From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"The One I Love"
Single by R.E.M. from the album Document
Released	August 1987 (US) September 1991 (UK re-issue)
Format	US: 7", UK: 7", cassette, CD
Recorded	1987
Genre	College rock
Length	3:17
Label	I.R.S.
Producer	Mitch Easter, R.E.M.
R.E.M. singles chronology
"Superman" (1986) "The One I Love" (1987) "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" (1987)

"The One I Love" is a song by R.E.M.. It was released on the band's fifth full-length studio album, Document, and also as a 7" vinyl single in 1987. The song was their first hit single, reaching #9 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and later reached #16 in the UK singles chart on its UK release (1991).

The accompanying video's director was artist Robert Longo. The director of photography was Alton Brown, who later became a Food Network celebrity chef.

In March 2005, Q magazine placed "The One I Love" at number 57 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.

In the ensuing months, listeners who misunderstood the song's meaning made the song a popular radio dedication to loved ones, relying on the main lyric, "This one goes out to the one I love." However, they missed an ensuing line: "A simple prop to occupy my time"; the song was not particularly a love song. Stipe related to Rolling Stone, "I've always left myself pretty open to interpretation. It's probably better that they just think it's a love song at this point."^[1]

The song contains only three verses, which are all near identical, with small variations each repeat of the verse. (For example "A simple prop to occupy my time", "Another prop has occupied my time").

• The band Bush recorded a live version of the song at Woodstock '99 which was included on the second disc of their greatest-hits album The Best of: 1994-1999.
• Rosie Thomas covered the song on her 2006 album These Friends of Mine.
• Sufjan Stevens played a live version of the song at a New York City acoustic-solo-benefit show in 2005.
• The Butthole Surfers covered the song during their late 1980's tours, and a performance of it can be found on their Double Live release.
• Over The Rhine covered the song at several shows in 2007. One version is available publicly on the Live Music Archive.

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe unless otherwise indicated.

1. "The One I Love" - 3:16
2. "Maps and Legends" (live)¹ - 3:15

1. "The One I Love" - 3:16
2. "The One I Love" (live)¹ - 4:06
3. "Maps and Legends" (live)¹ - 3:15

1. "The One I Love" - 3:16
2. "Last Date" (Floyd Cramer) - 2:16
3. "Disturbance At The Heron House" (live)¹ - 3:26

¹ Recorded at McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, California; May 24, 1987.

• Video clip at REMhq.com