One Week

"One Week" is the first single off of Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies's fourth studio album Stunt. The song was released on September 15, 1998.

"One Week"
Song by Barenaked Ladies
from the album Stunt
ReleasedSeptember 15, 1998
Recorded2003
GenreAlternative rock, pop, rap rock, pop rock
Length2:48
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)Ed Robertson
Producer(s)Barenaked Ladies, David Leonard, Susan Rogers

The song was able to make it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Alternative Airplay, #1 on the Mainstream Top 40, #2 on the Adult Alternative Songs, and #2 on the Adult Top 40. Ironically, it stayed at #1 on the Hot 100 chart for one week.[1][2][3][4][5] It was also certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[6]

The song is filled with pop culture references. In the song, it mentions the superhero Aquaman, the restaurant Swiss Chalet, the anime Sailor Moon, the television show The X-Files, the movies Frantic, Vertigo, and Seven Samurai, actor Harrison Ford, director Akira Kurosawa, musicians Busta Rhymes, LeAnn Rimes, Bert Kaempfert, and Sting, the song "Scenario" by A Tribe Called Quest, and the chocolate bar Snickers.[7][8]

Some people were wondering what the lyric "I’m the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral / Can’t understand what I mean? Well, you soon will" meant. Vocalist Ed Robertson said that when he was at the funeral of his older brother who died in a motorcycle accident, the pastor was quoting "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Drummer Tyler Stewart whispered "SKYNARD!" to him and held up the devil horns which caused Robertson to laugh.[9]

References
  1. "Barenaked Ladies - Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  2. "Barenaked Ladies - Alternative Airplay Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  3. "Barenaked Ladies - Mainstream Top 40 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  4. "Barenaked Ladies - Adult Alternative Songs Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  5. "Barenaked Ladies - Adult Top 40 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  6. "Barenaked Ladies - One Week". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  7. "Barenaked Ladies: how we made One Week". The Guardian. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  8. "It's Been 20 Years Since "One Week": Ed Robertson Looks Back At Barenaked Ladies' Mad Hit". Stereogum. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  9. "Barenaked Ladies offer surprising insight into curious lyric from 'One Week'". NME. Retrieved August 25, 2023.

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