She's the One (World Party song)

Not to be confused with The One (Elton John song).

"She's the One" is a song by the British rock band World Party. It was written and produced by Karl Wallinger for World Party's fourth studio album, Egyptology (1997). It won an Ivor Novello Award in 1997.^[2]

"She's the One"
UK promotional CD single
Promotional single by World Party
from the album Egyptology
Released	16 June 1997 (1997-06-16)[1]
Length	4:56
Label	Chrysalis (UK) The Enclave (US)
Songwriter(s)	Karl Wallinger
Producer(s)	Karl Wallinger
World Party singles chronology
"Beautiful Dream" (1997) "She's the One" (1997) "Call Me Up (promotional only)" (1997)

Robbie Williams recorded a cover of the song for his second album, I've Been Expecting You (1998). It was released as a single in 1999, and reached number one on the UK singles chart.

World Party version

"She's the One" was written by Karl Wallinger for World Party's fourth studio album, Egyptology (1997).^[3] The World Party keyboardist Guy Chambers felt it was unfinished, likening it to a demo, and said it was "thrown together in one night".^[4] The song won an Ivor Novello Award in 1997.^[2]

Robbie Williams version

"She's the One"
Single by Robbie Williams
from the album I've Been Expecting You
A-side	"It's Only Us"
B-side	"Coke & Tears"
Released	8 November 1999 (1999-11-08)[5]
Length	4:18
Label	Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)	Karl Wallinger
Producer(s)	Guy Chambers Steve Power
Robbie Williams singles chronology
"Strong" (1999) "She's the One" / "It's Only Us" (1999) "Win Some Lose Some" (1999)
Music video
"She's the One" on YouTube

Without Wallinger's knowledge, the English singer Robbie Williams recorded a version with Chambers and Wallinger's touring band.^[4] It was released as a single on 8 November 1999, his second ballad after the success of the 1997 single "Angels". After "Millennium", it became Williams's second number one on the UK singles chart on 14 November.^[6] It became one of Williams's signature songs.^[6] It won awards including a 2000 Brit Awards for British Single of the Year and British Video of the Year in 2000, and it also won a Capital Radio Award for Best Single.^{[citation needed]}

Wallinger was irritated that Williams and his band had recorded a version without his knowledge, and that Williams had changed the lyrics. However, he said it had made him a large amount in royalties, which were helpful after he suffered an aneurysm in 2001.^[3]

In 2022, the Guardian critic Alexis Petridis named "She's the One" the 11th-greatest Williams song, writing: “It's a great song, but Williams's less fragile, less Beatles-y take turned it into the kind of single that goes platinum."^[7]

Music video

In the video, Williams is a coach to an ice skating couple—portrayed by Pamela O'Connor and Jonathon O'Dougherty—but when the male skater gets injured during practice, Williams takes his place for the final and gets the highest scores. The video ends with Williams and the female skater celebrating with the male skater, who had been watching from the sidelines. Philip Woods, a 10-year-old figure skater from Chelmsford, played the young Williams in a flashback.^{[citation needed]} The UK version of the video features commentary by Barry Davies.^[8]

Track listings

UK CD1^[9]

1. "It's Only Us" – 2:50
2. "She's the One" – 4:18
3. "Coke & Tears" – 4:24
4. "It's Only Us" (video)

UK CD2^[10]

1. "She's the One" – 4:18
2. "It's Only Us" – 2:50
3. "Millennium" (live at Slane Castle) – 4:40
4. "She's the One" (video)

UK cassette single^[11]

1. "She's the One" – 4:18
2. "It's Only Us" – 2:50
3. "Millennium" (live at Slane Castle) – 4:40

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the I've Been Expecting You album booklet.^[12]

Studio

• Mastered at Metropolis Mastering

Personnel

• Karl Wallinger – writing
• Robbie Williams – vocals
• Gary Nuttall – background vocals
• Steve McEwan – background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• David Catlin-Birch – bass guitar
• Guy Chambers – piano, production, arrangement
• Chris Sharrock – drums
• London Session Orchestra – orchestra
• Gavyn Wright – orchestra leader
• Nick Ingman – orchestral arrangement
• Steve Power – production, recording, mixing, programming
• Steve McNichol – programming
• Steve Price – orchestral engineering
• Tony Cousins – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1999–2000) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 16 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 40 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 21 Czech Republic (IFPI)[16] 14 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[17] 9 Europe (European Hit Radio)[18] 3 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[19] 13 France (SNEP)[20] 74 Germany (GfK)[21] 27 Greece (IFPI)[22] 1 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[23] 8 Ireland (IRMA)[24] 4 Italy (FIMI)[25] 8 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[26] 29 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[27] 33 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[28] with "It's Only Us" 3 Paraguay (El Siglo de Torreón)[29] 7 Scotland (OCC)[30] with "It's Only Us" 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[31] 42 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] 20 UK Singles (OCC)[33] with "It's Only Us" 1

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Europe (European Hit Radio)[34] 85 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[35] 191 UK Singles (OCC)[36] 48 UK Airplay (Music Week)[37] 17

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[38]	Gold	50,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[39]	Platinum	781,000[40]
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.