An American Songwriter feature rounds up three chart hits written or performed by well-known comedians, highlighting how some of the era's funniest performers briefly crossed over into pop music success. The piece celebrates the versatility of comic talents who parlayed their fame into standalone musical moments, even if none built on it with further hits.

The songs featured are Eddie Murphy's "Party All The Time" (1985), co-written with Rick James, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100; Billy Crystal's "You Look Marvelous" (1985), based on his Saturday Night Live catchphrase and co-written with Paul Shaffer, which peaked at No. 58; and Tracey Ullman's cover of "They Don't Know" (1983), originally by Kirsty MacColl, which reached No. 8.