One (Harry Nilsson song)
Encyclopedia
"One" is a song written by Harry Nilsson
and made famous by Three Dog Night
whose cover in 1969 reached number 5 on the Billboard chart. The song is known for its opening line
"One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do." It appeared initially on Aerial Ballet
, Nilsson's third album.
Nilsson wrote the song after calling someone and getting a busy signal
. He stayed on the line listening to the "beep,beep,beep,beep..." tone, writing the song. The busy signal became the opening notes of the song.
In 1968, Al Kooper
released the song on his debut album I Stand Alone
.
In 1969, rock band Three Dog Night
covered the song on their debut album Three Dog Night
, with Chuck Negron
on lead vocal. The song was released as a single and became a hit, reaching number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100
. That same year, the song was covered by Australian singer Johnny Farnham, reaching number 4 on the Australian charts. The song was also included in the soundtrack of House M.D.
on the single for the song "High in High School".
The song was covered by Aimee Mann
for the 1995 Nilsson tribute album For The Love of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson
. Mann's version also appears in the 1999 film Magnolia
and on the film's soundtrack.
The song was also covered by the rock band Filter
for the soundtrack to the 1998 film The X-Files: Fight the Future
.
Dokken
, a 1978 heavy metal band also covered the song in their 1999 album, Erase the Slate
.
The Beta Band
closed their 2001 album Hot Shots II
with "Won," a hip-hop track built around extensive samples of Nilsson's song.
Mastodon
recorded a cover of the song for the Army of Two
trailer.
Alva Noto
and Blixa Bargeld
, as ANBB, covered "One" in their album Mimikry.
Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
and made famous by Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
whose cover in 1969 reached number 5 on the Billboard chart. The song is known for its opening line
Incipit
Incipit is a Latin word meaning "it begins". The incipit of a text, such as a poem, song, or book, is the first few words of its opening line. In music, it can also refer to the opening notes of a composition. Before the development of titles, texts were often referred to by their incipits...
"One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do." It appeared initially on Aerial Ballet
Aerial Ballet
Aerial Ballet is the third album by Harry Nilsson released in 1968.Aerial Ballet was Nilsson's second album for RCA Victor, and was titled after the highwire circus act of his grandparents. It consists almost entirely of songs written by him, including "One", which later became a Number Five hit...
, Nilsson's third album.
Nilsson wrote the song after calling someone and getting a busy signal
Busy signal
A busy signal in telephony is an audible or visual signal to the calling party that indicates failure to complete the requested connection of that particular telephone call....
. He stayed on the line listening to the "beep,beep,beep,beep..." tone, writing the song. The busy signal became the opening notes of the song.
In 1968, Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
released the song on his debut album I Stand Alone
I Stand Alone (Al Kooper album)
I Stand Alone is the title of New York City based singer-songwriter Al Kooper's 1968 début album, issued on Columbia Records, recorded after his collaboration with Michael Bloomfield and Stephen Stills, Super Session....
.
In 1969, rock band Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
covered the song on their debut album Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night (album)
Three Dog Night is the self-titled debut album by American rock band Three Dog Night. The album was originally released by Dunhill Records on October 16, 1968...
, with Chuck Negron
Chuck Negron
Charles "Chuck" Negron is an American singer-songwriter, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night, which he helped to form in 1968.-Biography:...
on lead vocal. The song was released as a single and became a hit, reaching number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. That same year, the song was covered by Australian singer Johnny Farnham, reaching number 4 on the Australian charts. The song was also included in the soundtrack of House M.D.
Later cover versions
In 1992, it was covered by the band Chainsaw KittensChainsaw Kittens
The Chainsaw Kittens were a part of the American alternative rock scene, drawing from pop, glam rock, punk, new wave and British Invasion music. Their lyrics tackled such varied topics as religion, the Stonewall Riots, Federico Fellini, Oklahoma, Erik Menendez, and Oscar Wilde.Based in Norman,...
on the single for the song "High in High School".
The song was covered by Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann is an American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and bassist.-Early life:Aimee Mann grew up in Bon Air, Virginia, graduated from Open High School in 1978 and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, but dropped out to sing with her first punk rock band, the Young Snakes...
for the 1995 Nilsson tribute album For The Love of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson
For the Love of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson
For The Love of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson, released in 1995, is a tribute album to Harry Nilsson recorded and released after his death. Proceeds went to the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.-Track listing:-External links:*...
. Mann's version also appears in the 1999 film Magnolia
Magnolia (film)
Magnolia is a 1999 American drama film written, produced, and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, narrated by Ricky Jay, and starring Tom Cruise, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, and Jason Robards in his last feature film appearance...
and on the film's soundtrack.
The song was also covered by the rock band Filter
Filter (band)
Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....
for the soundtrack to the 1998 film The X-Files: Fight the Future
The X-Files (film)
The X-Files is a 1998 American science fiction-thriller film written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Rob Bowman. It is the first feature film based on The X-Files series created by Carter that revolves around a fictional FBI paranormal investigation unit called the X-Files...
.
Dokken
Dokken
Dokken is an American heavy metal and hard rock band formed in 1978. They split up in 1989 but reformed four years later. The group accumulated numerous charting singles and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide...
, a 1978 heavy metal band also covered the song in their 1999 album, Erase the Slate
Erase The Slate
Erase the Slate is the seventh studio album by heavy metal band Dokken, released in 1999. It is the only Dokken album to feature former Winger guitarist Reb Beach.-Track listing:...
.
The Beta Band
The Beta Band
The Beta Band were a British musical group who received much critical acclaim and achieved cult status amongst avid followers of the underground and experimental music scene...
closed their 2001 album Hot Shots II
Hot Shots II
Hot Shots II is The Beta Band's second studio album, released in July 2001.-Reception:Online music magazine Pitchfork Media placed Hot Shots II at number 118 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.-Track listing:#"Squares" – 3:46...
with "Won," a hip-hop track built around extensive samples of Nilsson's song.
Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
recorded a cover of the song for the Army of Two
Army of Two
Army of Two is a third person shooter video game developed and published by Electronic Arts. It was released on March 4, 2008 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. The game is centered upon two mercenaries fighting through war, political turmoil, and a conspiracy from 1993 to 2009...
trailer.
Alva Noto
Alva Noto
Alva Noto is a stage name of sound artist Carsten Nicolai who uses art and music as complementary tools to create microscopic views of creative processes. Another alias he uses is Noto...
and Blixa Bargeld
Blixa Bargeld
Blixa Bargeld is a composer, author, actor, singer, musician, performer and lecturer in a number of artistic fields...
, as ANBB, covered "One" in their album Mimikry.