I'm the Only One

Last updated
"I'm the Only One"
Etheridge Only.jpg
Single by Melissa Etheridge
from the album Yes I Am
B-side "I'm the Only One" (live)
ReleasedSeptember 7, 1993 (1993-09-07)
Studio A&M (Hollywood)
Length4:54
Label Island
Songwriter(s) Melissa Etheridge
Producer(s)
Melissa Etheridge singles chronology
"2001"
(1992)
"I'm the Only One"
(1993)
"Come to My Window"
(1993)

"I'm the Only One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge from her fourth studio album, Yes I Am (1993). It was released as the first single in September 1993, reaching No. 12 in Canada and No. 26 in the Netherlands. In the United States, it was slow to gain momentum, but after the success of "Come to My Window", it was re-released, peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in January 1995. It remains Etheridge's biggest hit on either chart and earned her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 1995. [1]

Contents

Content

Like many songs on her first album, Melissa Etheridge , "I'm the Only One" deals with non-monogamous relationships. In the verses, the singer tells how much she suffers because her partner desires someone else. In the chorus, the singer reminds her partner that even if her partner is in a new relationship, that the singer will always be the only one who really loves them with passion.

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryResultRef.
1995 Grammy Award Best Rock Song Nominated [1]
GLAAD Media Award Outstanding Music VideoWon [2]
1996ASCAP Pop Music AwardMost Performed SongsWon [3]

Music video

The music video for "I'm the Only One" shows Etheridge performing at a club, with several close-up shots of her face, while couples dance sensually. It was directed by David Hogan, marking their first collaboration on a video, [4] [5] and won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Video. [2] Hogan, who became friends with Etheridge, later helmed several other of her videos, including "Your Little Secret" in 1995 and "I Want to Be in Love" in 2001. [4]

Track listings

All songs were written by Melissa Etheridge, except for Maggie May, written by Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton.

Credits and personnel

Charts

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesSeptember 7, 1993 Island [28]
United KingdomNovember 1, 1993
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa Etheridge</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1961)

Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and its lead single, "Bring Me Some Water", garnered Etheridge her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female in 1989. Her second album, Brave and Crazy, appeared that same year and earned Etheridge two more Grammy nominations. In 1992, Etheridge released her third album, Never Enough, and its lead single, "Ain't It Heavy", won Etheridge her first Grammy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linger (The Cranberries song)</span> 1993 single by the Cranberries

"Linger" is a song by Irish alternative rock band the Cranberries from their debut studio album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? (1993). Composed by band members Dolores O'Riordan and Noel Hogan, and produced by Stephen Street, "Linger" was first released as the second and final single from the album on 15 February 1993 by Island Records. It was later re-released on 31 January 1994.

<i>Yes I Am</i> (Melissa Etheridge album) Album by Melissa Etheridge

Yes I Am is the fourth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on September 21, 1993. The title is generally thought to refer to Etheridge's recent coming out as a lesbian, confirming long-standing rumors about her personal life. However, in 2018, Etheridge clarified that in fact the title for the track and album were not statements regarding her sexual identity. Yes I Am is the pivotal album that gave Etheridge national and international recognition. The rock ballad "Come to My Window" was the first single released from the album, which peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its video featured the actress Juliette Lewis having a nervous breakdown. This single was quickly followed by "I'm the Only One", which became a major hit in the US and reached No. 8 on the Hot 100, and "If I Wanted To", which reached No. 16.

<i>Your Little Secret</i> 1995 album by Melissa Etheridge

Your Little Secret is the fifth studio album by singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1995. It was her most successful album on the Billboard 200, where it peaked at number six. The album also contained three singles, "Your Little Secret", "I Want to Come Over", and "Nowhere to Go". "I Want to Come Over" went on to reach No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Nowhere to Go" peaked at No. 40. As of 2010, the album has sold 1,348,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Come to My Window</span> 1993 single by Melissa Etheridge

"Come to My Window" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1993 as the second single from her fourth studio album, Yes I Am (1993). This was the first song to become a hit after Etheridge publicly announced that she was a lesbian. With the driving force of gay rights, the song gained substantial airplay on radio stations, mostly through call-in requests. The song debuted on the Billboard charts after the first week of its release, reaching number 25 on the chart, remaining on the Hot 100 for 44 weeks and being certified Gold. The song also charted in Canada, reaching number 13 on the RPM Top Singles chart. It was the second song from Etheridge that earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. In 2019, Billboard included "Come to My Window" in its list of the "30 Lesbian Love Songs".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Rain</span> 1993 single by Blind Melon

"No Rain" is a song by American rock band Blind Melon. It was released in 1993 as the second single from the band's debut album Blind Melon. The song is well known for its accompanying music video, which features the "Bee Girl" character. The music video, directed by Samuel Bayer, received heavy airplay on MTV at the time of its release. It subsequently helped propel Blind Melon to multi-platinum level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Head over Feet</span> 1996 single by Alanis Morissette

"Head over Feet" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, taken from her third studio album Jagged Little Pill (1995). Written by Alanis and Glen Ballard, and produced by Ballard, it was released as the album's fifth single outside of the United States in July 1996 and presented a softer sound than the previous singles from the album. "Head over Feet" talks about being best friends and lovers with someone at the same time, with Alanis thanking them for their manners, love and devotion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterfalls (TLC song)</span> 1995 single by TLC

"Waterfalls" is a song by American hip-hop group TLC, released by LaFace and Arista as the third single from their second album, CrazySexyCool (1994), in May 1995 in the United States, followed by a United Kingdom release on July 24, 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Your Man (Wham! song)</span> 1985 single by Wham!

"I'm Your Man" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1985 on Epic Records in the UK and most of the world, and Columbia Records in the US. It was written and produced by George Michael.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Power of Love (Jennifer Rush song)</span> 1984 single by Jennifer Rush

"The Power of Love" is a pop song co-written and originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Jennifer Rush in 1984. It was released in December 1984 by CBS Records as the fifth single from her debut album, Jennifer Rush (1984), and has since been covered by Air Supply, Laura Branigan, and Celine Dion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Think Twice (Celine Dion song)</span> 1994 single by Celine Dion

"Think Twice" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released as the third single from her third English-language album, The Colour of My Love (1993) in North America in July 1994, in the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan in October 1994, and in other European countries in 1995. It was written by Andy Hill and Peter Sinfield, and produced by Christopher Neil and Aldo Nova. In this rock-influenced song with a guitar solo, the protagonist is telling her lover to "think twice" before leaving her. The song became one of Dion's most successful hits in Europe and Australia, topping multiple charts, including those of Flemish Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Remaining at the top of the UK Singles Chart for seven weeks, it eventually became the fourth single by a female artist to sell in excess of one million copies in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constant Craving</span> 1992 single by k.d. lang

"Constant Craving" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang and Ben Mink, performed by lang and included on her second solo album, Ingénue (1992). The song was released in the United Kingdom in April 1992 and won lang a Grammy Award in the category for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1993, as well as an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. The accompanying music video was directed by Mark Romanek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Souvenirs</span> 1989 single by Melissa Etheridge

"No Souvenirs" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, release as the second single from her second album, Brave and Crazy, in August 1989. Despite peaking at number 95 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the song experienced more success internationally, reaching number 30 in Australia and number four in Canada, where it became Etheridge's highest-charting single until "I Want to Come Over" reached number one in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bring Me Some Water</span> 1988 single by Melissa Etheridge

"Bring Me Some Water" is the debut single of American singer Melissa Etheridge. It was released in 1988 and became a hit in several countries, reaching the top 20 in Australia, New Zealand, and on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angels Would Fall</span> 1999 single by Melissa Etheridge

"Angels Would Fall" is a song by American musician Melissa Etheridge, released as the first single from her sixth album, Breakdown (1999), in August 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If I Ever Lose My Faith in You</span> 1993 single by Sting

"If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Sting, released on 1 February 1993 by A&M Records as the lead single from his fourth studio album, Ten Summoner's Tales (1993). The song reached number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the top 40 in several European countries. In Canada, the song reached number one, spending three weeks atop the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and finishing 1993 as Canada's fourth-most-successful single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If I Wanted To</span> 1994 single by Melissa Etheridge

"If I Wanted To" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1994 as the final single from her fourth studio album, Yes I Am (1993). The song entered the top 50 in Australia, Canada, Iceland, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your Little Secret (song)</span> 1994 single by Melissa Etheridge

"Your Little Secret" is the first single and title track from American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge's fifth studio album of the same name (1995). The song was released to US radio stations on October 9, 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want to Come Over</span> 1996 single by Melissa Etheridge

"I Want to Come Over" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge. It was released in late January 1996 as the second single from her fifth studio album, Your Little Secret (1995). The song was a commercial success, reaching number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 29 in both Australia and New Zealand. It also reached number one on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart in March 1996. At the end of the year, the song appeared on the American and Canadian year-end charts at numbers 79 and 11, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let It Rain (Amanda Marshall song)</span> 1995 single by Amanda Marshall

"Let It Rain" is the debut single of Canadian pop-rock singer Amanda Marshall from her eponymous debut album (1995). The song was written by American folk rock singer-songwriter Kristen Hall, one of the founding members of Sugarland, and produced by David Tyson. Hall originally recorded the song for her 1994 album, Be Careful What You Wish For.

References

  1. 1 2 "Melissa Etheridge". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "GLAAD Honcho Blasts Talkers at Awards". March 20, 1995.
  3. "Billboard". Books.google.com. June 1996. p. 102.
  4. 1 2 Lindsay, Bethany (July 27, 2015). "Interview: Music Video Director David Hogan". Songfacts.com. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  5. Luck, Joyce (1997). "Melissa Etheridge: Our Little Secret (page 194)". ECW Press (Google Books). ISBN   9781550222982 . Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  6. I'm the Only One (US cassette single sleeve). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1994. 422-854 068-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. I'm the Only One (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1994. 422-854 069-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. I'm the Only One (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1993. IS579, 862 762-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. I'm the Only One (UK CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1993. CID 579, 862 941-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. I'm the Only One (Dutch CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1993. 74321 16252 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 13 Feb 1994". ARIA . Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  12. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2305." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2694." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  14. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (17.–23.11 '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). November 17, 1994. p. 16. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 43, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  16. "Melissa Etheridge – I'm the Only One" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  17. "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  18. "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  19. "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  20. "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  21. "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  22. "U.S. Cash Box Chart Entries – 1990 – 1996" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-07-22. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  23. "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  24. "Billboard Top 100 – 1994". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  25. "Billboard Top 100 – 1995". Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  26. "The Year in Music: Hot Adult Contemporary Singles & Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-80. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  27. "The Year in Music 1995: Top 40/Mainstream Top Titles". Airplay Monitor . Vol. 3, no. 51. December 15, 1995. p. 8.
  28. Flick, Larry (September 4, 1993). "Nirvana, Meilencamp Ready Sept. Sets". Billboard . Vol. 105, no. 36. p. 12. 'I'm The Only One' goes to album-rock and alternative radio Sept. 7.
  29. "Single Releases". Music Week . October 30, 1993. p. 27.