4 Non Blondes - What's Up? (1993)
"What's Up" is one of my all-time favorite one-hit wonders. In March 1993 it was pulled as a single in an abridged version for radio from 4 Non Blondes' only album, Bigger, Better, Faster, More that was released the previous October. The single climbed to #14 on the Hot 100 and finished the year at #50 on Billboard's year-end chart. It was composed by the quartet's controversial lead singer, the full-throated Linda Perry, and completely overwhelmed every other track on the loud, eleven-song set. The album hit #13 on Billboard's top 200 album chart. Like most people, I thought the song was called "What's Going On?" because that line was sung repeatedly throughout the record. Its actual title is never mentioned. "What's Up?" has been called a "massive neo-hippie anthem" by AllMusic 's Tom Demalon. It appears to be about Perry's search for meaning in life as the opening lines...