| One (u2 Song) |
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"One" is a U2 rock ballad song, featured on their 1991 album release '' Achtung Baby ''. CREATION During the recording of ''Achtung Baby'', tensions in the band began to rise over the direction of the album (Bono and The Edge favoured Electronica and Dance Music explorations, while Larry and Adam did not). U2 was nearly on the brink of breaking up when the band rallied around a riff The Edge was trying to write for the bridge of "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)". The riff inspired the band to write "One". It essentially changed the band's entire outlook on the album, helped bring the band back from the brink during recording sessions and was responsible for a renewed sense of optimism towards the material they had already recorded. Leaving Berlin on a high note, the band was able to complete the rest of the album in Dublin. MEANING "One" has many debated meanings. The Ambiguity is likely the main aspect that popularizes the song, allowing for many different interpretations. There are 3 video versions to the song which add to the discussions. One of them suggests that it's about a gay son confessing to his father that he is HIV -positive—largely assumed because of the content of the original video, directed by Anton Corbijn , in which Bono (dressed in Drag ) sings the song to his own father. It is filmed in Berlin and has footage of the band driving in Trabant cars. The second version has footage of blooming flowers and buffalos, interspersed with numerous black title cards featuring the word 'one' in white lettering, depicted in numerous languages. The buffalos in the video originate from photo by David Wojnarowicz , a gay artist who died of AIDS. The photo is on the cover of the Single as shown on this page. Yet another version of the video shows Bono in a bar, smoking a cheroot and drinking beer. This video with moody lighting and camera angles has been criticised for looking too much like a Heineken commercial, though it proved to be popular with fans. The most basic interpretation suggests the song to be about two people who love each other (romantically or otherwise), but hurt each other too much to continue with their relationship, which is a prominent lyrical theme. The Edge in Q Magazine said "I often come across people who've told me they played it at their wedding, And I think, 'Have you listened to the lyrics? It's not that kind of a song'". Others interpret the song as achieving Oneness in the Spiritual sense, while yet another point of view suggests that it's about the Reunification of East and West Germany and the subsequent, slow healing of past wounds as the Berlin Wall collapses. This particular one is popular due to the time the band spent in Germany during the album's creation. However, the most popular interpretation suggests that the song is about Bono's lifelong relationship with his father, based on their shared experiences following the death of Bono's mother when he was 14. POPULARITY "One" was recently voted the 5th most popular song of all time, in a poll conducted by Sony. It has been . Joe Cocker covered ''One'' on his 2005 album, Heart & Soul. It also featured as a regular song during his set on his Heart & Soul World Tour. The List Of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time places it at #36 (the highest position for a U2 song), while a similar Q Magazine poll has the song topping the chart. In 2005, U2 performed ''One'' along with "Beautiful Day" and "Vertigo" at Live 8 in Hyde Park, London. In 2006, U2 performed ''One'' with Mary J. Blige at the 2006 Grammy Awards (alongside '' Vertigo ''). It is also interesting to know that this is the one song that has been played at every live show since the release of Achtung Baby . The Miss Sarajevo single contains a special live version of the song, with an Orchestra (including a rather dramatic String Section ) backing it. Due to its gentle musical-wise disposition, the song is often found played as a part of Incidental background music in shopping malls and places of gathering. It is also known as the love theme in the TV series Melrose Place — a fun fact considering Edge's comment on its lyrical suitability to the subject matter. The line "One life, with each other, sisters, brothers" topped a poll conducted by music channel VH1 and was voted Britain's favorite lyric. {Link without Title} LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY (FREE/ONE) The song "(I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be) Free - One" by the Lighthouse Family is related to this song. This band does use some of U2's "One" lyrics. This song was released in 2001 and reached to #6 in the UK charts. This song is also in the album "Whatever Gets You Through The Day", which has reached platinum status. TRACK LISTING Version 1 #"One" (Album Version) (4:36) #"Lady With the Spinning Head" (UV1) (3:54) #" Satellite Of Love " (4:00) #" Night And Day " (Steel String Remix) (7:00) This is the most common tracklisting, from the 5" CD release. The 7" single had only the first two tracks, and the 12" also had "Satellite Of Love". CHART POSITIONS |
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