47Let us know in the comments
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