Nope, Not a 1-Hit Wonder: Rockwell


The recording artist who became famous as “Rockwell” was born in March of 1964 as Kennedy William Gordy. An artist going by a stage name is usually of only passing interest, but in this case, you might want to take a second look at that surname. Rockwell is the son of legendary songwriter/producer/record exec Berry Gordy, whose Motown record label discovered and made famous acts like The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Commodores, Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder and The Jackson 5. The crossover success these acts had was unprecedented for African-American recording artists and changed the nature of the record business. Gordy was inducted in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Kennedy’s father was, in fact, so famous and influential at the time, that he pursued his record contract without letting him know about it and agreed readily to the company’s idea to change his name to “Rockwell.” In this way, it was his hope to avoid any accusations of nepotism where it came to his relationship with the elder Gordy. He hoped not to need his Father’s influence in order to succeed.
After all, he had other valuable friends…

Since he grew up around the stable of Motown artists, Rockwell just happened to be childhood chums with none other than Michael Jackson. By the time Rockwell’s first single was released, Jackson had already had 24 top10 hits in the U.S. and was the hottest recording artist on the airwaves following the monster success of his album “Thriller.” So when Rockwell’s ode to paranoia “Somebody’s Watching Me” included the gloved one’s voice singing the title refrain, was it any surprise that it soared all the way up to #2 on the Billboard charts?
In fairness, “Somebody’s Watching Me” is an entertaining song in its own right, with a wonderfully overwrought and goofy vocal performance from Rockwell himself, who drifts in and out of a put-on British dialect. As you can see above, the video was also pretty high-dollar and artfully directed for the era.
Things were going pretty well for Rockwell, right? All he needed was that one great follow-up hit that could build on the success of “Somebody’s Watching Me” while staking out just a little bit of new ground.
Instead, what the public got was this…

Where do we start?
Somebody was apparently very nervous that the MTV crowd wouldn’t remember who Rockwell was, and that Michael Jackson’s absence from the recording would spell chart doom. So the decision was made for the video to open with several bars of the first hit. Oh yes, and a couple of extras from the “Somebody’s Watching Me” video show up, too. Whoever that guy is playing the mailman in both videos is really enjoying the 15 minutes Andy Warhol promised him, isn’t he?
The net was being cast so wide, that Rockwell felt it necessary to include all possible listeners in the scenario painted by the song by allowing that the “Obscene Phone Caller” in question could very well be a “Mister or Miss.”
The video makes use of some outstanding examples of 80s hair, the ubiquitous screaming crowd, pretend violin playing, chessboard flooring, and AIR KEYBOARD!!
…and yes, Rockwell, we know that’s a phone, you don’t have to point it out to us.
In short, the “Obscene Phone Caller” video is everything you could possibly want from an 80s video if you are currently living deep in the 21st century. I just can’t stop watching it.
Instead of expanding on Rockwell’s established persona, “Obscene Phone Caller” paints him into a corner by delivering another goofy expression of modern paranoia. In other words, it makes him into a novelty act. It also very nearly left him as a 1-hit wonder, peaking at #35 on the Billboard charts and bowing out after just 2 weeks.
It would be his last entry in the top40, despite eight more released singles.
As a fellow known mostly for his relationships with greater artistic lights, maybe Rockwell took solace in the sudden success and then disappearance of his half-brother and nephew’s group LMFAO. Maybe.

More Nope, Not a One Hit Wonder

 10,000 Maniacs a-ha The Big Bopper Berlin EMF Falco Kris Kross Lisa Loeb Madness Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch Men Without Hats The Motels Radiohead  The Rembrandts Rockwell Patty Smyth Snow Survivor ‘Til Tuesday Vanilla Ice

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RB
RB
9 years ago

Yep. I remember this all too clearly as the big thrill was watching these videos in the basement of the student union where MTV was considered breathtaking entertainment, well, actually it really was. And all the talk about that voice backing up Rockwell, singing “I always feel like… somebody’s watching me” was.. “That’s HIM…. “

Craig Hansen
Craig Hansen
9 years ago
Reply to  RB

Somebody’s Watching Me is a catchy song, and I think it probably would’ve been a radio hit even without Michael Jackson’s participation. But, Michael Jackson was the biggest star in the world in 1983-84 (the mega-success of Thriller had created a bit of Michael Jackson mania back then), and having the biggest star in the world singing that catchy chorus probably did help the song rocket all the way up to #2 on the Billboard single chart. But credit where credit is due, Rockwell did craft a catchy pop hit.

lebeau
Admin
9 years ago

I know #35 is technically Top 40. But Rockwell still feels like a One Hit Wonder to me.

lebeau
Admin
9 years ago
Reply to  daffystardust

Understandable. You have to have a definition. I don’t remember Obscene Phone Caller at all. So it doesn’t register as a hit even if it did get as high as #35. So my gut tells me Rockwell is a 1-hit-wonder. But I get that technically, with a broader definition than my own less-than-scientific gut approach, he is not. Which is kind of the point of the series I guess.
I did enjoy the air keyboard.

Craig Hansen
Craig Hansen
9 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Me personally, I go by the Top 40 rule. If a song peaked in the Billboard Top 40, it counts as a hit to me. I think the Top 40 rule is a good benchmark to go by for determining who was not a One Hit Wonder. I too used to listen to Casey Kasem’s Top 40 radio show, I remember it fondly. Maybe I’m kind of an oddball but I’ve always been intrigued by how well songs did on the Billboard chart, how many Top 40 singles an artist had, how many Top 10 hits an artist had, etc.,… Read more »

lebeau
Admin
9 years ago
Reply to  Craig Hansen

It’s a great addition. I’m glad these guys are covering it. It’s why I like having more than one voice here. These sort of things make the site feel more well-rounded.

Eros
Eros
9 years ago

I’m sad that the 80s band called “Freeez” is considered a one-hit wonder with their song “I.O.U.” in 1983. I’m a big fan of their early Jazz Funk songs like “Mariposa”, “Rollerchase”, “Southern Freeze” or “Keep in Touch”, but it seems that nobody knows them (too underground maybe). Kajagoogoo made this hit in 1983, “Too shy”, N°1 in UK, N°5 in U.S. Follow-up singles “Ooh to Be Aah” and “Hang on Now” also both reached the UK Top 20, but who really remember this two songs ? (except me, I like 80s funky pop songs like Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet,… Read more »

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