The story of one heartfelt song - how 'One of Us', Joan Osborne's biggest hit, was born

"One of us." - that's the name of the song that made famous Joan Osborne and, unfortunately, made her a performer one hit. The singer subsequently continued to release music, but most listeners strongly associate her solely with the "One of Us" - there's nothing you can do about it! It's her biggest hit and it's completely spontaneous!

The composition has a fascinating story, and it was "One of Us" that helped its author -. Erica Basilianu - To make a personal life better: Eric was asked by his lover to demonstrate to her how a four-track recording is made. And so, quite by accident - just a few hours later - the heartfelt and poignant hit... And yes: the girl soon became Basilian's wife! But first things first.

Background

The song is a worthy jewel "Relish." - Joan Osborne's debut album. But she got on it completely inadvertentlyjust as she was born.

https://youtu.be/7K1hckf1C3I

History "One of Us" started by watching a film "The Making of Sgt. Pepper" 1992 of the year, which gives us - mere listeners - a glimpse into the making of the legendary album "The Beatles.". Basilian enjoyed the tape with his girlfriend, and after watching it, the girl inquired:

"How does four-track recording happen?"

Eric got up from the sofa, walked over to the table - there were chaotically scattered on it wires.

"I pointed to a pile of wires - that was my portable studio. She asked me to record something, and I didn't dare refuse. I played a guitar riff, mixed a little track. But she wouldn't stop, "Sing something, please!" I said that it's not so easy, that the song has to be written, the idea has to be thought over and so on... Suddenly something clicked in my head: I sat down and started singing - I don't know where it came from. But soon I had a full verse!".

The next afternoon, Eric brought his spontaneous creation in the studio - at the time he was working on his debut album with other musicians. Joan Osborne.

"I didn't see it as anything serious. There was a break, and I just said: "Hey guys, listen to something!" And I put this random song on, not even realising that someone might like it..."

But the recording really made an impact on everyone present. impression! Rick Chertoff Was the first to come out of his stupor and ask Joan:

"Do you think you could perform it?"

The girl replied favourably.

"I was shocked! When I put this unpretentious demo on, I had no idea it had potential. When Joan said yes, I quickly wrote the lyrics on paper and played along on guitar while she sang. And by golly - it sounded amazing! I'm grateful to Rick, as he turned out to have incredible flair... And I'm glad Joan said yes. After the session, I got in the car, inserted the tape, and seconds later started rehearsing the speech for the Grammy Awards. I was confident in the success of that song."

So spontaneous. night experiment turned into a smash hit! Eric Basilian not only made Joan Osborne a star, but won the heart of her lover, who played the whole story far away not least:

"I just wanted to impress her and ended up having a hit! Now we're married with two kids! I'm grateful to fate..."

Lyrical content

"One of Us" is very deep from a lyrical point of view. In it, Eric offers this thought: "What if God is a one of us?"

"But what if God is one of us?
Only a simpleton is one of us,
Like on the bus, dude,
What's just holding up the way home?"

In his interview, Basilian admitted: it's not at all non-religious the song, and he is not a religious man himself. Rather, in these lines he had the following message in mind:

"I meant, what do you do if you encounter something out of the ordinary? It doesn't have to be God! Could it be something otherworldly, alien, if you suddenly find yourself on the brink of death and your whole life flies before your eyes?"

Success, media use and covers

The song has achieved dizzying success in the charts! The single went on to sell a huge amount of copies, winning the gold and platinum! Channel VH1 included "One of Us" in its list of "100 Greatest Songs of the 1990s", and the atmospheric music video has scored more than a 20 million views. Not surprisingly, the hit gained popularity in the media and on the big screen: it can be heard in many films, including "Vanilla Sky." и "Bruce Almighty.".

Many artists, including Prinsamade their own interpretations. We invite you to evaluate it in person:

Sounds interesting, fresh! But we think it's impossible to surpass the original. "One of Us" is great. 90s hitwhich showcases the vocal data of young Joan Osborne and leads the listener to curious thoughts ...