The One

Album: Orange County Soundtrack (2001)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • On an MTV special that aired in the UK, Dave Grohl said that this song was about the love that always eluded you, the girl (or boy) that you got close to having a relationship with but something or someone always got in the way. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Dave - Glasgow, United Kingdom
  • This was featured in the movie Orange County.
  • The Foo Fighters made this available for download on their website before it was released. They premiered it at Los Angeles radio station KROQ's "Almost Acoustic" Christmas benefit concert on December 9, 2001.
  • The video was directed by Jesse Peretz, who also worked on the Foo Fighters' "Big Me" and "Learn To Fly."
  • Taylor Hawkins is not a fan of the track. "I've always hated this song," the Foo Fighters drummer told Kerrang!. "I hate the way it sounds, the production of it; it was a total cop out."

    Hawkins added: "We were really trying to finish One By One. I liked the messed-up ugliness of that record, but we got asked by Tom Hanks' son Colin Hanks to do the song for this movie called Orange County. Dave wrote it, I wasn't crazy about it. It was straight-up pop – and there's nothing wrong with that – but we were still trying to figure out how to be the Foo Fighters."

Comments: 8

  • Kevin P. from 83001Don't really like the song but since I've seen the video now, I like the girl in video better;)
  • Taylor from Indianapolis, InThis is a great song, I don't know why but I can just relate to it...
  • Clay from Fredericksburg, VaI like the song. I hated the video.
    I think this was the first song they released with Chris in the band (he'd been on tour with them previously) so I thought it was a harbinger of good things to come.
  • Dave from Essex, Englandapart from come back and all my life, this is one of my all time favourite songs
  • Tya from New South Wales, United Statesi luv this song cos it relates to everything in my life
    and i dunno nething he makes i luv..
  • Steph from London, EnglandYeah, this is probably the worst Foo Fighters song (and it must be if I will say that, because they are my all time favourite band..) The video was still top quality though. I think it may have been one of those favour for a friend things as Jack Black was in the movie Orange County and they're mates... Meh!
  • Richard from St. Louis, MoI could have sworn Ive seen somewhere that Dave said something like:
    before playing times like these he said it was one of the best songsd hed ever written. Then after that they played the one, where he said its one of the worst songs hed ever written.
  • Becky from Berkshire, Englandmy least favourite foo fighters song I'm afraid, it was inbetween albums and have proved themselves to be still on form with "one by one". It had a cute video though, Chris made a great dancer.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.

Lace the Music: How LSD Changed Popular Music

Lace the Music: How LSD Changed Popular MusicSong Writing

Starting in Virginia City, Nevada and rippling out to the Haight-Ashbury, LSD reshaped popular music.

Steely Dan

Steely DanFact or Fiction

Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?

Millie Jackson

Millie JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Outrageously gifted and just plain outrageous, Millie is an R&B and Rap innovator.

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Francis Rossi of Status Quo

Francis Rossi of Status QuoSongwriter Interviews

Doubt led to drive for Francis, who still isn't sure why one of Status Quo's biggest hits is so beloved.