Five one-take recordings that became chart-topping hits
Some artists pore over their songs for months on end, recording take after take in hopes of perfecting their material. They change lyrics, play with instrumentation, and even swap out collaborators to take their vision from initial idea to execution. Even the most established bands sometimes struggle to finish a composition – The Beach Boys used up 90 hours of tape on ‘Good Vibrations’, and The Rolling Stones ran through 150 takes of ‘Tumbling Dice’.
But every now and then, a hit song simply flows out of an artist. Sometimes, they don’t need 150 takes or hours and hours of tape to create the perfect recording; all they need is one shot. Perhaps the environment was just right, or the song had already been honed and nurtured before they stepped foot in the studio, but sometimes only one take is required.
A number of artists throughout history have nailed their performances in the studio from the get-go, from Radiohead with In Rainbows album track ‘Bodysnatchers’ to REM with the iconic ‘Losing My Religion’. From cult rock classics to pop bangers, one-take tracks have often produced some artists’ best work. In fact, some have even resulted in number one hits.
Several artists have achieved the impressive feat of topping the charts with their one-take compositions. From disco icon Donna Summer to contemporary duo Gnarls Barkley, we’ve curated some number one hits that required only one take in the studio. Find the full list below.
Five number ones recorded in one take:
‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley achieved several impressive feats in 2006 with the release of their single ‘Crazy’. Cee Lo Green required just one take to perfect the smooth vocals and faux laughs that make up the genre-blending track, and then the duo released it as their debut single. Even though they had no other music to their name, the single quickly found widespread success.
It shot to the top of the charts in the United Kingdom and stayed there for over two months. It’s easy to see why. Even now, almost two decades after ‘Crazy’ first appeared in the charts and introduced the world to Gnarls Barkley, the song still sounds just as fresh as ever. Between Cee Lo Green’s one-take vocals and strings that swirl over a subdued beat, ‘Crazy’ is a modern classic.
‘I Feel Love’ by Donna Summer
‘I Feel Love’ is one of the most iconic and entrancing hits to come out of the disco genre, and it was created in just one take by Donna Summer. Over a synth soundscape provided by the master of the genre himself, Giorgio Moroder, Summer allowed her vocals to wander high and low with all the lightness of new love. “Ooh, it’s so good,” she repeated, “I feel love”.
When she unveiled the song in 1977, audiences felt love too. The song swept the charts, hitting number one in the United Kingdom. It’s another song that still contains a timeless quality, just as guaranteed to get listeners up on their feet now as it was four decades ago. Yet, somehow, it took just one take to record.
‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song)’ by Rupert Holmes
Rupert Holmes’ playful 1979 track ‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song)’ received revived interest when it appeared on the soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy back in 2014, but would you believe that it was recorded in just one take? With its lazy lyrics and soft sway, perhaps you just might.
After finalising the lyrics, penning tales of yoga, getting caught in the rain, and making love at midnight, Holmes took to the studio to record his vocal part. It was just an initial recording, with adlibs and a shrugged attitude. However, when Holmes came to rerecord the vocal, he found that he couldn’t beat that first take. As a result, he used it in the final version, which earned him a number one in the United States.
‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem
To most of us, perfecting even a verse of ‘Lose Yourself’ in one go sounds like a near-impossible feat. For Eminem, it was light work. After creating the song for Curtis Hanson’s 2002 drama 8 Mile, which he also starred in, Eminem took to the studio to record the track. Impressively, it took him just one take to nail the track.
The success of ‘Lose Yourself’ extended far beyond its chart-topping status. It took home a Grammy award and even an Academy Award — it was halfway to an EGOT. Even now, with over two decades of practice under our belt, most of us would struggle to match Eminem and rap it in one go, even without the added pressures of a studio setting.
‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Celine Dion
‘My Heart Will Go On’ is one of the most impressive vocal displays of the 1990s, as well as one of the most iconic songs to ever feature in a film soundtrack. Between her expansive tones and the song’s attachment to Titanic, it became an all-time hit for Celine Dion, one that still encourages listeners to sing along even now.
Given the vocally ambitious nature of the song, it seems difficult to believe that a singer could nail it in one take. But Dion wasn’t just any singer. Her demo was pitch-perfect from the get-go, and it was the version that would eventually climb the charts, settling at the number one spot. It was also the version that would soundtrack the story of Jack and Rose.
