One by One (Cher song)

"One by One" is a song by American singer Cher. Written by Anthony Griffiths of English rock band the Real People, it had initially been recorded by the band as a single in 1987, when they were signed to Polydor Records and called Jo Jo and the Real People.[2][3] In 1989, Irish singer Johnny Logan recorded a cover for his album Mention My Name.

"One by One"
Single by Cher
from the album It's a Man's World
B-side"I Wouldn't Treat a Dog (The Way You Treated Me)"
ReleasedJanuary 8, 1996 (1996-01-08)
StudioElephant
GenreSoul[1]
Length
  • 5:06 (Europe)
  • 4:06 (US)
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Anthony Griffiths
  • Cher
Producer(s)Stephen Lipson
Cher singles chronology
"Walking in Memphis"
(1995)		 "One by One"
(1996)		 "Not Enough Love in the World"
(1996)
Licensed audio
"One by One" on YouTube

Cher recorded another version of "One by One" several years later for her twenty-first studio album, It's a Man's World (1995). Production on her version was helmed by English producer Stephen Lipson. The song served as the album's second European single following her rendition of the Marc Cohn song "Walking in Memphis." First released on January 8, 1996, by Reprise Records and WEA, it received a warm chart reception, reaching the top 10 in Hungary, the United Kingdom, and on a composite European Hit Radio Top 40.

For the United States and Canada, a new version of the song was produced by Sam Ward. This version was issued as the first single on May 21, 1996, and enjoyed success on their adult contemporary charts. A third version was released on the US maxi-single, with the Ward version altered to include a middle-8 performed by Melle Mel.[4] Cher is credited as a composer on the US edition of It's a Man's World, but BMI lists only Griffiths.[5]

Background

In 1987, Liverpool-based musician Anthony Griffiths penned the song for his band, Jo Jo and the Real People, who later shortened their name to the Real People. The band released "One by One" as an independent single in the late 1980s on Polydor Records. Irish singer Johnny Logan recorded "One by One" for his 1989 album Mention My Name.

Chart performance

For Cher, although "Walking in Memphis" was chosen as the first single, "One by One" proved to be more successful in the United Kingdom, when it charted at number seven. In the United States, the single performed moderately on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 52, but was a big hit on Billboard's Adult Contemporary, Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Dance Singles Sales charts.

Critical reception

Jose F. Promis from AllMusic was positive by calling the song "irresistible, mid-tempo soul".[1] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Cher makes her Reprise debut with a summery jeep pop ditty. She is virtually unrecognizable during the song's verses, which she delivers in a startingly soulful (and previously untapped) falsetto. By the time the chorus breaks in, you're hooked by the brain-embedding melody and a lyric that is as sweet as can be."[6] Columnist for Dotmusic, James Masterton said it "is quite possibly one of the most pure pop tracks she has ever recorded."[7] A reviewer from Music Week rated it three out of five.[8]

Music video

The original music video for "One by One" was filmed and released in the United Kingdom, which follows the story of an unhappy couple who struggle with problems, but later make up when they realize how much they actually love each other. When the video was released in the United States it followed the same concept, but some scenes were added and others removed; the beginning was also much different, including animations that followed the beat of the song. A third video using the Junior Vasquez Vocal Edit was also released, due to the popularity of Vasquez's remix in clubs. Dan Rucks, also known as Dan-O-Rama, remixed the video by using a combination of both original videos.

Notable live performances

Track listings

Charts

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom January 8, 1996
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 WEA [40]
United States May 21, 1996 Contemporary hit radio Reprise [41]

Notes
1.^ Cher is credited as composer on the U.S. edition of the album It's a Man's World.

References
  1. Review by AllMusic Retrieved October 15, 2013
  2. One by One. Jo Jo and the Real People. Polydor Records. 1987. POSPX 882.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. "BBC Two - Cher at the BBC". BBC.
  4. One by One. Cher. Reprise Records. 1996. 9 43643-2.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. BMI Songview Search. "One by One" search results.
  6. Flick, Larry (May 11, 1996). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 41. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  7. Masterton, James (January 14, 1996). "Week Ending January 20th 1996". Dotmusic. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  8. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. January 6, 1996. p. 16. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  9. Video on YouTube
  10. One by One (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Cher. WEA Records. 1996. WEA032CD, 0630-13614-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. One by One (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Cher. WEA Records. 1996. WEA032T, 0630-13682-0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. One by One (UK cassette single sleeve). Cher. WEA Records. 1996. WEA032C, 0630-13515-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. One by One (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Cher. WEA Records. 1996. WEA032CD, 0630-14402-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. One by One (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Cher. Reprise Records. 1996. 7-17695.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. One by One (US CD single disc notes). Cher. Reprise Records. 1996. 9 17695-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. One by One (US cassette single cassette notes). Cher. Reprise Records. 1996. 9 17695-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. One by One (US maxi-CD single disc notes). Cher. Reprise Records. 1996. 9 43643-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. One by One (Australian maxi-CD single disc notes). Cher. Reprise Records. 1996. 9362436432.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. One by One (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Cher. Reprise Records. 1996. 9 43643-0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3048." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  21. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9673." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  22. "The Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Archived from the original on March 11, 2005. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  23. "European Adult Contemporary Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 9. March 2, 1996. p. 19. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  24. "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 11. March 16, 1996. p. 29. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  25. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 14. April 6, 1996. p. 22. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  26. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (N R. 160 vikuna 9.3. – 15.3. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 9, 1996. p. 50. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  27. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  28. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  29. "The UK Radio Airplay Chart (The Top 100 Airplay Tracks of 1996)". Radiomonitor.com. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  30. "Cher Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  31. "Cher Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  32. "Cher Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  33. "Cher Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  34. "Cher Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  35. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 30, 1989". Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  36. "RPM Year End Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  37. "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week. January 18, 1997. p. 25.
  38. "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1996 wg sprzedaży" (in Polish). Archived from the original on June 4, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  39. "The Year in Music: Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-45. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  40. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. January 6, 1996. p. 21. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  41. "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1146. May 17, 1996. p. 33. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
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