An American Songwriter feature revisits three one-hit wonders from 1973 that the writer argues remain especially memorable to those who grew up in the 1970s. It frames the year as a golden period for rock music, singling out tracks whose distinctive sound or later pop-culture use kept them in listeners' memories long after their chart moment passed.

The three songs highlighted are "Stuck in the Middle with You" by Stealers Wheel, later revived in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs; "Smokin' in the Boys Room" by Brownsville Station, later covered by Mötley Crüe; and "Right Place, Wrong Time" by Dr. John, praised for the New Orleans musician's distinctive energy. All three tracks were released in 1973 and are presented as enduring touchstones of the era.