‘Pac-Man Fever’ – by Buckner and Garcia – Classic Hit or Miss

Today's Hit or Miss Song is truly a One Hit Wonder!

Buckner & Garcia was a duo consisting of Jerry Buckner and Gary Garcia from Akron, Ohio. Their first collaboration was in 1980, when they wrote a novelty Christmas song, "Merry Christmas in the NFL", imagining Howard Cosell as Santa Claus. Performed under the pseudonym "Willis The Guard & Vigorish", the song reached #82 on the Billboard chart despite limited airplay after Cosell found the song offensive.

In 1981, the duo wrote a sentimental country song called "Footprints in the Sand," performed by Edgel Groves. They also wrote the lyrics for extra verses of an extended version of the WKRP in Cincinnati theme song in 1982.

However, the duo is best known for the song "Pac-Man Fever", which became a large novelty hit in 1982, peaking at #9 in the United States. It earned a million-selling Gold-certified 45. Later the same year, after the song became a hit, they signed a record deal with Columbia/CBS Records. According to interviews, the duo never wanted to become a novelty act known for songs based on video games, but when it signed with the label, the company insisted on a full album of video-game songs, although the duo had intended to write a more varied collection of pop music. They complied despite their misgivings and released Pac-Man Fever, a full album consisting entirely of songs about

arcade video games and the rest as they say is history...