View source for I'm One

{{short description|Song by The Who}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox song
| name     = I'm One
| cover    =
| alt      =
| artist   = [[The Who]]
| album    = [[Quadrophenia]]
| released = 1973
| recorded =
| studio   =
| genre    = 
*[[Folk rock]]
*[[hard rock]]<ref name="allmusic.com">{{cite web |last1=Maginnis |first1=Tom |title=I'm One by The Who - Track Info {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/im-one-mt0003523765 |website=allmusic |access-date=23 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
| length   = 2:37
| label    = [[MCA Records|MCA]]
| writer   = [[Pete Townshend]]
| producer =
}}

"'''I'm One'''" is a song by [[The Who]]. It was released on the group's [[1973 in music|1973]] rock opera album ''[[Quadrophenia]]''. Written and sung by [[Pete Townshend]], the song has since become a fan favorite.<ref name=bynumbers>{{cite book|last1=Grantley|first1=Steve|last2=Parker|first2=Alan|title=The Who by Numbers: The Story of the Who Through Their Music|publisher=Helter Skelter|pages=105–114}}</ref>

==Background==
"I'm One" is one of the main moments of introspection spread throughout the narrative and also an indication that Jimmy, the main character of the album's story, may not be as [[Mod (subculture)|Mod]] as he would wish to appear, given the way he asks a fellow Mod where he got his clothes (Mods would lose face asking another Mod where he obtained his clothes from). Pete Townshend said of the song's lyrical inspiration:

{{quote|When I was a nipper I felt that the guitar was all I had. I wasn't tough enough to be in a gang, I wasn't good-looking enough to be in with the birds, not clever enough to make it at school, not good enough on my feet to be good football player. I was a fucking loser. I think everyone feels that way at some point. And somehow being a Mod - even though I was too old to be a Mod really - I wrote this song with that in mind. Jimmy, the hero of the story, is thinking he hasn't got much going for him but at least he's one.<ref name=hypertext>{{cite web|last1=Cady |first1=Brian |title='Quadrophenia' liner notes |url=http://www.thewho.net/linernotes/Quad.htm |website=The Hypertext Who |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702221937/http://www.thewho.net/linernotes/Quad.htm |archivedate=2010-07-02 }}</ref>|}}

The song features an acoustic opening followed by the rest of the band (excluding singer Roger Daltrey) joining in.

"I'm One" was one of the ten original ''Quadrophenia'' tracks to appear in remixed form on the [[Quadrophenia (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] to the Who's 1979 film [[Quadrophenia (film)|''Quadrophenia'']], which was based on the original rock opera. This version of the song also saw single release as the B-side to the [[5.15#Soundtrack version|1979 remixed single release of "5.15."]]

The song is featured on the soundtrack for ''[[Freaks and Geeks]]'' in the episode "Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers", which featured many of the Who's songs.

==Live performances==
This song was performed first on the band's original [[The Who Tour 1973|1973]]-[[The Who Tour 1974|1974]] ''Quadrophenia'' Tour, but it was never performed with Moon again afterwards. It made sporadic appearances in the [[The Who Tour 1981|1981]] (only once), [[The Who Tour 1982|1982]] (only the first verse; as an intro to "The Punk and the Godfather") and [[The Who Tour 1989|1989]] tours as well. It was then brought back for every concert on the [[The Who Tour 1996-1997|1996-1997 ''Quadrophenia'' Tour]]. Performances after that, from [[The Who Tour 2000|2000]] onward, were often performed by Pete Townshend alone on stage (although some feature the full band).

==Appearances==
The following ''Who'' albums and DVDs feature "I'm One":

*''[[Quadrophenia]]''
*''[[Quadrophenia (soundtrack)|Quadrophenia]]'' (soundtrack)
*''[[Live at the Royal Albert Hall (The Who album)|Live at the Royal Albert Hall]]'' (with [[Eddie Vedder]])
*''[[The Who & Special Guests: Live at the Royal Albert Hall]]'' (with Eddie Vedder)
*''[[Tommy and Quadrophenia Live]]''
*''[[Encore Series 2002]]'' (certain concerts)
*''[[Encore Series 2004]]'' (one concert)
*''[[Encore Series 2006 and 2007]]'' (certain concerts)
*''[[Quadrophenia Live in London]]''

==Personnel==
* [[Pete Townshend]] &ndash; lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
* [[John Entwistle]] &ndash; bass
* [[Keith Moon]] &ndash; drums

==In popular culture==
The song is featured in the [[Freaks and Geeks]] episode "Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers", in a montage where Bill Haverchuck eats and watches TV after school.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/freaks-and-geeks-captures-its-humanist-heart-in-only-90-1798246291 |title= Freaks And Geeks captures its humanist heart in only 90 seconds |last=Murthi |first=Vikram |date=April 13, 2016 |website=AV Club |access-date=August 30, 2021 |quote= But as The Who’s “I’m One” picks up and Bill’s laughter becomes more dynamic (achieved by Apatow and a writer shouting dirty jokes at Starr until he cracked up), Apatow shoots Bill from more intimate, direct angles, highlighting the food in his mouth and his big smile, creating the illusion that Shandling is performing just for him, which both is and isn’t true. }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Quadrophenia}}
{{The Who singles}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:I'm One}}
[[Category:1973 songs]]
[[Category:The Who songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Pete Townshend]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Glyn Johns]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Pete Townshend]]