One (Harry Nilsson song): Difference between revisions

"One"
"One"
	Late 1970s US reissue
Single by Three Dog Night
from the album Three Dog Night
B-side	"Chest Fever"
Released	April 1969
Recorded	1968
Genre	Rock and roll; R&B;
Length	3:06 (album version); 2:55 (single version)
Label	Dunhill
Songwriter(s)	Harry Nilsson
Producer(s)	Gabriel Mekler
Three Dog Night singles chronology
Audio
	"One" by Three Dog Night on YouTube

"One"
"One"
	Side B of the UK single; solid center variant
Single by Harry Nilsson
from the album Aerial Ballet
B-side	"Sister Marie"
Released	1968
Recorded	1967
Studio	RCA (Hollywood, California)
Genre	Chamber pop; folk rock; soft rock;
Label	RCA Records
Songwriter(s)	Harry Nilsson
Producer(s)	Rick Jarrard
Harry Nilsson singles chronology
Audio
	"One" by Harry Nilsson on YouTube

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"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

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

Weekly charts

Chart (1969)	Peak position
Australia (Go-Set)	39
Canada RPM Top Singles	4
New Zealand (Listener)	16
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[10]	5
U.S. Cash Box Top 100^[9]	2

Year-end charts

Chart (1969)	Rank
Canada^[11]	20
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[12]	11
U.S. Cash Box ^[13]	16

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[14]	Gold	1,000,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

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

Johnny Farnham released "One" as a double-sided single with "Mr. Whippy" in 1969, reaching number four in Australia.^[15]
US rock band Filter recorded a version of the song in 1998 for 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.
A cover by Aimee Mann is used in the 1999 film Magnolia. The song is the opening track for the movie's soundtrack album. This version is also used in the In Plain Sight season 5 episode 4 'The Merry Wives of WitSec'.

References

^ "Playlist: Best Harry Nilsson songs for what would be his 75th birthday". Azcentral.com. June 16, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^ 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.
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Harry Nilsson – Everybody's Talkin' [BMG]". AllMusic. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
^ "One (song by Three Dog Night) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^ Nimmervoll, Ed (September 13, 1969). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ YouTube.com "Old Fashioned Love Song by Three Dog Night" video - live performance
^ ^a ^b "Cash Box Top 100 7/19/69". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013.
^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
^ "RPM's Top 100 of 1969". RPM. January 10, 1970.
^ "Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969". www.musicoutfitters.com.
^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1969". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
^ "American single certifications – Three Dog Night – One". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
^ "Go-Set National Top 40, 11 October 1969".

External links

Review of "One" on allmusic.com

[1] "Playlist: Best Harry Nilsson songs for what would be his 75th birthday". Azcentral.com. June 16, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.

[RS_2004-2] 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.

[Nimmervoll-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

[tropicalglen.com-9] "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.

[United_StatesThree_Dog_NightOnesingleCertRef-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".

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@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 {{Infobox song
 | 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
 | artist     = [[Harry Nilsson]]
@@ Line 14: / Line 15: @@
 | format     =
 | recorded   = 1967
+| studio     = [[RCA Records#RCA Victor Music Center of the World, Hollywood|RCA]] (Hollywood, California)
-| studio     =
 | 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     =
 | label      = [[RCA Records]]
@@ Line 25: / Line 29: @@
 | next_title = [[Everybody's Talkin'#Harry Nilsson version|Everybody's Talkin']]
 | next_year  = 1968
+| misc       = {{external music video|header=Audio|{{Youtube|DYzY7-V5vxY|"One" by Harry Nilsson}}}}
 }}
 "'''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.
@@ Line 33: / Line 38: @@
 {{Infobox song
 | 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
 | artist     = [[Three Dog Night]]
@@ Line 44: / Line 50: @@
 | studio     =
 | 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]]
 | writer     = [[Harry Nilsson]]
@@ Line 53: / Line 61: @@
 | next_title = [[Easy to Be Hard]]
 | next_year  = 1969
+| misc       = {{external music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|M8JO51TLGgg|"One" by Three Dog Night}}}}
 }}
-[[Three Dog Night]] released ''One'' as the second single from their eponymous [[Three Dog Night (album)|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.
@@ Line 112: / Line 121: @@
 ==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>{{Cite web|url=http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1969/19691011.html|title=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>
+* 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 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]].
+* 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'.
 ==References==

v t e Harry Nilsson
Studio albums	Spotlight on Nilsson Pandemonium Shadow Show Aerial Ballet Harry Nilsson Sings Newman The Point! Nilsson Schmilsson Son of Schmilsson A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night Pussy Cats Duit on Mon Dei Sandman ...That's the Way It Is Knnillssonn Flash Harry Losst and Founnd
Soundtracks	Skidoo The Point! Son of Dracula Popeye
Remixes	Aerial Pandemonium Ballet
Compilations	Early Tymes Nilsson The RCA Albums Collection
Singles	"All for the Beatles" "Sixteen Tons" "Without Her" "You Can't Do That" "River Deep – Mountain High" "One" "Everybody's Talkin'" "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City" "Me and My Arrow" "Without You" "Jump into the Fire" "Coconut" "Spaceman" "As Time Goes By" "Subterranean Homesick Blues" "Save the Last Dance for Me" "Many Rivers to Cross" "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" "Sail Away" "Just One Look/Baby I'm Yours (medley)"
Other songs	"Gotta Get Up" "Old Dirt Road" "The Puppy Song" "Ten Little Indians" "This Could Be the Night" "You're Breakin' My Heart"
Collaborations	Pussy Cats Every Man Has a Woman Ringo Son of Dracula Walls and Bridges Goodnight Vienna Ringo's Rotogravure Stop and Smell the Roses Two Sides of the Moon Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films
Related articles	Discography The Monkees Richard Perry The Hollywood Vampires The Telephone "Pussy Cats" Starring the Walkmen For the Love of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?

v t e Three Dog Night
Danny Hutton Paul Kingery Pat Bautz Eddie Reasoner David Morgan Timothy Hutton Cory Wells Chuck Negron Jimmy Greenspoon Floyd Sneed Joe Schermie Michael Allsup Skip Konte Al Ciner Gary Moon Richard Campbell
Studio albums	Three Dog Night (1968) Suitable for Framing (1969) It Ain't Easy (1970) Naturally (1970) Harmony (1971) Seven Separate Fools (1972) Cyan (1973) Hard Labor (1974) Coming Down Your Way (1975) American Pastime (1976) It's a Jungle (1983)
Live albums	Captured Live at the Forum (1969) Around the World with Three Dog Night (1973)
Compilations	Golden Bisquits (1971) Joy to the World: Their Greatest Hits (1975) The Best of 3 Dog Night (1982) Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975 (1993) 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Three Dog Night (1999) The Complete Hit Singles (2004)
Singles	"Nobody" "Try a Little Tenderness" "One" "Easy to Be Hard" "Eli's Coming" "Celebrate" "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" "Out in the Country" "One Man Band" "Joy to the World" "Liar" "An Old Fashioned Love Song" "Never Been to Spain" "The Family of Man" "Black & White" "Pieces of April" "Shambala" "Let Me Serenade You" "The Show Must Go On" "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" "Til the World Ends" "Everybody's a Masterpiece" "It's a Jungle Out There"
Other songs	"Darlin'" "Time to Get Alone"
Discography

v t e John Farnham
Studio albums	Sadie Everybody Oughta Sing a Song Looking Through a Tear Christmas Is... Johnny Farnham Johnny Together Johnny Farnham Sings the Shows Hits Magic & Rock 'N Roll Johnny Farnham Sings Hits from the Movies J.P. Farnham Sings Uncovered Whispering Jack Age of Reason Chain Reaction Then Again... Romeo's Heart 33⅓ The Last Time I Remember When I Was Young: Songs from the Great Australian Songbook Jack Friends for Christmas
Live albums	Johnny Farnham Sings the Big Hits of '73 Live! Full House Live at the Regent Theatre Highlights from The Main Event John Farnham & Tom Jones – Together in Concert The Acoustic Chapel Sessions Two Strong Hearts Live
Compilation albums	The Best of Johnny Farnham Johnny Farnham's Greatest Hits Anthology 1: Greatest Hits 1986–1997 Anthology 2: Classic Hits 1967–1985 (Recorded Live) Anthology 3: Rarities Love Songs One Voice: The Greatest Hits The Essential The Essential 3.0
Videos and DVDs	The Main Event Anthology 1 - The Videos An Audience with John Farnham The Last Time One Voice: The Greatest Clips John Farnham & Tom Jones – Together in Concert Classic Jack Live! Chain Reaction Live in Concert With The Sydney Symphony Live at the Sydney Opera House Two Strong Hearts Live
Singles	"Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)" "Underneath the Arches" "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" "One" "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" "Corner of the Sky" "Help!" "You're the Voice" "Pressure Down" "A Touch of Paradise" "Reasons" "Age of Reason" "Two Strong Hearts" "Beyond the Call" "Communication" "Chain Reaction" "That's Freedom" "Burn for You" "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby" "Everything's Alright" "Have a Little Faith (In Us)" "Everytime You Cry" "Trying to Live My Life Without You "The Last Time" "We Will Rock You" "Downhearted" "Even When I'm Sleeping"
Other songs	"Chains Around the Heart"
Related articles	Discography Awards Little River Band Darryl Sambell Glenn Wheatley Finding the Voice (2023)

v t e Filter
Richard Patrick Bobby Miller Jonathan Radtke Tosh Peterson Matt Walker Rob Patterson Phil Buckman Tim Kelleher Brian Liesegang Elias Mallin
Studio albums	Short Bus Title of Record The Amalgamut Anthems for the Damned The Trouble with Angels The Sun Comes Out Tonight Crazy Eyes The Algorithm
Compilations	The Very Best Things (1995–2008)
Singles	"Hey Man Nice Shot" "(Can't You) Trip Like I Do" "One" "Welcome to the Fold" "Take a Picture" "Where Do We Go from Here" "Soldiers of Misfortune" "Happy Together" "Gimme All Your Lovin'" "What Do You Say"
Related articles	Discography Army of Anyone The Damning Well