The One That You Love

Album: The One That You Love (1981)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Australian group Air Supply, founded by British-born Graham Russell and Australian Russell Hitchcock in 1976, lit up the US pop charts with their combination of pleasant melodies and romantic lyrics set to light orchestration. This was their biggest hit, and it was typical Air Supply, expanding upon their constant theme of the starry-eyed troubadour reflecting on matters of love. The universal nature of this romanticism (and perhaps the fact that the singer's declarations of devotion were not always reciprocated by the person he was singing about) no doubt contributed to the band's wide appeal. The group ensconced themselves at the top of the charts, scoring 8 top-5 hits in just under 3 years. The titles alone of their singles evoke the sentimentalism that was the group's hallmark: "Lost In Love," "All Out Of Love," "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Rob - Rothesay, NB, Canada
  • Graham Russell writes Air Supply's songs. When we asked him if he was a true romantic, he replied: "I'd like to think I'm somewhat of a romantic, because otherwise my music wouldn't be real. But my whole background, even when I was growing up, was very much that way as well. For instance, I come from a place in England where all those great poets came from - Wordsworth and Keats and all those guys - so I was surrounded by it, and I loved poetry as a child. And I love the English language; that's what I took in school. And I became very good at it, because I just had a passion for it. When I was reading all the great poets, I just loved the way they wrote, I loved the way they made things rhyme. So I just drifted into it by mistake, really. And when it came time for me to leave school and choose a profession, the only thing I wanted was to be a composer or be in a band. I had no alternative but that." (Check out our interview with Graham Russell.)

Comments: 1

  • Jct from UsaIt suddenly hit me this song was written with Romeo and Juliet in mind. Romeo is asking for another day because he has to leave Verona, he reminds Juliet that he is the one she loves even though he killed her kinsman, and they have the right to be together because Friar Lawrence married them. He knows his time is limited the night went fast! The morning has come (he hears the lark). He promises to love her slowly satisfying her because in the passion and all the drama he went rather fast. Their love is everywhere filling their senses. He wants her to tell him to stay, those are the words he wishes to hear but he knows he has to go. I see Romeo and Juliet in this song. Does anyone else see this?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. Televangelists

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Maria Muldaur

Maria MuldaurSongwriter Interviews

The "Midnight At The Oasis" singer is an Old Time gal. She talks about her jug band beginnings and shares a Dylan story.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.