One (Harry Nilsson song)

"One" is a song written and recorded by Harry Nilsson and made famous by Three Dog Night whose recording reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] in 1969 and number four in Canada. The song 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 of the song.

"One Is the Loneliest Number" redirects here. For the novel, see Tom Clancy's Net Force Explorers: One is the Loneliest Number.
"One"
Single by Harry Nilsson
from the album Aerial Ballet
B-side"Sister Marie"
Released1968
Recorded1967
GenreChamber pop[1]
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Harry Nilsson
Producer(s)Rick Jarrard
Harry Nilsson singles chronology
"Good Old Desk"
(1967)		 "One"
(1968)		 "Everybody's Talkin'"
(1968)

In 1968, Al Kooper released the song on his debut album I Stand Alone. In 1969, the song was recorded by Australian pop singer Johnny Farnham, reaching number four on the Go-Set National Top 40 Chart.[3]

"One"
Single by Three Dog Night
from the album Three Dog Night
B-side"Chest Fever"
ReleasedApril 1969
Recorded1968
GenrePop rock, hard rock
Length3:06 (album)
2:55 (single)
LabelDunhill
Songwriter(s)Harry Nilsson
Producer(s)Gabriel Mekler
Three Dog Night singles chronology
"Try a Little Tenderness"
(1969)		 "One"
(1969)		 "Easy to Be Hard"
(1969)

Three Dog Night version

Three Dog Night played "One" in the key of F minor, and it was released as the second single from Three Dog Night's eponymous first album. It became their first of seven gold records over the next five years.

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.[4] It also reached number four in Canada.

Chart performance

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[9] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Other versions

In media
  • In 1990, in the episode "Mistaken Identity" of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air lyrics intro was sung by Bob the prisoner. Aired on October 15, 1990.
  • In 1995, the song was sung briefly on The Drew Carey Show at the Warsaw Pub between both Carey and his boss, Mr. Bell, in the first-season episode "Nature Abhors a Vacuum".
  • The 1999 film Magnolia, by Paul Thomas Anderson, uses this song (sung by Aimee Mann) for its intro.
  • In Disney's Recess: School's Out (2001), the song is played when the main character T.J. misses his friends after they leave for their individual summer camps.
  • This song was used in a 2002 episode of the animated comedy series Family Guy called "Brian Wallows and Peter's Swallows".
  • This song was quoted by Robert Barone in an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond.
  • The song was sung by Nathan Lane and was featured on the soundtrack of Stuart Little 2 in 2002.
  • In 2004, the song appears in the third episode of House ("Occam's Razor"). Dr. House references the song's opening line during a discussion with his team, and the song later plays over the episode's last scene.
  • Also in 2004, the song is briefly sung by Donkey in the film Shrek 2.
  • The Muppets and Jimmy Fallon performed an impromptu rendition of the song on the set of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon while rehearsing for the 2009 Christmas performance.
  • In 2013, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic created a video using "One" to promote their US Open final match.
  • In 2013, Lisa Simpson sang the song at the beginning of episode 536 of The Simpsons, dated November 24, 2013.
  • In 2014, the Three Dog Night cover of the song appeared in the teaser trailer for season five of the American crime drama Boardwalk Empire.
  • In October 2016, an original version recorded by Harry Nilsson was used in Masters of Sex TV series (season four, called "Coats or Keys").
  • Also in October 2016, the Harry version was used in The Blacklist TV series (episode 6, season four, called "The Thrushes").
  • The Three Dog Night version appeared in the 2016 video game Mafia 3.
  • In February 2017, the song was featured in The Lego Batman Movie.
  • In January 2018, the song was featured in a commercial for OraVet Dental Hygiene Chews.
  • In February 2019, the song played over the first scene of the seventh episode of The Umbrella Academy ("The Day That Was").
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References
  1. "Playlist: Best Harry Nilsson songs for what would be his 75th birthday". Azcentral.com. 2016-06-16. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  2. "One (song by Three Dog Night) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  3. Nimmervoll, Ed (13 September 1969). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  4. "Cash Box Top 100 7/19/69". tropicalglen.com.
  5. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  6. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6104&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062
  7. "Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969". www.musicoutfitters.com.
  8. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1969". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on 2019-01-25. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  9. "American single certifications – Three Dog Night – One". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 14, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  10. Go-Set National Top 40, 11 October 1969
  11. "Mimicry And Memories - ElectricSix.co.uk". www.electricsix.co.uk.
  12. "Final track listing for Mimicry and Memories". Kickstarter.com. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
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