In the previous post I stated, “I’m trying to think of a singer who uses only one name who either doesn’t stink or isn’t an asshole.” I cited Cher, Sting, Bono and Beyonoce as examples. A couple commenters asked, what about Dion? Elvis? Excellent observations, which serve to demonstrate that my theory is far from watertight, as neither Dion nor Elvis stink ““ far from it. I am a fan of both.

Having conceded that my theory may itself stink up the room a bit, it is interesting to note that “Dion” may well trace his mononym to originally having performed with the group, the Belmonts, collectively known as “Dion and the Belmonts.” I’m guessing that record producers didn’t think that “Dion DiMucci and the Belmonts” rolled off the tongue as easily as “Dion and the Belmonts.” Anyway, once the group split, it made sense for Dion to remain simply “Dion.”

As for Elvis, I am old enough to remember when Elvis Presley first appeared on TV on a program called “Stage Show,” hosted by big banders, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. (Yes, this was before he appeared on the Ed Sullivan show.) He wasn’t billed as “Elvis” back then, but rather as “Elvis Presley.” Only when the country went positively nuts over him, and some news types referred to him as “Elvis the Pelvis,” people began to drop the “Presley” part of his name. I suppose having a rather unusual first name helped that process along.

So, Elvis seems to fall into the category of persons originally using a first and last name, but becoming one-namers by the sheer force of fame. Frank Sinatra comes to mind. He is known simply as “Sinatra” (at least in New Jersey). Oprah (ugh) also falls into this category.

Am I over-thinking this? Why, yes; I believe I am.

Oh “¦ one more thing, and then I’ll stop. I promise. In the category of one-named singers who stink or are an asshole, how could I have forgotten Madonna? Major stinkeroo and assholery right there.