AWOLNATION, Sail | 1 Hit WONDERful 👏👏👏

In the 1st edition of 1 Hit WONDERful 👏👏👏, we highlight “Sail” performed by alternative collective AWOLNATION led by singer/songwriter Aaron Bruno.

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful 👏👏👏, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  To be fair, it is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, it’s that ONE hit that earned them recognition. So, in the 1^st edition of 1 Hit WONDERful 👏👏👏, we dive into 🎵 “Sail”,  the one hit wonder by 🎙 AWOLNATION.

“This is how I show my love / I made it in my mind because / I blame it on my ADD, baby.” WOO! One of the truly great, one-hit wonders arrives courtesy of 🎙 Aaron Bruno, the lead vocalist/songwriter of 🎙 AWOLNATION.  🎵 “Sail”, the crème de la crème of the band’s 2011, platinum album, 💿 Megalithic Symphony,  slowly became a BIG DEAL in the 2010s. It is an unlikely hit to say the least. The diamond certified single ultimately peaked at no. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 two years after it initially debuted 🤯. “Sail” spent 79 weeks on the charts – an incredibly impressive tenure.

“Maybe I should cry for help

Maybe I should kill myself

Blame it on my ADD, baby.”

Don’t kill yourself, Aaron! What made “Sail” such an epic hit for AWOLNATION and Bruno? The tuneful melody in the verses go a long way.  Furthermore, the lyrics are intriguing, with Bruno referencing his ADD in both verses. The chorus, simply “Sail,” is brilliant, even though its simple.  The significance of the “Sail” lyric, of course, is related to his issues/problems. His distorted, energetic vocals, also help craft the sound of this sole charting hit by AWOLNATION [Note: the band does have an additional gold certified single in 🎵 “Not Your Fault” but it didn’t chart]. Perhaps the biggest selling point is the sound and production. The synths are DEFINITELY the instrument to beat, performed by Bruno. Additionally, the drums (also Bruno) are epic too. 🎵 “Sail” speaks for itself. It’s a once in a lifetime song, and the perfect kickoff to 1 Hit WONDERful 👏👏👏!!!

🎙 AWOLNATION • 💿 Megalithic Symphony • 🏷 Red Bull • 🗓 2011

AWOLNATION, Sail: 1 Hit WONDERful 👏👏👏 No. 1 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Red Bull; Julia Larsen, Kurchakto, RDNE Stock project, Victor Terrell from Pexels; Andrew Martin from Pixabay]