"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[2] 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.[3]
Three Dog Night released One as the second single from their eponymous first album. 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.[6] It also reached number four in Canada.
^"Playlist: Best Harry Nilsson songs for what would be his 75th birthday". Azcentral.com. June 16, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^"One (song by Three Dog Night) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^Nimmervoll, Ed (September 13, 1969). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
^Moore, Rick (2017). "Three Dog Night, "One"". American Songwriter. Retrieved October 16, 2022. "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.
^Pitchfork Staff (August 18, 2006). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1960s". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 12, 2022. 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.
^ ab. tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013.
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One Is the Loneliest Number redirects here For the novel see Tom Clancy s Net Force Explorers One is the Loneliest Number This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources One Harry Nilsson song news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message 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 One Single by Harry Nilssonfrom the album Aerial BalletB side Sister Marie Released1968Recorded1967GenreChamber pop 1 LabelRCA RecordsSongwriter s Harry NilssonProducer s Rick JarrardHarry Nilsson singles chronology Good Old Desk 1967 One 1968 Everybody s Talkin 1968 A better known cover version recorded by Three Dog Night reached number five on the U S Billboard Hot 100 2 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 3 Contents 1 Three Dog Night version 2 Chart performance 2 1 Weekly charts 2 2 Year end charts 3 Certifications 4 Other versions 5 References 6 External linksThree Dog Night version Edit One Single by Three Dog Nightfrom the album Three Dog NightB side Chest Fever ReleasedApril 1969Recorded1968GenreRock and roll 4 R amp B 5 Length3 06 album 2 55 single LabelDunhillSongwriter s Harry NilssonProducer s Gabriel MeklerThree Dog Night singles chronology Try a Little Tenderness 1969 One 1969 Easy to Be Hard 1969 Three Dog Night released One as the second single from their eponymous first album 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 6 It also reached number four in Canada Chart performance EditWeekly charts Edit Chart 1969 PeakpositionAustralia Go Set 39Canada RPM Top Singles 4New Zealand Listener 16U S Billboard Hot 100 7 5U S Cash Box Top 100 6 2 Year end charts Edit Chart 1969 RankCanada 8 20U S Billboard Hot 100 9 11U S Cash Box 10 16Certifications EditRegion Certification Certified units salesUnited States RIAA 11 Gold 1 000 000 Shipments figures based on certification alone Other versions EditMany cover versions have been recorded Among the most notable are Johnny Farnham released One as a double sided single with Mr Whippy in 1969 reaching number four in Australia 12 US rock band Filter recorded a version of the song in 1998 for the first X Files movie re interpreting the lyrics towards the show s main antagonist the Cigarette Smoking Man The song was first released on The X Files The Album and later featured as a bonus track on the German release of their album Title of Record in 1999 A cover by Aimee Mann is used in the 1999 film Magnolia The song is the opening track for the movie s soundtrack album and also appears on Mann s subsequent album Bachelor No 2 or the Last Remains of the Dodo References Edit Playlist Best Harry Nilsson songs for what would be his 75th birthday Azcentral com June 16 2016 Retrieved August 20 2016 One song by Three Dog Night Music VF US amp UK hits charts Musicvf com Retrieved August 20 2016 Nimmervoll Ed September 13 1969 National Top 40 Go Set Waverley Press Retrieved May 16 2014 Moore Rick 2017 Three Dog Night One American Songwriter Retrieved October 16 2022 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 Pitchfork Staff August 18 2006 The 200 Best Songs of the 1960s Pitchfork Retrieved October 12 2022 I grew up on Three Dog Night s R amp B bombast so returning to Harry s original I forget how wispy and ethereal this tune could be a b Cash Box Top 100 7 19 69 tropicalglen com Archived from the original on July 18 2013 Joel Whitburn s Top Pop Singles 1955 1990 ISBN 0 89820 089 X RPM s Top 100 of 1969 RPM January 10 1970 Top 100 Hits of 1969 Top 100 Songs of 1969 www musicoutfitters com Cash Box YE Pop Singles 1969 tropicalglen com Archived from the original on January 25 2019 Retrieved November 13 2016 American single certifications Three Dog Night One Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved February 14 2019 Go Set National Top 40 11 October 1969 External links EditReview of One on allmusic com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title One Harry Nilsson song amp oldid 1153435101, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
