The One (Shakira song)

"The One" was written and produced by Shakira, with words by Shakira, music by Shakira and Glen Ballard, and co-production by Lester Mendez. Mendez was also responsible for keyboards and arrangement, alongside Shakira. Strings were arranged and conducted by David Campbell. Guitar was handled by Tim Pierce and Brian Ray. Paul Bushnell, Richard Bravo and Abraham Laboriel provided bass, percussion and drums respectively. Joel Derouin was the concert master, while Suzie Katayama was the song's contractor.{{cite AV media notes|title=Laundry Service|title-link=Laundry Service|others=Shakira|year=2001|author=Shakira|publisher=Epic Records}}

Lyrically, "The One" talks about receiving comfort from the one the protagonist loves between the ups and downs of life. As noted by Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In, in it, Shakira "dreams of settling down with a man who wants kids and will take her to church on Sunday".{{cite web |title=Laundry Service - Plugged In |url=https://www.pluggedin.com/album-reviews/shakira-laundryservice/ |website=Plugged In |publisher=Focus on the Family |access-date=February 24, 2025}} As written by the Barry and District News, it "perfectly describes the showbiz world with 'In a world full of strangers you're the one I know'."{{cite news |title=CD Review: Shakira's Laundry Service |url=https://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/4810958.cd-review-shakiras-laundry-service/ |access-date=27 February 2025 |work=Barry and District News |date=21 March 2002}} During the song, she also "alludes to her thongs", singing: "To buy more thongs and write more happy songs, it always takes a little help from someone", which was seen as odd.

After releasing five singles from Laundry Service, Shakira released "The One" as the album's sixth and final single worldwide. Initially, it was released in the United States to mainstream radio on 16 December 2002 as the album's fourth single, following "Objection (Tango)".{{cite book |title=Season's Greetings |date=13 December 2002 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/2000s/2002/RR-2002-12-13.pdfhttps://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/2000s/2002/RR-2002-12-13.pdf |page=Radio and Records|access-date=23 February 2025}} The primary version used for radio airplay was the Glen's Radio Mix, which has a new intro and a complete different musical arrangement than the original album's version. In 2003, a CD single featuring the Glen's Radio Mix was released on 13 January 2003 alongside the original version, and remixes from the singles "Whenever, Wherever" and "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)". Another CD single featuring the song and the music video, as well as two remixes of "Objection (Tango)" was released throughout Europe during March and April 2003.{{cite web |title=Shakira – The One (CD, Single, Enh) |url=https://akerrecords.nl/product/shakira-the-one-cd-single-enh/ |website=Aker Records |access-date=24 February 2025}}

"The One" received mixed reviews from music critics, with many praising her vocals while some criticized its lyrics. The Billboard Magazine Staff praised Shakira's vocals, calling her "vocally gifted" and that she "absolutely shines on the Led Zeppelin-inflected ballad".{{cite magazine|last=Paoletta|first=Michael|title=Laundry Service|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/77802/laundry-service|magazine=Billboard|access-date=10 April 2014|date=17 November 2001|archive-date=19 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219210042/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/77802/laundry-service|url-status=live}} Ernesto Lechner of Rolling Stone agreed with the "crunch" Led Zeppelin inspiration, praising both "The One" and "Eyes Like Yours" as the album's best tracks.{{cite magazine|last=Lechner|first=Ernesto|title=Laundry Service|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/laundry-service-20011017|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=20 November 2013|date=17 October 2001|archive-date=28 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140128223443/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/laundry-service-20011017|url-status=live}} Isabelia Herrera wrote for Pitchfork that she excels on "The One", noting that "Shakira empties her body, harnessing anguish and devotion and tracing a blueprint for so many young people’s journeys of femme self-discovery."{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/shakira-laundry-service/|title=Shakira: Laundry Service Album Review|website=Pitchfork|last=Herrera|first=Isabella|date=2 February 2020|access-date=2 February 2020|archive-date=27 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527190100/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/shakira-laundry-service/|url-status=live}} A reviewer from the website RTÉ called it an "Alanis-lite introspection."{{cite news |title=Shakira – Laundry Service |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/music-reviews/2002/0411/448693-shakira/ |access-date=2 March 2025 |work=RTÉ |date=7 May 2002}}

Some criticism came from Matt Cibula from PopMatters who thought the lyrics were "funny and original", but criticized what he perceived as the "cheesy guitar solo, more of those damned strings, and suddenly this sweet confessional song is a power ballad now."{{cite web|last=Cibula|first=Matt|title=Shakira: Laundry Service|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/shakira-laundry/|publisher=PopMatters|access-date=11 November 2013|date=12 November 2001|archive-date=12 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112101458/http://www.popmatters.com/review/shakira-laundry/|url-status=live}} For Alexis Petridis of The Guardian, "every song contains at least one non sequitur so eccentric that it could be the work of 1970s rock surrealist Captain Beefheart citing the lines "To buy more thongs and write more happy songs, it always takes a little help from someone," as an example.{{cite web|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|title=Thong songs|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2002/mar/08/popandrock.shopping|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 November 2013|date=8 March 2002|archive-date=3 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203073206/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2002/mar/08/popandrock.shopping|url-status=live}}

"The One" debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at number 16, its peak position, on 26 January 2003. It became the album's fourth top-twenty hit, remaining at the top-twenty for three weeks and inside the top-fifty for eight weeks. The song did moderately well in European countries, including Italy and Switzerland, where it reached the top 20. It was a top-five hit in Portugal, where it peaked at number five.

The music video for "The One" was directed by Ramiro Agulla and premiered in January 2003.{{cite web |title=Shakira's Video for "The One" Premieres |url=http://www.shakira.com/ |website=Shakira.com |access-date=2 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030128123149/http://www.shakira.com/|archive-date=January 28, 2003}} In it, Shakira is walking through a city, wearing a red jacket, where she sees all the people with their lovers loving and hugging each other, while she is alone. She therefore walks through the rain, hoping to find someone who will love her forever. While she walks through the rain, she sees an old couple, a mother with her child, a police attacking a man with an old woman watching, needing someone to help him and he mimes "you're the one I need", while on the contrary she is alone. The music video ends with her, drenched by the rain, singing while facing up to the sky.

"The One" was only featured on its parent album tour, "Tour of the Mongoose" during 2002 and 2003. During the performance, the message "The surest way to happiness is to lose yourself in a cause greater than yourself" is displayed on the background screen [...], followed by an ER-esque scene showing a rock star fighting for their life on a hospital bed and surviving."{{cite news |title=Shakira [Live Review] Tour of the Mongoose |url=https://www.counterculture.co.uk/live-review/shakira.html |access-date=2 March 2025 |work=Counter Culture |date=16 December 2002}} It was later included on its parent album, Live & off the Record (2004). The performance was praised by Elena Basanta from Cadena 100 who noted that Shakira handled well the ballad, "inspiring an audience of thousands to sing along to it."{{Cite web |last=Basanta |first=Elena |date=2023-03-31 |title=A un paso de cumplir dos décadas, 'Live & Off the Record' es uno de los discos más versátiles de Shakira |url=https://www.cadena100.es/musica/amp/noticias/paso-cumplir-dos-decadas-live-off-the-record-uno-los-discos-mas-versatiles-shakira-20230331_2637281 |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=CADENA 100 |language=es}}

Maxi-single

1. "The One" (Glen's Radio Mix) – 3:47
2. "The One" (Album Version) – 3:43
3. "Whenever, Wherever" (Hammad Bell Remix) – 3:48
4. "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)" (Gigi D'Agostino Tango Remix) – 6:10

Enhanced single

1. "The One" (Glen's Mix)
2. "Objection (Tango)" (Afro Punk Version)
3. "Objection (Tango)" (The Freelance Hellraiser's Mash-Up of the Mongoose)
4. "The One" (video)

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Category:2000s ballads

Category:2003 singles

Category:Shakira songs

Category:Songs written by Glen Ballard

Category:Songs written by Shakira