Thought You Were The One

Album: Coyote (2024)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Tommy Richman shows his vulnerable side on "Thought You Were the One." Released on August 30, 2024, this track takes a dip into the deep, murky waters of heartbreak and lost love. It's a noticeable departure from the buoyant, foot-tapping funk of "Million Dollar Baby" and "Devil Is A Lie."
  • The title phrase, "I thought you were the one," is rich with sentimental weight, carrying that familiar sting of believing someone to be your forever soulmate, only to be proved wrong.

    Richman starts his chorus with this bare expression of disappointment, but then in a clever twist, adds the words "that got away" and "that didn't stay." With these little flourishes, he flips the narrative on its head - suddenly, the one-time love of his life is the one who's to blame, the reason for his sorrow. Even though it was ostensibly his choice to call it quits, he somehow casts himself as the wronged party. Ah, the delightful complexities of the human heart!
  • Tommy Richman said of the song, "It's a great example of slowing things down a little bit... It's not always about the hype songs. I'm versatile."

    This suggests he may be exploring different emotional themes and styles rather than necessarily drawing from his personal romantic history.
  • The track comes together through a collaboration with Elliot, Limo, Jonah Roy and Mannyvelli, the latter two of whom helped him craft the glittering hit "Million Dollar Baby."
  • In the accompanying music video, directed by Lonewolf, we see Rommy Richman cruising through a sun-baked desert with a female companion, reminiscing about their time together. The scene shifts to a romantic night under the stars, but Tommy abruptly wakes up from the dream surrounded not by love but by wolves. A poetic metaphor for how love can turn feral in an instant.

    Lonewolf (real name Zac Matias) is known for his distinctive visual style, which often includes abstract-looking animations and subjects that are constantly in motion. He has also worked with Lil Uzi Vert (creating lyric videos for songs like "Baby Pluto" and " Bean (Kobe)") and The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt (directing the music video for "Loose Change").

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"They're Playing My Song

The first of Billy's five #1 hits was the song that propelled Madonna to stardom. You'd think that would get you a backstage pass, wouldn't you?

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

British Invasion

British InvasionFact or Fiction

Go beyond The Beatles to see what you know about the British Invasion.

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?