I Alone
| "I Alone" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Live | ||||
| from the album Throwing Copper | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | May 22, 1994 | |||
| Genre | Post-grunge[1] | |||
| Length | 3:48 | |||
| Label | Radioactive Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Live | |||
| Live singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"I Alone" is the second single from Live's album, Throwing Copper. The single was released to radio stations in Canada and the United States, but was only released commercially overseas. It reached No. 6 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.[2] The song was ranked 62nd best song of the 1990s by VH1.[3]
Live performed "I Alone" at the Woodstock '99 festival on July 23, 1999 in Rome, New York.[4] The song was featured in the TV shows Homicide: Life on the Street, Beavis and Butt-head,[5] Hindsight, My So-Called Life, and Silicon Valley.
Composition[edit]
"I Alone" is written in the key of G major (recorded a half step lower in G♭ major). Kowalczyk's vocal range spans from C#3-G4.[6]
Lead singer Ed Kowalczyk said of the song's lyrics, "People think 'I Alone' is a love song but it really wasn't. The lyrics were more abstract, encompassing a much larger message."[7] He explained the line, "The greatest of teachers won't hesitate to leave you there by yourself chained to fate," by saying that a profound lesson he derived from studying spiritual teachings was that religion and truth must be found for oneself and practiced, rather than just accepting the word of others.[8]
Charts[edit]
| Chart (1994–1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[9] | 97 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] | 22 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] | 20 |
| Scotland (OCC)[12] | 42 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 48 |
| UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[14] | 8 |
| US Radio Songs (Billboard)[15] | 38 |
| US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[16] | 6 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[17] | 6 |
Track listings[edit]
All songs written by Live:
- Australian releases
- "I Alone" - 3:55
- "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:11
- "Selling the Drama" (Acoustic) - 3:40
- UK releases and German CD
- "I Alone" - 3:56
- "I Alone" (Acoustic) - 3:48
- "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:13
References[edit]
- ^ Yates, Henry (January 25, 2021). "The story behind I Alone by Live". Classic Rock. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
- ^ "Thowing Copper > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" Allmusic
- ^ "Top 100 Songs of the '90s". VH1. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2007.
- ^ "Live - I Alone (Woodstock 1999)" YouTube
- ^ "Soundtracks for Beavis and Butt-Head: Oil Change (1995)" IMDb
- ^ Live "I Alone" Sheet Music musicnotes.com
- ^ "Men With A Message". Retrieved February 23, 2008. Yahoo! Music (link no longer working)
- ^ "Live -- interview page". Archived from the original on February 18, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2008. - Listenin.org (link no longer working)
- ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 22 Jan 1995". ARIA. Retrieved August 13, 2016 – via Imgur.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- ^ "Live – I Alone" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ "Live Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ "Live Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
- ^ "Live Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
