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"One" | ||||
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Single by Harry Nilsson | ||||
from the album Aerial Ballet | ||||
B-side | "Sister Marie" | |||
Released | 1968 | |||
Recorded | 1967 | |||
Studio | RCA (Hollywood, California) | |||
Genre | ||||
Label | RCA Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Harry Nilsson | |||
Producer(s) | Rick Jarrard | |||
Harry Nilsson singles chronology | ||||
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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]
"One" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Three Dog Night | ||||
from the album Three Dog Night | ||||
B-side | "Chest Fever" | |||
Released | April 1969 | |||
Recorded | 1968 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:06 (album version) 2:55 (single version) | |||
Label | Dunhill | |||
Songwriter(s) | Harry Nilsson | |||
Producer(s) | Gabriel Mekler | |||
Three Dog Night singles chronology | ||||
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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.
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [14] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Many cover versions have been recorded. Among the most notable are:
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"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.
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.