The One I Love (R.E.M. song)
{{short description|1987 single by R.E.M.}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox song
| name = The One I Love
| cover = R.E.M. - The One I Love.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = R.E.M.
| album = Document
| B-side = "Maps and Legends" (Live)
| released = August 24, 1987{{Cite web|url=https://www.remtimeline.com/1987.html|title=R.E.M. Timeline - 1987/88 Concert Chronology|website=Remtimeline.com|access-date=April 25, 2021}}
| recorded = April 1987
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Alternative rock{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/the-one-i-love-mt0012062710|title=The One I Love - R.E.M. {{!}} Song Info|last=Sullivan|first=Denise|website=AllMusic|access-date=January 5, 2020}}|new wave{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/now-thats-what-i-call-new-wave-80s-mw0002857622|title=Now That's What I Call New Wave 80s - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic}}}}
| length = 3:17
| label = I.R.S.
| writer = {{hlist|Bill Berry|Peter Buck|Mike Mills|Michael Stipe}}
| producer = {{hlist|Scott Litt|R.E.M.}}
| prev_title = Superman
| prev_year = 1986
| next_title = It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
| next_year = 1987
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|j7oQEPfe-O8|"The One I Love"}}}}
}}
"The One I Love" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M.. It was released on the band's fifth full-length studio album, Document, and also as a 7" vinyl single in 1987. The song was their first hit single, reaching No. 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 14 in Canada, and later reached No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart in its 1991 re-release.
The accompanying video's director was artist Robert Longo. The director of photography was Alton Brown.{{cite web |last=Melancon |first=Merritt |url=http://onlineathens.com/stories/051210/liv_637614879.shtml |title=Brown talks TV, food, R.E.M. |publisher=Online Athens |date=May 12, 2010 |access-date=2012-01-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815065337/http://onlineathens.com/stories/051210/liv_637614879.shtml |archive-date=August 15, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}
In March 2005, Q magazine placed "The One I Love" at No. 57 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. In 2012, Slant Magazine listed the song as the 38th best single of the 1980s.{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/features/article/best-singles-of-the-1980s/P7|title=Best Singles of the 1980s|work=Slant Magazine|date=2012-08-20|access-date=2013-05-12}}
The song is included on R.E.M. Live (2007). It was also included in Activision's Guitar Hero World Tour and Guitar Hero on Tour: Decades, both in 2008, as well as Harmonix's Rock Band 4 (2015).{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockband4.com|title=Rock Band 4 Core Soundtrack|access-date=21 April 2018}}
Lyrics and meaning
The record has become a popular radio dedication to loved ones, relying on a misinterpretation of its refrain, "This one goes out to the one I love." However, subsequent lyrics in the same verse contradict the love song interpretation and suggest a darker, more manipulative theme ("A simple prop to occupy my time").
Michael Stipe related in 1987 to Rolling Stone, "I've always left myself pretty open to interpretation. It's probably better that they just think it's a love song at this point."Pond, Steve. "In the Real World: R.E.M.". Rolling Stone. December 3, 1987. However, in an interview in the January 1988 issue of Musician magazine, he said that the song was "incredibly violent" and added, "It's very clear that it's about using people over and over again."
The song contains only three verses, the first two of which are identical; the third verse changes the line "A simple prop to occupy my time" to "Another prop has occupied my time." The chorus consists of just the word "fire", repeated over the backing vocal of "She's coming down on her own now / Coming down on her own" (sung by Mike Mills).
Track listings
All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.
- "The One I Love" – 3:16
- "Maps and Legends" (live)1 – 3:15
= 12": IRS / IRS-23792 (US) =
;Side one
- "The One I Love" – 3:16
;Side two
- "The One I Love" (live)1 – 4:06
- "Maps and Legends" (live)1 – 3:15
= 12": IRS / IRMT 146 (UK) =
;Side one
- "The One I Love" – 3:16
;Side two
- "Last Date" (Floyd Cramer) – 2:16
- "Disturbance at the Heron House"1 – 3:26
= 1987 CD: IRS / DIRM 146 (UK) =
- "The One I Love" – 3:16
- "Last Date" (Floyd Cramer) – 2:16
- "Disturbance at the Heron House"1 – 3:26
= 1988 CD: IRS / DIRM 173 (UK) =
- "The One I Love" – 3:16
- "Fall on Me" – 2:50
- "So. Central Rain" – 3:14
= 1991 Limited Edition CD: IRS / DIRMT 178 (UK) =
- "The One I Love" – 3:16
- "This One Goes Out" (live) – 4:01
- "Maps and Legends" (live) – 3:13
= 1991 Limited Edition CD: IRS / DIRMX 178 (UK) =
- "The One I Love" – 3:15
- "Driver Eight" (live) – 3:27
- "Disturbance at the Heron House" (live) – 3:40
- "Crazy" – 3:02
1 Recorded at McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, California, May 24, 1987.
Certain releases list the live recording of "The One I Love" as "This One Goes Out" instead.
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="center"|Chart (1991) !align="center"|Peak |
| {{Single chart|Germany|81|artist=R.E.M.|song=The One I Love|songid=26957}} |
| {{Single chart|Ireland2|5|artist=R.E.M.|song=The One I Love|access-date=April 9, 2023}} |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade){{cite web |url=https://www.top40.nl/tipparade/1991/week-45|title=Tipparade-lijst van week 45, 1991|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=April 9, 2023}}
|align="center"|13 |
| {{Single chart|Dutch100|72|artist=R.E.M.|refname=NL91|song=The One I Love|access-date=April 9, 2023}} |
| {{Single chart|UK|16|date=19910929|access-date=April 9, 2023}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=REM|title=The One I Love|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=December 30, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=REM|title=The One I Love|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=17692-840-1|access-date=September 29, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://remhq.com/hqtv/videos/music-videos/the-one-i-love Video clip at REMhq.com]
- [https://soundcloud.com/user-699010668/rem-timeline-podcast-bertis-down-interview-may-2020 2020 interview] with Bertis Downs on the song
{{R.E.M.}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:One I Love, The}}
Category:Songs written by Bill Berry
Category:Songs written by Peter Buck
Category:Songs written by Mike Mills
Category:Songs written by Michael Stipe
Category:I.R.S. Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Scott Litt
Category:Song recordings produced by Mike Mills
Category:Song recordings produced by Michael Stipe
Category:Song recordings produced by Peter Buck