Are you Jimmy Ray? Also who the hell is Jimmy Ray? Well if you're someone who wants to know, check out this video on the briefly popular '90s teen idol!
Man, I'm glad you mentioned "Who Wants to Know", because that's honestly a pretty good song. The thing that's interesting about it is that even though the lyrics are mostly the same as "Are You Jimmy Ray", the tone of the song feels very different. It feels way less braggadocios and more like he's leaning into the irony of singing "who wants to know about me?" when he's kind of a nobody now. There's a part near the end where he goes "Stingray, Link Wray, it's all the same to me / Fay Wray, Johnnie Ray, be who you wanna be" which I really like, because in the original song those names are basically just nonsense rhymes, but here it's more like he doesn't even care if you get his name wrong as long as you're acknowledging that he exists. It's basically a song about him being a one-hit wonder, while also being *a cover of the song that made him a one-hit wonder*. There's something very fun about that.
That's a really good analysis. As far as meta-songs about one's big hit goes it's a lot less morose than I Took A Pill In Ibiza and a lot less bitter than My Iron Lung
@DestinyKiller Given that he was in a techno duo before he made his solo debut, I think he's always had diverse tastes. He does say in his LinkedIn article from 2016 that he felt like too much of his stylistic direction was determined for him, but he probably allowed it to happen because he was up for anything. Like Todd said, he didn't realize that "Are You Jimmy Ray" would be the single. He only regretted it when he realized that it would be.
I want this song to just keep going and going and going with the rhymes. "Are you Marvin Gaye?" "Are you Michael Bay?" "Are you Tony Jay?" "Are you Mary Kay?"
Funny story, my brother worked for the server farm that hosted the fantasy soccer game and filed the papers to bankrupt Jimmy Ray. When he realized who it was as they chased him for money he felt bad but really really wanted to call him and say "Are you Jimmy Ray?"
@@MaynardCrow Sugar Ray was actually pretty Pop Punk before Fly made them big. Going through their Discography you'll notice they switch their sound very quickly after the Album fly was on.
Well, the thing is, the song is from 1997, and likely written before Sugar Ray rose to fame, so I'm not that surprised that there isn't a reference to them.
That eerie feeling when you were just humming *this exact song* this morning while cleaning and wondering, “Say, what was Jimmy Ray’s deal anyway? This song would probably be an interesting One Hit Wonderland!” Well! I’m both delighted and kind of freaked out. O_o
There's a dream sequence where he's the caretaker of a troop of miniature stop-motion chimps who reenact random moments from his childhood. And they're all wearing smoking jackets.
"I'm going for rockabilly revival." Jimmy Ray ends up sounding like Fatboy Slim, Junkie XL, and Savage Garden on his first three singles. How... do you miss the mark so spectacularly and yet manage to crank out three decent singles?
@@unmutedtones6086 It's not so much that he had range. His management and record label took what he wanted to do and turned it into something completely different, just to make him fit into what was cool at the time.
No way! I loved this shit. When I was a kid, I actually won this single (on CD) from a puck shooting contest at a roller skating rink. 13 year old me just loved the totally unjustified machismo of it.
I've been dying for that one for ages! Especially since Irving Berlin was still alive when it charted, meaning he was the oldest person to ever get a charting hit during his lifetime.
@N K The song Millennium. Had to look it up but I knew there was at least one that hit the US. It was pretty forgettable and only hit 72 on the Billboards hot 100. But I remember it because the video was him parodying James Bond and it came out here in 1999. Which means overplayed on the radio requested by no one. At least in my area. And now to forget it again until someone brings up Robbie Williams name.
@N K The record company tried really, *really* hard to break Robbie Williams in the US, but it just never happened. Strangely, people in the US seemed to know who he was. He was famous for being famous in Britain.
I was listening to Todd playing it on the piano like 'ah this was my jam back in the day' then when the song started I realized I'd never heard it before in my life.
@@paulludwigewaldvonkleist4039 It's a comedy advice podcast where listeners can submit Yahoo answers questions. They referenced this song every time a person named Ira Wray sent in a question. It's a hilarious podcast, you should really check it out sometime
As someone who has never heard this song a single time in their life, I can say without a doubt that to my ears, the songwriter and producer were CLEARLY going for "Unbelievable" by EMF. And it's like....70% there. Who wants to knOOHHH! OW! OW!
It’s funny how half the comments are people saying that they never heard of this guy. Meanwhile I remember this guy being EVERYWHERE for, like, three weeks in 1997. Definitely the 90s version of an industry plant.
I think this must have been the 3 weeks that I discovered mp3 file sharing. I remember I first got mp3 in 1996 or so, but 97 was when I started listening to the radio a lot less.
I had no idea what this song was until I watched the video and then was like 'oh.... this actually does ring a bell' This song is the 'it's me bitch' song for a guy breaking out from a boy band, but I guess there weren't any boy bands to split up/go solo in 1997.
@Quix Billy ended up having the last laugh. His inclusion on Old Town Road's preferred version means he can legitimately say he's one of the all time most successful country stars. Well played Billy, well played. That's some Palpatine-level machinations there. You hooked your star well.
@@CT_Phipps Billy Ray has had such an odd career track. Big country hit, then descending into one hit wonder-dom, then doing some bit acting roles, then starring in a Disney show with his pop star daughter, then having a chart bustingly huge success late in his life with an unexpected hip hop collab.
YES I AM SO HAPPY YOU'RE DOING THIS ONE A while back I went through the 90s year end hot 100 lists and came across this song. I was actively listening to pop music during this time period and had no recollection of this guy or this song. I really really hoped you'd cover it because I wanted to know who the hell IS Jimmy Ray and why don't I remember him?? Why is his only song echoing this sentiment??
So, this song is the Sharkboy and Lavagirl of songs. Something that you just...randomly remember, and can't figure out if it actually happened or was just a collective fever dream, so you Google it to confirm it's existence.
Out of all the questions asked by songs - "What is love?", "Do you really want to hurt me?", "What's love got to do with it?", "How deep is your love?", "Should I stay or should I go?", "Wouldn't it be nice?", "Wouldn't it be good?", "Can you feel the love tonight?", "Who are you?", "Who let the dogs out?" and "How much is that doggy in the window?" this one is certainly the most philosophical and the least interesting.
I think he has a 10 year waiting period, meaning that Orianthi, in theory, could be coming out soon. We're still a few years away from Alex Clare and Capital Cities, though.
Man, I love the idea of "popabilly" and wish it was a thing now. I kinda feel like Panic at the Disco has a hint of this at least in asthetic though, if not in his actual music.
I agree... Though I have to admit, as one of their fiercely dedicated pre-MTV fans (not even sure how many times I saw them in those days), that album & everything that followed was a tremendous let-down (except 1-2-8, the last true Bosstones song). Of course, I'm also an old-school Chumbawamba fan, and Todd's video on them was excellent. So yes, please. Show everyone who they REALLY were. Mighty! Mighty! Boss-tones!
Another ska banger to go over would be Superman by Goldfinger. I mean, that one managed to take the happiest chord progression in the world, mix it with one of the most slapping genres there is, and then made a super sad song about depression and excessive emotional labor.
Does "Superman" even count as a hit song for the purposes of this channel? It was never a single so it never had a chart position. It was certainly very popular due to the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater franchise, but I don't think it's quantifiable as a hit.
This song and video feel like they were written for a movie about a washed-up former pop star and this was his "big hit" back in his heyday Like, it reminds me of "Pop Goes My Heart" from Music + Lyrics, only it's not as good
Raviv Ulman is the actor's name. Which shocked me, i always knew him as Ricky Ulman! guess that was just so he'd sound more American on the Disney Channel
@@einootspork Maybe if they're British and old enough, considering it was a #1 hit there. I was honestly thinking the same as Oren Bernstein above - "Tic Tac Toe" is probably the most obscure OHW Todd has ever done.
Sadly, Jimmy Ray was overshadowed by the similarly named Sting Ray who would become infamous after killing Steve Irwin. I imagine that must have made public appearances awkward.
Here's a few songs I think you should listen to. I'm like a Rain Man for music. Grand Funk Railroad's "I'm You Captain", "96 Tears" by Question Mark and the Mysterians, and "Get On Up" by The Esquires.
@@skiprockjr.6881 Oh please there's still Imani Coppolas Legend of a Cowgirl and Whiyetownas Your woman to go from the late 90s before we hit any more of the 60s One hit wonders
I KNOW RIGHT? That is just so...not proportional. That's not really a good look to begin with, and it really doesn't work on someone who looks like they're about 6' tall and 110 pounds.
Rule #1: Don’t name your first song after yourself. Same problem plagued Vanilla Ice, Living in a Box, Big Country, Cupid, Soulja Boy and dozens of other artists
I’m an older millennial and I definitely remember this song. I had occasionally wondered what happened to Jimmy Ray so this video was really interesting to me.
Kind of/sort of remember this song. I think I remember liking it, but then it just passing through my consciousness and forgetting it. Certainly a blast from the past.
@@MisterH37 He's definitely a OHW (in the US at least - in the UK he actually had 4 other Top 10 Hits!) but "Return of the Mack" wasn't his debut (he had at least two other singles before this) so I'm not sure if he fits with the three others. I could see an argument to be made that "S Club Party" is an "I'm Here Bitch" single tho!
This friggin thing was #2 in Canada in 1998. I was 13 at the time and didn't have many CDs so I listened to whatever radio station wasn't playing commercials or opera. So I heard this. The entire time I was wondering "am I missing something? what the hell is this?". Turns out the answer is, 22 years later, "nope, it's just stupid".
Working in a Target electronics department in the 90's. I got to hear this song from the TV's demo every 20 minutes for months. Certainly a new level of hell.
"An odd, collected half-memory that we're not sure had happened." The fact that I looked up this song, heard the "I'm meaner and leaner" part, and immediately snapped my mind-fingers in an "OH, I KNOW THIS" moment, well, I can't say I disagree with you.
@@menicman7044 on the first nigthmare on Alem street freddy came through the wall above a girls bed. When fred started pushing thro the plaster It kind of looked like the bulge on Todd's wall
As a British person who listened to music in the 90's, I can honestly say I do not remember this song at all. Shampoo on the other hand, that song was awesome. Hey Todd, if you read your comments. What about a Drinking in LA by Bran Van 3000 as a One Hit Wonderland?
When I heard "popabilly hip-hop", I got excited. Then I realized they took out both the "billy" and the "hip" and it's just run-of-the-mill late-90s pop-hop...
That would be a great episode. So much drama surrounding the sample, and it took FOREVER for the band to be able to make any money off of their biggest hit.
@@faeriegraver Nope, we missed that one. You know, as big a name as The Verge are, I would've assumed they were bigger, but no - only the one hit, and it only went to 12. I'm shocked.
This is why I love Todd's videos, because I learn so much from them, and he's been digging deep lately. I'm a sucker for '90s pop culture, but I had no idea who sang "Rhythm of the Night", I had no idea Arrested Development had a second album beyond 1992, and I had no idea this song even existed, despite listening to a ton of pop radio in 1998. Todd, please never stop teaching us 🙂
I was twelve when this dropped, and in the 20 some years since I'd convinced myself that it was a figment of my imagination. Thanks Todd for awakening this unholy earworm.
Okay if you are watching in 2022 there is a PERFECT cut between the moment of Jimmy Ray singing "well" at the start of his song and Elvis singing "well" in the trailer for that Elvis movie. Like I legit thought it was part of the video for a second it was so well timed. Not to give to much credit to ads but if that wasn't intentional it was a hell of a serendipitous moment.
I was in college when this came out, and I really liked the song. I think it was a blip of rockabilly aesthetic connected to Edwyn Collins' "A Girl Like You". Those songs always seemed paired in my mind.
One hit wonderland for Edwin Collins? (A clip from the “A Girl Like You” video is used for the “we brought back lounge” bit) His career is extensive and he basically invented indie pop with his band Orange Juice Edit: I’d love a one hit wonderland on Edwin Collins
Jesus Christ, I all but forgot about this song... "For anyone who was there, 'Are You Jimmy Ray' has lingered on in the back of their minds like an odd, collective memory that we're not sure actually happened." YES, that is the perfect way to describe that feeling. That is it *exactly*, thank you, Todd!
This reminds me of The Simpsons episode about Poochie. To quote Roger Myers Jr., “One, Jimmy Ray needs to be louder, angrier, and have access to a time machine. Two, whenever Jimmy Ray’s not onscreen, all the other characters should be asking 'Where's Jimmy Ray?' ”
I love how this charted higher than mummers dance a veteran of one hit wonderland, and a much better remembered song (in its genre) Edit: stupid fat fingers
It is always weird for me people talking about The Mummers Dance as a "one hit wonder" given that I love the song and the artist but was never aware it was really a "hit" beyond being probably her best-known song. This Jimmy Ray song I don't remember at all either. I guess it's kind of catchy although it's pretty funny that you write a one-hit wonder about someone getting your name wrong and 20 years later you probably wish they'd care enough to ask what your name actually is :)
I had no idea that he was British. As gloriously weird and unique as this song is, I could imagine an artist spinning this into a career by going a little more Beck with it, leaning into the assembly of oddball elements and playing up the modernity just as much as the rockabilly. But respect to him for really wanting to go Elvis, if that was his deal.
I feel bad for Jimmy Ray because if his record label didn't try to push him to be a pop idol and he had more creative control, he could have been a cult figure like Marshall Crenshaw. However, instead of becoming his generation's Gene Vincent, Jimmy Ray became his generation's Olly Murs.
And the weird thing is I can totally hear that snotty 50s rockabilly yelp in his singing and a few of the references he makes like Link Wray are great 50s deep cuts. If you took out the weird 90s dancehall production and put Scotty Moore guitar stings in there it would be a derivative but convincing homage to music of the era.
I always thought it was the same group that had that "Jellyhead" song around the same time. Over and over I feel it Boyfriend you're alone You must be out of your mind Jellyhead You really blown it! :)
It's actually a hell of a story, and I'm not sure anyone else has gone from riot grrl to Spice Girl!! (From Bouffont Headbutt to Girl Power!!) And 'Trouble' absolutely still kicks ass to this day!!!
One Hit Wonder? More like Zero Hit Wonder... at least in my country, I'm gonna assume. I'm 40, so I got a pretty good recollection of what was played on the radio/music TV channels and what wasn't back in the late 90s, and seriously... this is the very first time I hear about this dude. And I'm sure as heck that I'd remember that hubcap-sized belt buckle & pompadour-wearing mannequin if I had seen it before.
I wish I could rid my mind of the memories of my friend with a bad sense of kitsch occasionally asking "... Are you JIMMY RAY?!" during lulls in conversations for months afterward. I almost downvoted the video just for reminding me of this song's existence
The way Todd describes people remembering this hit, as a "half-memory" that we vaguely remember due to it's eccentric, catchy sound is EXACTLY how I remembered it until I looked it up a few years ago. Must have heard it a handful of times at the most, but the catchy nature of the chorus and the combination of a wonderful late 90s childhood and the draining fatigue of life since those times have made sure the Nostalgia kept some parts of it alive in my mind for nearly 2 decades.
Weirdly enough when he shows this song on the Billboard charts at 4:46 you can see The Mummers' Dance three slots below it. Meaning these happened at the same time.
