Wainwright's sister Martha, one of a handful of musicians in the family, added backing vocals to this track, and Levon Helm of The Band played drums on it. The album was recorded at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, which is where Helm lived. He had recently fought off throat cancer and was happy to go back to work.
The music video shows performance footage of Wainwright and follows the singer as he wanders around various cities. It was compiled with footage that was used for his 2005 DVD All I Want: A Portrait of Rufus Wainwright, directed by George Scott.
The One You Love
Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why can't I sleep with my eyes open?
The mind has so many memories
Can you remember what it looks like when I cry?
I'm trying, trying to tell you
All that I can in a sweet and velvet tongue
But no words ever could sell you
I'm only the one you love
Am I only the one you love?
The lady gloom and her hornets circling round
Is now before us, the screaming's done without moving
One little move and for sure you will be stung
I'm singing, "oh, Jerusalem oh, Jerusalem
See what he's picked up in the park"
Let's fuck this awful art party
Want you to make love to me and only to me in the dark
I'm only the one you love
Am I only the one you love?
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
We've traded in our snap shots
We're going through the motions
Into the view, I'm leaving you
Down conduit avenue into the early morning
Into the early morning
The one I love
Are you only the one I love?
In “The One You Love,” Rufus Wainwright sings about the struggles of being in a relationship and trying to convey feelings through words. The first verse talks about how the mind is filled with a lot of pictures and memories, making it difficult for the singer to sleep. He then asks his partner if they can remember how he looks like when he cries. This shows the vulnerability and emotional openness the singer is trying to convey.
The pre-chorus discusses how the singer is trying to say all he can in a sweet and velvet tongue, but realizes that his actions may have already spoken louder than his words. The chorus ponders whether they are the only one that their partner loves, highlighting the insecurity that exists in the relationship. The second verse describes a chaotic scene of “lady gloom and her hornets circling around” but maintains a sense of stillness as he sings of no movement. Once again, he asks his partner to make love to him and only him in the dark, emphasizing his need for intimacy and commitment.
Overall, the song evokes a feeling of longing and desire for a deeper connection in a relationship. The singer understands that words alone cannot convey his feelings, and he seeks a deeper understanding and trust with his partner.
Line by Line Meaning
The mind has so many pictures
Our minds are filled with so many memories and images.
Why can't I sleep with my eyes open?
I want to stay awake and hold onto every moment with you.
The mind has so many memories
Our minds hold onto so many memories, both good and bad.
Can you remember what it looks like when I cry?
I wonder if you remember the pain I felt before.
I'm trying, trying to tell you
I'm doing my best to express my feelings to you.
All that I can in a sweet and velvet tongue
I'm speaking to you as passionately and persuasively as I can.
But no words ever could sell you
My words alone can't convince you to stay with me.
Sell you on me after all that I have done
After everything that's happened between us, I'm trying to make you stay.
I'm only the one you love
I wonder if you truly love me or if I'm the only one.
Am I only the one you love?
Do you love anyone else or is it just me?
The lady gloom and her hornets circling round
Our situation feels like we're surrounded by negativity and hostility.
Is now before us, the screaming's done without moving
We're stuck in a very unpleasant place without any progress or movement forward.
One little move and for sure you will be stung
We're in a dangerous place and any small misstep can cause a great deal of pain.
I'm singing, "oh, Jerusalem oh, Jerusalem
I'm singing a nostalgic song and wondering how life used to be simpler.
See what he's picked up in the park"
I'm pointing out something trivial, but trying to make light of a dark situation.
Let's fuck this awful art party
Let's stop pretending and just be honest with ourselves.
Want you to make love to me and only to me in the dark
I just want to be alone with you and let our love shine without distractions.
We've traded in our snap shots
We're different people now than we used to be.
We're going through the motions
We're just going through the motions of our relationship without any real emotion.
Into the view, I'm leaving you
I'm trying to change our situation and leave you behind.
Down conduit avenue into the early morning
I'm heading out into the world alone, and it's a new day.
The one I love
You're the one I love, but I'm not sure if it's enough.
Are you only the one I love?
I'm questioning whether or not you truly love me, and if I'm enough for you.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Rufus Wainwright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@meredithrichardson6138
Lyrics
The mind has so many pictures
Why can't I sleep with my eyes open
The mind has so many memories
Can you remember what it looks like when I cry
I'm trying, trying to tell you
All that I can in a sweet and velvet tongue
But no words ever could sell you
Sell you on me after all that I have done
I'm only the one you love
Am I only the one you love?
The lady gloom and her hornets circling round
Is now before us, the screaming's done without moving
One little move and for sure you will be stung
I'm singing "oh, Jerusalem oh, Jerusalem
See what he's picked up in the park"
Let's fuck this awful art party
Want you to make love to me and only to me in the dark
I'm only the one you love
Am I only the one you love?
We've traded in our snap shots
We're going through the motions
Into the view, I'm leaving you
Down conduit avenue into the early morning
Into the early morning
The one I love
Are you only the one I love?
Written by Rufus Wainwright • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
@jk8226
I just discovered this man and I can’t stop listening his music this is soo good.
@Highland_Moo
Have a look at his cover of He Ain’t Heavy......I promise you you’ll love it 👍🏻
@jk8226
Thanks! I wouldn’t find it without your recommendation. Such a great message in that song.
@claumouz
Welcome to my world! I discovered him in 2018 and I'm hooked since then
@darrenauld1193
I came across him in about 2012 big fan now
@HamiltonJoshuaTaylor
Go or Go Ahead!
@EricDionneEricdawingnut
This is the song that really got me hooked on this artist - still one of my favourite songs of the 00s - the mood it creates toward the end, when they're "going through the motions" is amazing
@cjc.0089
Same actually Eric
@cjc.0089
@Eric drawingnut weird coincidence from your profile can I msg you??
@StaurosPapadakis
Πολλές φορές κλείνω τα μάτια μου και ξεχασμένα όνειρα έρχονται στο μυαλό μου...απορώ πως το μυαλό πετάει παλιά όνειρα που νόμιζα πως έχουν διαγραφεί