Only One (Kanye West song) explained

Only One
Cover:Kanye West - Only One (feat. Paul McCartney).png
Type:single
Artist:Kanye West featuring Paul McCartney
Released:December 31, 2014
Recorded:September 2014[1]
Genre:Soul
Chronology:Kanye West
Prev Title:Nobody
Prev Year:2014
Next Title:FourFiveSeconds
Next Year:2015

"Only One" is a song by American recording artist Kanye West, featuring English musician Paul McCartney. The song was released on December 31, 2014, and was the first song released by West after the release of his sixth studio album Yeezus.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

The song was written by West, McCartney, Noah Goldstein, Mike Dean, and Kirby Lauryen. Produced by the former four, the song is a tribute to West's daughter, North, and is sung as a message to Kanye from the perspective of his late mother, Donda West.[1] McCartney is featured on the track as a musician and can be heard on "faint" and electronically manipulated backing vocals, but does not sing any lead vocal part.[7]

Background

The song was recorded over a two-day period in Mexico in September 2014 in which West and McCartney, alongside other artists, recorded upwards of nine songs.[1]

The track was released on December 31, 2014, to the iTunes Store. The track features English musician and former member of the Beatles and Wings, Paul McCartney, and was the first of two rumored collaborations between the two artists, the other being a track called "Piss On Your Grave".[8] "Only One" was the first of three McCartney–West collaborations to be released commercially, as the two would later appear on "FourFiveSeconds" alongside singer Rihanna, released just twenty-four days after "Only One", as well as on West's "All Day".[9] "Only One" also features uncredited vocals from Ty Dolla $ign.

Kanye West is described in a press release as not being able to remember singing the words to "Only One" when he and McCartney were later reviewing the early 2014 sessions that generated the song. Later, West "realized that perhaps the words had never really come from him … he understood in that moment that his late mother, Dr. Donda West, who was also his mentor, confidante, and best friend, had spoken through him that day ... A message had been passed down through generations."[10] In the song Kanye is singing from the perspective of his mother Donda West, who died in 2007.

West's then-wife Kim Kardashian tweeted upon the release of the track that it is her favorite track by West, saying, "People always ask me what my favorite Kanye song is and it's 'Only One'. Kanye feels like his mom sang thru him to our daughter."[11]

Live performances

Personnel

Music video

On the episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show which aired January 29, 2015, West revealed a preview of the music video for "Only One", directed by Spike Jonze on his iPhone.[16] West tweeted a link to the full music video available to watch on his web site later the same day.[17] The video was shot in the minimalist style that West had been continuously using.[18] It sees West walking through a soggy field with his daughter North, who was 18 months old at the time, and he is silhouetted by fog.[17] Pitchfork Media named "Only One" the sixth best music video of 2015.[19]

Chart performance

"Only One" debuted at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated January 17, 2015. Its debut was mainly on the strength of digital download sales; it sold 125,000 copies during its first week, making it the week's tenth-best selling single. It also marked McCartney's first top 40 hit in the United States in over 25 years, when 1989's "My Brave Face" had reached number 25. Following three weeks on sale in the United States, "Only One" had sold 230,000 total copies.[20] On 28 July 2015, the song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.[21]

The song also debuted at number 35 in the UK Singles Chart on the chart dated January 10, 2015.[22] On its second week on the chart, the song rose to number 28.[23]

In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 8 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, marking West's first top ten single there since Jay-Z's 2009 single "Run This Town", and first top ten as a lead artist since 2008's "Heartless". It also marks Paul McCartney's first charting single there since his 1993 single "Hope of Deliverance" and first top ten single since 1983's "Say Say Say" with Michael Jackson.[24] [25]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Only One"! Chart (2015)! Peak
position
Italy (Musica e Dischi)[26] 24
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[27] 27

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Only One"! Chart (2015)! Position
Australia Urban Singles (ARIA)[28] 31
US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard)[29] 25

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormatLabel
United StatesDecember 31, 2014Digital downloadDef Jam[30]
January 12, 2015Contemporary hit radio[31]
Urban contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary
Hot adult contemporary
Adult album alternative

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Ty Dolla $ign Says He, Kanye West, Rihanna, and Paul McCartney Are Dropping A Song Together. January 3, 2015. Molly Beauchemin. January 3, 2015. Pitchfork Media.
  2. Web site: Nostro. Lauren. Happy New Year: Kanye West Just Dropped "Only One" f/ Paul McCartney. Complex. 1 January 2015.
  3. Web site: Markman. Rob. Kanye West Drops New Song For The New Year: Listen To 'Only One'. https://web.archive.org/web/20150103205002/http://www.mtv.com/news/2038419/kanye-west-only-one-new-year/. dead. January 3, 2015. MTV. 1 January 2015.
  4. Web site: Nelson. Michael. Kanye West – "Only One" (Feat. Paul McCartney). January 2015. Stereogum. 1 January 2015.
  5. Web site: Kanye West Season Returns With The Release Of 'Only One' Ft. Paul McCartney. Uproxx. 1 January 2015.
  6. Web site: Young. Alex. Kanye West premieres "Only One" featuring Paul McCartney — listen. January 2015. Consequence of Sound. 1 January 2015.
  7. Web site: Review: Kanye West's 'Only One' featuring Paul McCartney: His worst-ever track?. . 2 January 2015.
  8. Web site: Paul McCartney and Kanye West's 'Piss On My Grave' is leaking. Ed Keeble. gigwise.com.
  9. Holmes. Charles. Kanye West Offered to Produce a Paul McCartney Album. Rolling Stone. September 11, 2018. May 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20190605193631/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kanye-west-paul-mccartney-album-722785/. June 5, 2019. live.
  10. Web site: Kanye West's "Only One (feat. Paul McCartney)": His worst-ever track?. Los Angeles Times. January 2, 2015.
  11. Web site: People always ask me what my favorite Kanye song is and it's Only One.. West. Kim Kardashian. 2014-12-31. @kimkardashian. en. 2017-09-13.
  12. Nolan Feeney . Watch Kanye West Perform 'Only One' at the Grammys . Time . 2 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180109023720/https://time.com/3700320/grammys-2015-kanye-west-only-one/ . 9 January 2018 . 6 February 2015 . live.
  13. Web site: Scott Heins . Kanye West Hits SNL 40 To Perform "Jesus Walks," "Only One" & New Song "Wolves" . Okay Player . 2 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150322025652/https://www.okayplayer.com/news/kanye-west-snl-40-jesus-walks-wolves-only-one.html . 22 March 2015 . 16 February 2015 . live.
  14. Web site: Caitlin White . Watch Kanye West Sing "Only One" On Scandinavian Talk Show Skavlan . Stereogum . 2 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180627005756/https://www.stereogum.com/1784008/watch-kanye-west-sing-only-one-on-scandinavian-talk-show-skavlan/video/ . 27 June 2018 . 27 February 2015 . live.
  15. Web site: Dean Van Nguyen . Kanye West performs 'Only One' on 'The Jonathan Ross Show' – watch . NME . 2 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200102031105/https://www.nme.com/news/music/kanye-west-381-1219945 . 2 January 2020 . 1 March 2015 . live.
  16. Web site: Kanye West Previews "Only One" Video, Talks Fatherhood, Adidas Partnership on "Ellen". Pitchfork Media. 29 January 2015.
  17. Web site: Kanye West sings to baby North in Only One video directed by Spike Jonze Music. The Guardian. Hunt, Elle. January 30, 2015. February 6, 2019.
  18. News: Kanye West's new music video for Only One is just him walking around with North West. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/kanye-wests-new-music-video-for-only-one-is-just-him-walking-around-with-north-west-10011709.html . 2022-05-24 . subscription . live. The Independent. Hooton, Christopher. January 29, 2015. February 6, 2019.
  19. Web site: Best Music Videos of 2015. Pitchfork Media. January 14, 2016. January 13, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160113233603/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/9763-the-best-music-videos-of-2015/3/. dead.
  20. Rihanna, Kanye West & Paul McCartney Debut on Hot 100 With 'FourFiveSeconds' . Trust . Gary . . . January 28, 2015 . January 29, 2015.
  21. Web site: Gold & Platinum: West, Kanye . Peake . Kyle . . July 28, 2015 . August 19, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151227181058/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22West,+Kanye%22 . December 27, 2015 .
  22. Web site: 2015-01-10 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive - Official Charts. .
  23. Web site: 2015-01-17 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive - Official Charts. .
  24. Web site: NZ Top 40 Singles Chart - The Official New Zealand Music Chart.
  25. Paul McCartney Chart History. Billboard. February 5, 2019.
  26. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e dischi. it. 4 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Kanye West".
  27. https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?artist=Kanye%20West&f[0=ts_chart_artistname%3AKanye%20West&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3AMexico%20Ingles%20Airplay&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2 Chart Search – Kanye West (Mexico Ingles Airplay)]. Billboard. June 18, 2018.
  28. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Urban Singles 2015. Australian Recording Industry Association. February 5, 2019.
  29. Hot R&B Songs – Year-End 2015. Billboard. January 30, 2019.
  30. Web site: Only One (feat. Paul McCartney) - Single by Kanye West. 31 December 2014. apple.com. 22 April 2018.
  31. Kanye West, Paul McCartney Debut in Hot 100's Top 40 With 'Only One' . Trust . Gary . . . January 9, 2015 . January 9, 2015.

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