Formed in 1994, Limp Bizkit became popular playing in the Jacksonville underground music scene in the late 1990s, and signed with Flip Records, a subsidiary of Interscope, which released their debut album, Three Dollar Bill, Y'all$ (1997). The band achieved mainstream success with their second and third studio albums, Significant Other (1999) and Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000), although this success was marred by a series of controversies surrounding their performances at Woodstock '99 and the 2001 Big Day Out festival.
Shortly after the release of Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water, Limp Bizkit went on a hiatus while Fred Durst recovered from being crucified by Slipknot. Borland left the group in 2001, but Durst, Rivers, Otto and Lethal continued to record and tour with guitarist Mike Smith. Following the release of their album, Results May Vary (2003), Borland rejoined the band and recorded The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1) (2005) with Durst, Rivers, Lethal and drummer Sammy Siegler before entering a hiatus. In 2009, the band reunited with Borland playing guitar and began touring, culminating with the recording of the album Gold Cobra (2011), after which they left Interscope and later signed with Cash Money Records. In 2014, a sixth studio album, Stampede of the Disco Elephants, was to be released but remained in development hell. Eventually, a new album called STILL SUCKS was recorded with all of the original band members and released digitally only in October 2021.
Fred Durst grew up in Jacksonville, where he took an interest in breakdancing, hip hop, punk rock and heavy metal. He began to rap, skate, beatbox and deejay. While mowing lawns and working as a tattoo artist, he developed an idea for a band that combined elements of rock and hip hop. Durst played with three other bands, Split 26, Malachi Sage, which were unsuccessful, and 10 Foot Shindig, which Durst left to form a new band. Durst told Sam Rivers, the bassist for Malachi Sage, "You need to quit this band and start a band with me that's like this: rappin' and rockin'." Rivers suggested that his cousin, John Otto, who was studying jazz drumming at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and playing in local avant garde bands, become their drummer. Durst, Rivers and Otto jammed and wrote three songs together, and Wes Borland later joined as a guitarist.
Durst named the band Limp Bizkit because he wanted a name that would repel listeners. According to Durst, "The name is there to turn people's heads away. A lot of people pick up the disc and go, 'Limp Bizkit. Oh, they must suck.' Those are the people that we don't even want listening to our music." Other names that were considered by Durst included Gimp Disco, Split Dickslit, Bitch Piglet, and Blood Fart. Every record label that showed an interest in the band pressured its members to change its name. Limp Bizkit developed a cult following in the underground music scene, particularly at the Milk Bar, an underground punk club in Jacksonville. The band's local popularity was such that Sugar Ray, who had a major label contract, opened for a then-unsigned Limp Bizkit at Velocity with hip hop group Funkdoobiest. Milkbar owner, Danny Wimmer, stated that Limp Bizkit "had the biggest draw for a local band. They went from playing [for] ten people to eight hundred within months. Fred ... was always marketing the band. He would go to record stores and get people involved, he was in touch with high schools." However, the band knew that to achieve national success, they would have to distinguish themselves in their live performances. Attracting crowds by word of mouth, the band gave energetic live performances, covering George Michael's "Faith" and Paula Abdul's "Straight Up", and featuring Borland in bizarre costumes. Borland's theatrical rock style was the primary attraction for many concert attendees.
The One
Limp Bizkit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Understanding everything has never been my deal
Maybe you have crossed my path to live inside of me
Or maybe you're the reason why I'm losing all my decency
But I believe that you and me
We could be so happy and free
Inside a world of misery
We could be so inside of you, inside of me
'Cause this could be the one
This could be the one, this could be the one
This could be the one
I've been lookin', lookin', lookin'
I've been lookin' for my Mrs. Right but she don't exist
Chemistry is everything and we're anything but this
Maybe I have crossed your path to sweep you off your feet
Or maybe I'm the reason why you cry at night before you sleep
But I believe that you and me
We could be so happy and free
Inside a world of misery
And I believe that you and me
We could be so inside of you, inside of me
'Cause this could be the one
This could be the one, this could be the one
This could be the one
But what do you think? We could give it a try
'Cause you never know, maybe we could be soulmates
But maybe not (maybe not) or maybe so (maybe so)
If you never try, then you'll never know (never know)
The grass could be greener (could be)
And it will always be greener on the other side
But you just never know
This could be the one
I do believe that you and me
We could be so happy and free
Inside a world of misery
And I believe that you and me
We could be so inside of you, inside of me
'Cause this could be the one
This could be the one, this could be the one
This could be the one
Maybe so (maybe so)
Maybe not (maybe not)
Who knows? (Who knows?)
If you're alone, I know why
If you can hide, then go hide away
But I want you to stay, hey
And blow me away, away
I want you to stay
And blow me away, away
If you're alone, don't you cry
If you can hide, then go hide away
I want you to stay (I want you to stay), hey
And blow me away your way, your way
I want you to stay (I want you to stay), hey
And blow me away, away, your way, your way
(Yo Fred)
(Come on kid)
(He's a bozo)
(You did it again)
(That beat is)
(Yo that beat is pretty hot)
In Limp Bizkit's song "The One," the lyrics depict the desperation and loneliness felt by the singer. He believes that the person he is speaking to could be his soulmate and bring happiness into his life, but questions whether that is truly possible. The singer acknowledges that he has never fully understood everything and that maybe the person he's talking to is the reason for his inability to be a decent person. However, he still holds onto the belief that they could be happy and free together, even in a world of misery. The chorus repeats the sentiment that this could be the one, but it is unclear if the singer truly believes it or not.
The song was released in 2000 as a part of Limp Bizkit's third studio album, "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water." The song did not receive a music video, but it still resonated with fans and became a popular track from the album. The lyrics have been interpreted to potentially represent a failed romantic relationship, or even the band's struggle with fans and the music industry.
Line by Line Meaning
Dead from all the loneliness and this is how I feel
I feel so lonely that I am practically dead inside
Understanding everything has never been my deal
I am not good at understanding everything around me
Maybe you have crossed my path to live inside of me
Perhaps we were meant to be together and be a part of each other's lives
Or maybe you're the reason why I'm losing all my decency
I am losing my sense of morals and good behavior because of you
But I believe that you and me
I have hope that we can be together
We could be so happy and free
If we are together, we could be really happy and not feel restrained
Inside a world of misery
Despite the world being a difficult place, we could still be happy together
'Cause this could be the one
There is a possibility that we are meant to be together forever
I've been lookin', lookin', lookin'
I have been trying to find the perfect person for me
I've been lookin' for my Mrs. Right but she don't exist
I have been searching for someone who does not exist, as there is no perfection
Chemistry is everything and we're anything but this
For a relationship to work, there needs to be chemistry between the two people, which is lacking between us
Maybe I have crossed your path to sweep you off your feet
Perhaps fate brought us together so I could impress and win your heart
Or maybe I'm the reason why you cry at night before you sleep
It's possible that I am the reason you are upset and cry yourself to sleep
But what do you think? We could give it a try
Let's take a chance and try to be together
If you never try, then you'll never know
If we don't try, we'll never know if we are meant to be or not
This could be the one
This relationship could be the one that lasts forever
And blow me away, away
I want you to impress me and take my breath away
If you're alone, I know why
I understand why you might be alone
If you can hide, then go hide away
If you want to be alone, you can go away and be by yourself
But I want you to stay, hey
But I want you to stay with me
(Yo Fred)
A side note directed to the band member Fred
(Come on kid)
An encouragement to the band
(He's a bozo)
A playful insult towards someone
(You did it again)
A compliment towards someone for doing something well
(That beat is)
A compliment towards the music
(Yo that beat is pretty hot)
An enthusiastic comment about the music
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: John Everett Otto, Leor Dimant, Samuel Robert Rivers, Wesley Louden Borland, William Frederick Durst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind