Favorite 60's One Hit Wonders #8 - "Penetration"

@teamfreak16 (43421)
Denver, Colorado
July 15, 2016 8:42am CST
Even though I can count on one hand the number of times I've been to the ocean, I've always had an affinity for surf culture, especially the music. In the 60's, quite a few surf bands scored Top 40 hits, yet failed to build upon that momentum with a second hit. Recently, @FourWalls and I have been focusing on one hit wonders from various decades (the 70's and 80's so far, ) and right now, we're doing the sixties. Which brings us to The Pyramids, #8 in my Favorite 60's One Hit Wonders series. The Pyramids formed in Long Beach in 1961, and were known for their shaved heads. You also might remember their appearance in the surf film Bikini Beach. In 1964, The Pyramids hit the Top 20 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart with their song "Penetration." "Penetration" is pure, groovy surf music, one of the reasons the genre was so cool. It was, according to Wikipedia, the last big instrumental surf hit. The video is of the band's performance on American Bandstand. As you dig the choreography, be sure to admire the enthusiasm of saxophonist Tom Pitman, who doesn't get to play a lick. (I'm using the rules from Wayne Jancik's book The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders: An act can only have appeared on the Top 40 of the Hot 100 once. Any sub-charts don't count, and neither do countries other than the States.)
American Bandstand. March 28, 1964.
5 people like this
2 responses
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
15 Jul 16
Did I hear this one? It does sound like I have before and if not heard this smooth sound. I can't get over this whole video. "May I get your names, first name will do" And mostly all the guys here wear ties. All I can say is WOW!
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
15 Jul 16
Apparently the kids on American Bandstand dressed like that back in the old days. In the 70's, they wore t-shirts!
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
15 Jul 16
@teamfreak16 Someone bring it back. It looked sharp and so die the young people.
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
15 Jul 16
thank you for the video.Going to check this out.Pyramids I am unaware of
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
15 Jul 16
Great. Hope you like it!