One (U2 song)

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"One"
Single by U2
from the album Achtung Baby
B-side "Lady With the Spinning Head (UV1)"
Released March 1992
Format CD single, Cassette
7" single, 12" maxi
Recorded December 1990– September 1991
Genre Alternative rock
Length 4:36
Label Island
Writer(s) Bono (lyrics), U2 (music)
Producer Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno
U2 singles chronology
"Mysterious Ways"
(1991)		 "One"
(1992)		 "Even Better Than the Real Thing"
(1992)
Music video
"One" at YouTube (requires Adobe Flash)
Music sample

"One" is a song by Irish rock band U2 and the third track from their 1991 album, Achtung Baby. It was released as the album's third single in March 1992. While recording Achtung Baby, conflict arose between band members over the direction of U2's sound. Tensions almost prompted the band to break up, until they rallied around the improvised writing of "One".[1] Lyrically, the song describes lead singer Bono's struggles to maintain relationships with others, but it has been interpreted in other ways. The song reached #7 in the UK charts and #10 in the US pop chart, and reached the top of the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. It peaked at #10 on the Dutch Top 40.

The song is widely considered to be one of the band's greatest songs and is consistently featured in lists of the greatest songs of all-time. Rolling Stone ranked the song #36 on their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and Q ranked the song at #1 on its list of the "1001 Greatest Songs of All-Time".[2] The song has been played by U2 at every one of their concerts since the song's live debut in 1992, and it has appeared on many of the band's concert films. In a live setting, "One" is often used by the band to promote human rights or social justice causes, and the song lends its namesake to Bono's charitable organization, the ONE Campaign. In 2006, U2 re-recorded the song as part of a duet with contemporary R&B singer Mary J. Blige.

Contents

[edit] Writing, recording, and production

Looking for inspiration following the falling of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent German reunification, U2 began the recording sessions to Achtung Baby in Berlin's Hansa Tonstudio in late 1990.[3] However, the mood was bleak, as the studios, in addition to the hotel the band were staying at were run-down. Conflict arose within the band over their musical direction and the quality of their material. While bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. preferred a sound similar to U2's previous work, vocalist Bono and guitarist The Edge were inspired by alternative rock and European electronic dance music of the time and were advocating a change.[3] Mullen, in particular felt his "input was being diminished", as The Edge was delving into drum beats from electronic music, while Mullen was focusing on learning to play differently.[3] The band also had difficulty in developing demos and ideas into completed songs.[3] Bono and The Edge believed the lack of progress was the fault of the band, while Clayton and Mullen Jr. believed the problem was the song ideas.[3] Mullen said he "thought this might be the end" of the band.[3]

At the instant we were recording it, I got a very strong sense of its power. We were all playing together in the big recording room, a huge, eerie ballroom full of ghosts of the war, and everything fell into place. It was a reassuring moment, when everyone finally went, 'oh great, this album has started.' It's the reason you're in a band - when the spirit descends upon you and you create something truly affecting. 'One' is an incredibly moving piece. It hits straight into the heart.
—The Edge, on the recording of "One"[4]

A breakthrough was achieved when The Edge combined two separate bridge sections of a song. Playing alone in another room, Edge was improvising chord progressions, which he did not like in the context of the song on which he was working[4] (which conflicting sources claim to be "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)", "Mysterious Ways", and "The Fly").[5][6][7] Producer Daniel Lanois overheard him and asked him to play the separate sections together. The Edge did so on acoustic guitar, catching the ear of those in the studio. Bono joined in with vocals, improvising lyrics and melodies. The other band members joined in, as well, and soon afterwards, the band had improvised the piece of music into "One".[4][8] Bono recalls that "the melody, the structure - the whole thing was done in 15 minutes."[5] He also stated that the lyrics "just fell out of the sky, a gift"; the concept was inspired by a note Bono sent to the Dalai Lama declining to attend a festival called Oneness - the note read, "One - but not the same".[4] The song's writing inspired the band and changed their outlook on the recording sessions. Mullen Jr. said the song reaffirmed the band's "blank page approach" to recording and reassured the band that all was not lost.[4]

Following the song's initial improvisation, tapes of the recording sessions were delivered to producer Brian Eno in order to gather his input.[5] The band were rather anxious about the quality of their material, but when Eno arrived in Berlin, they were surprised to hear that he liked most of the tapes.[5] However, as Bono recalls, Eno said, "There's just one song I really despise, and that's 'One'."[5] Eno felt that they needed to deconstruct the song.[5]

The band returned to Dublin in 1991 to record at the "Elsinore" mansion on the Dalkey coastline.[9] The band continued to work on the song there, adding various overdubs, but not finding a mix they were satisfied with.[5] The Edge thought that they had the foundation for the song, but that it needed "foreground".[5] Eno interceded and created his own mix, which gave the band a better idea of an arrangement they liked.[5] Eno wanted the band to remove the melancholy elements of the song and persuaded them to remove the acoustic guitar from the song.[4] Eno also worked with Lanois and Edge to "undermine the 'too beautiful' feeling", which is why the "crying guitar parts that have an aggression to them" were added.[4]

Engineer Flood was unconvinced by the song's mix, saying he "was the nagging doubter. I always felt it was a bit straight, until we did the final mix."[5] The final mix was completed at Windmill Lane Studios in September 1991 on the last night of the album's recording sessions,[5][10] when some last minute additions were made to "One". Bono did not like a line in the vocals and spent most of the day re-recording it.[5] Later, after the song's mix had just been completed by the production team, The Edge came up with a guitar part he wanted to add to the song's end near the lyric "Love is a temple".[5][10] After convincing the production team to allow the addition, The Edge played the part once and had it mixed in ten minutes later.[10]

Bono described the song's theme as such: "It is a song about coming together, but it's not the old hippie idea of 'Let's all live together.' It is, in fact, the opposite. It's saying, We are one, but we're not the same. It's not saying we even want to get along, but that we have to get along together in this world if it is to survive. It's a reminder that we have no choice".[4] The band has mentioned that many people tell them they have played "One" at their weddings, prompting Bono to respond, "Are you mad? It's about splitting up!"

[edit] Reception

Windmill Lane in Dublin in 1994: a fan has written the song's lyrics in blue chalk on the footpath on the left. The Windmill Lane Studios are further ahead.

After the release of Achtung Baby, critics praised "One". In its review of the album, Entertainment Weekly called the song "biting and unprecedentedly emotional" and opined that its "extravagant stylings and wild emotings... put it among Bono's most dramatic moments on record".[11] In its review of the album, Rolling Stone called the song a "radiant ballad", noting that "Few bands can marshal such sublime power, but it's just one of the many moments on Achtung Baby when we're reminded why, before these guys were the butt of cynical jokes, they were rock & roll heroes – as they still are."[12] Q called Bono's singing on the song a "quieter moment" that has "never been so persuasively tender".[13] The song was released as the album's third single in March 1992, and it subsequently reached #7 in the UK charts, #10 in the US charts, and #1 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks and the US Modern Rock Tracks charts.

The song has since become regarded as one of the greatest songs of all-time. It was ranked #36 in Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", the highest ranked U2 song. The track was also voted #1 on Q's "1001 Best Songs Ever" list,[2] VH1 ranked the song #2 in its list of "Greatest Songs of the 90s",[14] and voters in an April 2006 poll on VH1 named the song as having Britain's number one lyric – "One life, with each other, sisters, brothers".[15] The song is currently ranked as the 94th greatest song of all-time, as well as the fourth best song of 1991, by Acclaimed Music.[16] A listener's poll conducted by the popular Israeli radio station Galgalatz ranked "One" as the best song of the 1990s. In a recent poll, the listeners of the Portuguese radio RFM voted "One" as the best song ever.

[edit] Live performances

Cellphones open as "One" is performed on the Vertigo Tour, Madison Square Garden, 14 October 2005.

Since its first live appearance in 1992, the song has been played at every concert of U2's subsequent tours.[17] It has also been played at several benefit concerts, including the 1995 Pavarotti and Friends concert in Modena, the 1997 Tibetan Freedom Concert in New York, the 2003 46664 concert, at Live 8 in 2005, and with Mary J. Blige on Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast. The song took on an even more emotional meaning at a Popmart Tour show at Mexico City in 1997, as featured on PopMart: Live from Mexico City, where the tearful rendition was dedicated to the late Michael Hutchence of INXS. Live performances of the song are also depicted on the concert films Zoo TV: Live from Sydney, U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago, and U2 3D. Until the second leg of the U2 360° Tour, "One" was played live in the key of A♭ minor, while the recorded version is played a semitone higher.

[edit] Music videos

There were 3 videos made for the song which adds to the discussions. One of them suggests that "One" is about a gay son confessing to his father that he is HIV-positive—largely assumed because of the content of director Anton Corbijn's video, in which the band dressed in drag and Bono sings the song to his own father. It is filmed in Berlin and has footage of the band driving in Trabant cars. Also, a large amount of sales from the single went to AIDS charities.

Another video, directed by Mark Pellington, has footage of blooming flowers and buffaloes, interspersed with numerous black title cards featuring the word "one" in white lettering, depicted in numerous languages. The buffaloes in the video originate from a photo by David Wojnarowicz, a gay artist who died of AIDS.[18] The photo is on the cover of the single. This video has also been used during live performances during the Zoo TV, Elevation, and Vertigo tours.

Yet another version of the video, directed by Phil Joanou, shows Bono in a bar, smoking a cheroot and drinking beer combined with snippets of the band performing in concert.[19]

[edit] Cover versions

"One" has been covered by many artists, notably by Johnny Cash, Joe Cocker, Warren Haynes, Mary J. Blige, R.E.M., Gregorian and Shinedown.

[edit] Duet version with Mary J. Blige

"One"
Single by Mary J. Blige and U2
from the album The Breakthrough
Released 3 April 2006
Format CD single
Genre Rock, R&B
Length 4:03 (edit) / 4:21 (album)
Label Geffen/Island
Writer(s) Bono (lyrics), U2 (music)
Producer Ron Fair
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Be Without You"
(2005)		 "One"
(2006)		 "Enough Cryin"
(2006)
U2 singles chronology
"Original of the Species"
(2005)		 "One"
(2006)		 "The Saints Are Coming"
(with Green Day)
(2006)
Music video
"One" at YouTube (requires Adobe Flash)

After being invited to join the group on-stage at a New York concert in 2005, Mary J. Blige performed the track with U2 and received a standing ovation. A recording of the song was later created, with Blige on lead vocals, Bono supplying additional vocals, and the band performing the music. This recording was featured on Mary J. Blige's multi-platinum album The Breakthrough, released in late 2005. It was released as the album's second international single in April 2006, having already been featured heavily on BBC Radio 1's playlist, and it has been a staple record on Capital FM's playlist since late January 2006. In May 2006, Blige performed the song at the finale of American Idol with finalist Elliott Yamin, ahead of its full release to American radio. It was also used by Fox for its end-of-season montage after game five of the 2006 World Series.

On December 31, 2006, "One" was announced by BBC Radio 1 to be the thirty-fifth highest-selling single of 2006 in the UK.[20]

It was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in December 2006.

[edit] Bank of America controversy

In late 2006, a Bank of America employee sang "One" with lyrics modified to refer to the Bank of America and MBNA merger. The video subsequently became an Internet phenomenon.[21] Universal Music Group, the copyright owner of the song, posted a cease and desist letter directed at Bank of America in the comments section of Stereogum, one of the blogs that posted the video.[22]

[edit] Track listings

[edit] U2 track listings

7" Island IS515 - UK
# Title Length
1. "One" (Album version) 4:34
2. "Lady with the Spinning Head"   3:54
Cassette Island CIS 515 - UK
# Title Length
1. "One" (Album version) 4:36
2. "Lady with the Spinning Head"   3:54
CD maxi Island CID515 - UK
# Title Length
1. "One" (Album version) 4:34
2. "Lady with the Spinning Head"   3:54
3. "Satellite of Love"   4:00
4. "Night and Day" (Steel String remix) 6:57
12" maxi Island 12IS515 - UK
# Title Length
1. "One" (Album version) 4:34
2. "Lady with the Spinning Head"   3:54
3. "Satellite of Love"   4:00

[edit] Mary J. Blige & U2 track listings

Mary J. Blige's "One" single had two releases, both featuring the radio edit of the song. The first single release featured a live B-side, and the second single featured both a live and studio B-side, as well as a link to watch the "One" video online. The B-sides were songs by Blige only and did not feature U2.

CD single
# Title Length
1. "One" (Radio edit) 4:03
2. "Can't Hide from Love" (Live) 3:51
CD maxi
# Title Length
1. "One" (Radio edit) 4:03
2. "I'm Going Down" (Live) 3:25
3. "My Life '05"   6:24

[edit] Credits

U2 version
  • Artwork : Works Associates Dublin
  • Photography (back cover) : Anton Corbijn
  • Photography (front cover) : David Wojnarowicz
  • Producer : Paul Barrett
  • Published by Warner Chappell Music, except "Satellite of Love" (written by Lou Reed [Oakfield Avenue Music/Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc.]) and "Night and Day" (written by Cole Porter)

[edit] Certifications

Country Certification Date Sales certified
Denmark[23] Platinum December 21, 2006 8,000

[edit] Charts

U2 version
Chart (1992) Peak
Position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[24] 4
Canada RPM Top 100[25] 1
Dutch Mega Top 100[24] 12
French SNEP Singles Chart[24] 13
Irish Singles Chart[26] 1
Swiss Singles Chart[24] 25
UK Singles Chart[27] 7
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 10
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks 1
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 1
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks 24
Mary J. Blige & U2 version
Chart (2006) Peak
position
Austrian Singles Chart[28] 1
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[28] 6
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[29] 10
Czech IFPI Chart 28
Denmark Singles Chart[28] 7
Dutch Singles Chart[28] 2
Eurochart Hot 100 3
French SNEP Singles Chart[28] 35
German Singles Chart[28] 6
Irish Singles Chart[26] 2
Italian Singles Chart[29] 2
Norwegian Singles Chart[28] 1
Swedish Singles Chart[28] 27
UK Singles Chart[28] 2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 86
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 36
U.S. Billboard Pop 100 64
Preceded by
"Stay" by Shakespear's Sister		 Irish IRMA number-one single
March 5, 1992 (1 week)		 Succeeded by
"Stay" by Shakespear's Sister
Preceded by
"Hit" by The Sugarcubes		 Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single
April 4, 1992		 Succeeded by
"High" by The Cure
Preceded by
"Save the Best for Last" by Vanessa L. Williams		 Canadian RPM number-one single
May 9, 1992 - May 30, 1992 (4 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"If You Asked Me To" by Céline Dion
Preceded by
"I Still Burn" by Tobias Regner		 Ö3 Austria Top 40 number-one single
May 5, 2006 (1 week)		 Succeeded by
"Nie genug" by Christina Stürmer
Preceded by
"Respekt for Grandiosa" by Grandiosa
"A Little Perfect Too" by Aleksander Denstad With
"Neste såmer" by Ravi me De Lilos		 Norwegian VG-Lista number-one single
21/2006 (1 week)
28/2006 (1 week)
33/2006 - 36/2006 (4 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"A Little Perfect Too" by Aleksander Denstad With
"Neste såmer" by Ravi me De Lilos
"SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] General

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Flanagan, Bill (1995). U2 at the End of the World. Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-385-31154-0. pp. 6-11.
  2. ^ a b "U2's One named 'greatest record'". BBC Online. 2003-11-18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3281327.stm. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f McCormick (2006), p. 216, 221.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h McCormick (2006), p. 221, 224.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Stokes, Niall (2005). U2: Into the Heart: The Stories Behind Every Song. Thunder Mouth's Press. ISBN 1560257652. http://books.google.com/books?id=LCcuuWbemcAC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false. 
  6. ^ Flanagan, Bill (1996). U2 At the End of the World. Delta. ISBN 9780385311571. 
  7. ^ Creswell, Toby (2006). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time and the Artists, Stories, and Secrets. Thunder Mouth's Press. pp. 416. http://books.google.com/books?id=A_xtSKdVGpQC&pg=PA416&lr=&ei=NN76SsLsDKHiyQTr2-jjDg#v=onepage&q=&f=false. 
  8. ^ Flanagan (1995), pages 6–11
  9. ^ McCormick, Neil (ed), (2006). U2 by U2. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0-00-719668-7. p. 225.
  10. ^ a b c McCormick (2006), p. 224-5, 232.
  11. ^ Wyman, Bill (1991-11-19). "Achtung Baby: music review". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,316330,00.html. Retrieved 2009-03-06. 
  12. ^ Gardner, Elysa. "U2, Achtung, Baby". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/u2/albums/album/116432/review/5941852/achtung_baby. Retrieved 2009-03-06. 
  13. ^ "U2 - Achtung Baby". Time Pieces. http://www.timepieces.nl/Albums-U/U2_Achtung_Baby.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  14. ^ "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s". VH1. http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/127762/episode_featured_copy.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
  15. ^ "U2 line tops favourite lyric poll". BBC News Online. 2006-04-17. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4915848.stm. Retrieved 2009-09-08. 
  16. ^ "Acclaimed Music Top 3000 songs". 27 May 2009. http://www.acclaimedmusic.net. 
  17. ^ "U2gigs.com FAQ: So have any songs never missed a concert since their debut?". U2gigs.com. http://www.u2gigs.com/faq-4-Setlists.html#18. Retrieved 2009-02-08. 
  18. ^ [1] Whirlpool: James- Out To Get You
  19. ^ [2] Answers.Yahoo: Best Answer
  20. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/top40_2006.shtml Official UK top 40 singles of 2006
  21. ^ "One Bank". http://www.ifilm.com/video/2795634. Retrieved 2007-01-03. 
  22. ^ Aspan, Mario (2006-11-20). "Lyrics Celebrating Bank Merger Impress Only Copyright Lawyer". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/20/business/media/20bank.html?ei=5090&en=7a77f2691e38a9d8&ex=1321678800&adxnnl=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1167338226-NsOMIpdJNF94ZILt4sO+7Q. 
  23. ^ Danish certifications ifpi.dk (Retrieved January 16, 2009)
  24. ^ a b c d "One", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved January 16, 2009)
  25. ^ "Search Results: One U2". RPM. 1992-05-09. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3&q1=%22One+U2%22. Retrieved 2009-11-24. 
  26. ^ a b "Irish Singles Chart". The Irish Charts. http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement. Retrieved 2009-11-23.  Note: U2 must be searched manually.
  27. ^ "EveryHit.com search results: U2". Everyhit.com. http://www.everyhit.com. Retrieved 2009-11-22.  Note: U2 must be searched manually.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i "One (duet version), in various singles charts Acharts.us (Retrieved January 16, 2009)
  29. ^ a b "One" (duet version), in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved January 16, 2009)
Achtung Baby track listing
"Zoo Station"  • "Even Better Than the Real Thing"  • "One"  • "Until the End of the World"  • "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses"  • "So Cruel"  • "The Fly"  • "Mysterious Ways"  • "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World"  • "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"  • "Acrobat"  • "Love Is Blindness"
v • d • e
U2's singles discography
1980s
1990s

1991: "The Fly" • "Mysterious Ways" • 1992: "One" • "Even Better Than the Real Thing" • "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" • 1993: "Numb" • "Lemon" • "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" • 1995: "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" • "Miss Sarajevo" (as Passengers) 1997: "Discothèque" • "Staring at the Sun" • "Last Night on Earth" • "Please" • "If God Will Send His Angels" • "Mofo" • 1998: "Sweetest Thing"
2000s
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_(U2_song)"