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{{Short description|1968 song}}
{{redirect|One Is the Loneliest Number|the novel|Tom Clancy's Net Force Explorers: One is the Loneliest Number}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{redirect|One Is the Loneliest Number|the novel|Tom Clancy's Net Force Explorers: One is the Loneliest Number}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2009}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2009}}
{{Infobox song
{{Infobox song
| name = One
| name = One
| cover =
| cover = One by nilsson UK single side-B solid centre.png
| alt =
| alt = side-B label
| caption = Side B of the UK single; solid center variant
| type = single
| type = single
| artist = [[Harry Nilsson]]
| artist = [[Harry Nilsson]]
Line 13: Line 15:
| format =
| format =
| recorded = 1967
| recorded = 1967
| studio = [[RCA Records#RCA Victor Music Center of the World, Hollywood|RCA]] (Hollywood, California)
| studio =
| venue =
| venue =
| genre =
| genre = [[Chamber pop]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/06/15/best-harry-nilsson-songs-playlist/85929792/ |title=Playlist: Best Harry Nilsson songs for what would be his 75th birthday |website=Azcentral.com |date=June 16, 2016 |access-date=August 20, 2016}}</ref>
* [[Chamber pop]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/06/15/best-harry-nilsson-songs-playlist/85929792/ |title=Playlist: Best Harry Nilsson songs for what would be his 75th birthday |website=Azcentral.com |date=June 16, 2016 |access-date=August 20, 2016}}</ref>
* [[folk rock]]<ref name= "RS 2004">{{cite book |chapter=Harry Nilsson|last1= Coleman|first1= Mark| last2= Matos|first2= Michaelangelo|title=[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide|The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]] |year=2004 |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |edition=4th |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages= 586–587}}</ref>
* [[soft rock]]<ref>{{cite web|first= Stephen Thomas |last= Erlewine |author-link= Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title= Harry Nilsson – Everybody's Talkin' [BMG] |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/everybodys-talkin-bmg-mw0000244766 |publisher= [[AllMusic]] |access-date= October 9, 2023}}</ref>
| length =
| length =
| label = [[RCA Records]]
| label = [[RCA Records]]
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| next_title = [[Everybody's Talkin'#Harry Nilsson version|Everybody's Talkin']]
| next_title = [[Everybody's Talkin'#Harry Nilsson version|Everybody's Talkin']]
| next_year = 1968
| next_year = 1968
| misc = {{external music video|header=Audio|{{Youtube|DYzY7-V5vxY|"One" by Harry Nilsson}}}}
}}
}}
"'''One'''" is a song written and recorded by [[Harry Nilsson]] and made famous by [[Three Dog Night]] whose recording reached number five on the U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=One+by+Three+Dog+Night&id=45992 |title=One (song by Three Dog Night) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts |website=Musicvf.com |access-date=August 20, 2016}}</ref> in 1969 and number four in Canada. It is known for its [[incipit|opening line]] "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do". 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.
"'''One'''" is a song by American singer-songwriter [[Harry Nilsson]] from his 1968 album ''[[Aerial Ballet]]''. It is known for its [[incipit|opening line]] "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do". 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.


In 1968, [[Al Kooper]] released the song on his debut album ''[[I Stand Alone (Al Kooper album)|I Stand Alone]]''. In 1969, it was recorded by Australian pop singer [[John Farnham|Johnny Farnham]], reaching number four on the ''[[Go-Set]]'' National Top&nbsp;40 Chart.<ref name="Nimmervoll">{{cite web | url = http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1969/19690913.html | last1 = Nimmervoll | first1 = Ed | author-link1 = Ed Nimmervoll | work = [[Go-Set]] | title = National Top&nbsp;40 | publisher = Waverley Press | date = September 13, 1969 | access-date = May 16, 2014 }}</ref>
A better-known [[cover version]], recorded by [[Three Dog Night]], reached number five on the U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=One+by+Three+Dog+Night&id=45992 |title=One (song by Three Dog Night) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts |website=Musicvf.com |access-date=August 20, 2016}}</ref> in 1969 and number four in Canada. In 1969, the song was also recorded by Australian pop singer [[John Farnham|Johnny Farnham]], reaching number four on the ''[[Go-Set]]'' National Top&nbsp;40 Chart.<ref name="Nimmervoll">{{cite web | url = http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1969/19690913.html | last1 = Nimmervoll | first1 = Ed | author-link1 = Ed Nimmervoll | work = [[Go-Set]] | title = National Top&nbsp;40 | publisher = Waverley Press | date = September 13, 1969 | access-date = May 16, 2014 }}</ref>


==Three Dog Night version==
==Three Dog Night version==
{{Infobox song
{{Infobox song
| name = One
| name = One
| cover = One_-_Three_Dog_Night.jpg
| cover = One by three dog night 1979 US reissue.png
| alt =
| alt = vinyl side label
| caption = Late 1970s US reissue
| type = single
| type = single
| artist = [[Three Dog Night]]
| artist = [[Three Dog Night]]
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| studio =
| studio =
| venue =
| venue =
| genre = [[Pop rock]], [[hard rock]]
| genre =
* [[Rock and roll]]<ref>{{cite web|first= Rick |last= Moore |title= Three Dog Night, "One" |website= [[American Songwriter]] |date= 2017 |url=https://americansongwriter.com/three-dog-night-one-2/|quote= “Nilsson's ‘One’ was very melancholy, lacked passion,” he said. “It was a song sang to the beat of a busy signal … We turned that into a rock and roll song. |accessdate= October 16, 2022}}</ref>
| length = 3:06 (album)<br>2:55 (single)
* [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]<ref>{{cite web|last= Pitchfork Staff |title= The 200 Best Songs of the 1960s |website= [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date= August 18, 2006 |url= https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/6405-the-200-greatest-songs-of-the-1960s/|quote= I grew up on Three Dog Night's R&B bombast so returning to Harry's original I forget how wispy and ethereal this tune could be.|accessdate= October 12, 2022}}</ref>
| length = 3:06 (album version)<br>2:55 (single version)
| label = [[Dunhill Records|Dunhill]]
| label = [[Dunhill Records|Dunhill]]
| writer = [[Harry Nilsson]]
| writer = [[Harry Nilsson]]
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| next_title = [[Easy to Be Hard]]
| next_title = [[Easy to Be Hard]]
| next_year = 1969
| next_year = 1969
| misc = {{external music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|M8JO51TLGgg|"One" by Three Dog Night}}}}
}}Three Dog Night played "One" in the key of [[F minor]], and it was released as the second single from [[Three Dog Night]]'s eponymous first album. It became their first of seven gold records over the next five years.
}}
Three Dog Night released ''One'' as the second single from their eponymous [[Three Dog Night (album)|first album]], with [[Chuck Negron]] performing the lead vocal.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5261s3Z3RU YouTube.com "Old Fashioned Love Song by Three Dog Night" video - live performance]</ref> It became their first of seven gold records over the next five years.


The original issue of the single version fades out about ten seconds before the final notes heard on the album version. Upon reissues by ABC Records, the label reverted to the album version which is heard on radio today.
The original issue of the single version fades out about ten seconds before the final notes heard on the album version. Upon reissues by ABC Records and its successor labels, the label reverted to the album version which is heard on radio today.


The song reached number five on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and spent three weeks at number two on the ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100.<ref name="tropicalglen.com">{{cite web|url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19690719.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718080722/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19690719.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 18, 2013|title=Cash Box Top 100 7/19/69|website=tropicalglen.com}}</ref> It also reached number four in Canada.
The song reached number five on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and spent three weeks at number two on the ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100.<ref name="tropicalglen.com">{{cite web|url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19690719.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718080722/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19690719.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 18, 2013|title=Cash Box Top 100 7/19/69|website=tropicalglen.com}}</ref> It also reached number four in Canada.
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! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
|-
|-
|Canada<ref>http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6104&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062</ref>
|Canada<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6104&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062|magazine=RPM|title=RPM's Top 100 of 1969|date=January 10, 1970}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|20
| style="text-align:center;"|20
|-
|-
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==Other versions==
==Other versions==
Many cover versions have been recorded. Among the most notable are:
* [[John Farnham]], released "One" as a double-sided single with "Mr. Whippy" in 1969, reaching number four in Australia.<ref>[http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1969/19691011.html Go-Set National Top 40, 11 October 1969]</ref>
* [[Johnny Farnham]] released "One" as a double-sided single with "Mr. Whippy" in 1969, reaching number four in Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1969/19691011.html|title=Go-Set National Top 40, 11 October 1969}}</ref>
* [[Mike Melvoin]] released an instrumental arrangement of "One" on his 1970 album ''The Plastic Cow Goes Moooooog''.
* US rock band [[Filter (band)|Filter]] recorded a version of the song in 1998 for [[The X-Files (film)|the first X-Files movie]], re-interpreting the lyrics towards the show's main antagonist, the [[Cigarette Smoking Man]]. The song was first released on [[The X-Files: The Album]] and later featured as a bonus track on the German release of their album [[Title of Record]] in 1999.
* [[The New Seekers]] released a version on the 1971 album ''[[Beautiful People (album)|Beautiful People]]''.
* A cover by [[Aimee Mann]] is used in the 1999 film ''[[Magnolia (film)|Magnolia]]''. The song is the opening track for the movie's [[Magnolia (soundtrack)|soundtrack album]]. This version is also used in the [[In Plain Sight]] season 5 episode 4 'The Merry Wives of WitSec'.
* In 1992, it was recorded by the band [[Chainsaw Kittens]] on the single for the song "High in High School".
* The song was recorded 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 (film)|Magnolia]]'' and on [[Magnolia (soundtrack)|the film's soundtrack]].
* The song was recorded by the rock band [[Filter (band)|Filter]] for the soundtrack to the 1998 film ''[[The X-Files (film)|The X-Files: Fight the Future]]''. There is also a scene in the movie where [[Fox Mulder|Mulder]] says to a bartender (played by an uncredited [[Glenne Headly]]), "You know, one is the loneliest number."
* [[Dokken]] included the song on 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.
* [[Alva Noto]] and [[Blixa Bargeld]], working together for their [[ANBB]] project, included a version of this song on their 2010 album Mimikry.
* [[Mastodon (band)|Mastodon]] recorded an arrangement of the song for the ''[[Army of Two]]'' trailer.
* [[Electric Six]] recorded a cover version of the song for use in the trailer for ''Army of Two'', but their version was rejected in favor of the Mastodon version.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricsix.co.uk/discography/mimicry-and-memories/|title=Mimicry And Memories - ElectricSix.co.uk|website=www.electricsix.co.uk}}</ref> It was subsequently included on their 2015 compilation album ''Mimicry and Memories''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/e6absolutetreasure/mimicry-and-memories/posts/937386|title=Final track listing for Mimicry and Memories|website=Kickstarter.com|access-date=March 29, 2015}}</ref>

==In media==
* In 1990, in the episode "Mistaken Identity" of ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (season 1)|The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'', this song's lyrics intro was sung by Bob the Prisoner.
* In 1995, the song was sung briefly on ''[[The Drew Carey Show]]'' at the Warsaw Pub between both Carey and his boss, Mr. Bell, in the first-season episode "Nature Abhors a Vacuum".
* The 1999 film ''[[Magnolia (film)|Magnolia]]'', by [[Paul Thomas Anderson]], uses this song (sung by [[Aimee Mann]]) for its intro.
* In Disney's ''[[Recess: School's Out]]'' (2001), the song is played when the main character T.J. misses his friends after they leave for their individual summer camps.
* This song was used in a 2002 episode of the animated comedy series ''[[Family Guy]]'' called "[[Brian Wallows and Peter's Swallows]]".
* This song was quoted by Robert Barone in an episode{{which|date=January 2017}} of ''[[Everybody Loves Raymond]]''.
* The song was sung by Nathan Lane and was featured on the soundtrack of ''[[Stuart Little 2]]'' in 2002.
* In 2004, the song appears in the third episode of ''[[House (TV series)|House]]'' ("Occam's Razor"). Dr. House references the song's opening line during a discussion with his team, and the song later plays over the episode's last scene.
* Also in 2004, the song is briefly sung by Donkey in the film ''[[Shrek 2]]''.
* [[The Muppets]] and [[Jimmy Fallon]] performed an impromptu rendition of the song on the set of ''[[Late Night with Jimmy Fallon]]'' while rehearsing for the 2009 Christmas performance.
* In 2013, [[Rafael Nadal]] and [[Novak Djokovic]] created a video using "One" to promote their [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] final match.
* In 2013, Lisa Simpson sang the song at the beginning of [[The Kid Is All Right|episode 536]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'', dated November 24, 2013.
* In 2014, the Three Dog Night cover of the song appeared in the teaser trailer for season five of the American crime drama ''[[Boardwalk Empire]]''.
* In October 2016, an original version recorded by Harry Nilsson was used in ''[[Masters of Sex]]'' TV series (season four, called "Coats or Keys").
* Also in October 2016, the Harry version was used in ''[[The Blacklist (TV series)|The Blacklist]]'' TV series (episode 6, season four, called "The Thrushes").
* The Three Dog Night version appeared in the 2016 video game ''[[Mafia 3]]''.
* In February 2017, the song was featured in ''[[The Lego Batman Movie]]''.
* In February 2019, the song played over the first scene of the seventh episode of [[The Umbrella Academy (TV series)|The Umbrella Academy]] ("The Day That Was").
* The song is featured in the trailer of ''[[Venom: Let There Be Carnage]]''.


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 12:10, 7 December 2024

"One"
side-B label
Side B of the UK single; solid center variant
Single by Harry Nilsson
from the album Aerial Ballet
B-side"Sister Marie"
Released1968
Recorded1967
StudioRCA (Hollywood, California)
Genre
LabelRCA Records
Songwriter(s)Harry Nilsson
Producer(s)Rick Jarrard
Harry Nilsson singles chronology
"Good Old Desk"
(1967)
"One"
(1968)
"Everybody's Talkin'"
(1968)
Audio
"One" by Harry Nilsson on YouTube

"One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson from his 1968 album Aerial Ballet. It is known for its opening line "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do". 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.

A better-known cover version, recorded by Three Dog Night, reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100[4] in 1969 and number four in Canada. In 1969, the song was also recorded by Australian pop singer Johnny Farnham, reaching number four on the Go-Set National Top 40 Chart.[5]

Three Dog Night version

[edit]
"One"
vinyl side label
Late 1970s US reissue
Single by Three Dog Night
from the album Three Dog Night
B-side"Chest Fever"
ReleasedApril 1969
Recorded1968
Genre
Length3:06 (album version)
2:55 (single version)
LabelDunhill
Songwriter(s)Harry Nilsson
Producer(s)Gabriel Mekler
Three Dog Night singles chronology
"Try a Little Tenderness"
(1969)
"One"
(1969)
"Easy to Be Hard"
(1969)
Audio
"One" by Three Dog Night on YouTube

Three Dog Night released One as the second single from their eponymous first album, with Chuck Negron performing the lead vocal.[8] It became their first of seven gold records over the next five years.

The original issue of the single version fades out about ten seconds before the final notes heard on the album version. Upon reissues by ABC Records and its successor labels, the label reverted to the album version which is heard on radio today.

The song reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks at number two on the Cash Box Top 100.[9] It also reached number four in Canada.

Chart performance

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[14] Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

[edit]

Many cover versions have been recorded. Among the most notable are:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Playlist: Best Harry Nilsson songs for what would be his 75th birthday". Azcentral.com. June 16, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  2. ^ Coleman, Mark; Matos, Michaelangelo (2004). "Harry Nilsson". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 586–587. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Harry Nilsson – Everybody's Talkin' [BMG]". AllMusic. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  4. ^ "One (song by Three Dog Night) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  5. ^ Nimmervoll, Ed (September 13, 1969). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  6. ^ Moore, Rick (2017). "Three Dog Night, "One"". American Songwriter. Retrieved October 16, 2022. "Nilsson's 'One' was very melancholy, lacked passion," he said. "It was a song sang to the beat of a busy signal … We turned that into a rock and roll song.
  7. ^ Pitchfork Staff (August 18, 2006). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1960s". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 12, 2022. I grew up on Three Dog Night's R&B bombast so returning to Harry's original I forget how wispy and ethereal this tune could be.
  8. ^ YouTube.com "Old Fashioned Love Song by Three Dog Night" video - live performance
  9. ^ a b "Cash Box Top 100 7/19/69". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013.
  10. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  11. ^ "RPM's Top 100 of 1969". RPM. January 10, 1970.
  12. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969". www.musicoutfitters.com.
  13. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1969". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  14. ^ "American single certifications – Three Dog Night – One". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  15. ^ "Go-Set National Top 40, 11 October 1969".
[edit]