Songs about love are timeless, and this sentiment is certainly reflected in Rob Pattinson’s latest single, “I Am The Only One.”
The song is the lead single from Pattinson’s second album, titled Believe, which dropped last month. It’s the follow-up to his 2015 breakout hit “Wish You Would.”
The pop artist, son of James and Kate, penned the romantic anthem while on tour in Australia — and he wasn’t the only one. His bandmates, Benny Blanco and Joe Griffiths, also contributed lyrics to the track, which was produced by Benny Blanco, Andrew Walls, and Rob Hall. It’s the kind of song you listen to when you want to be alone with your significant other.
As catchy as it is, “I Am The Only One” isn’t exactly a jaw-dropping piece of art. But that’s exactly what makes it so special. It is, in fact, one of the most ridiculous songs of all time.
Why is that?
It Tells A Romantic Story In A Way That’s More Comedy Than Romance
Let’s start from the beginning. As the song opens, a man and a woman are sitting in a park, staring into each other’s eyes. Their faces are only a few feet away, but they don’t yet know how to express their feelings for each other. That will come later.
The scene is as romantic as it is unrealistic. Even if you were able to pull off a park walk in an elegant manner, you’d still need a dance floor waiting to happen.
This is the kind of scene that you might find in a cheesy romantic comedy. But you’re not actually watching one, because this is a scene from real life.
As the scene progresses, the lyrics pull back the curtain on this secret romantic relationship. The man reveals that he has a wife and children, and that he’s been “married before”. He apologizes for not being able to give the woman “the wedding she deserves” because he has to “put [his] family first”. The woman, in turn, confesses that she has a fiancé and that they are waiting for the “right time” to walk down the aisle.
Here we are, then, at the crux of the matter. The song’s protagonist, Rob Pattinson, is, in fact, already married. He may have got hitched in a secret ceremony in Italy back in June 2017, but it was in front of only some of his closest friends and family members. Everyone else stayed away, because, as he so eloquently puts it in the song, he’s “the only one” who knows what he’s doing. Of course, this isn’t true. Many people know about Rob’s previous relationships: with his Twilight co-star, Kristen Stewart, and her alleged abusive ex, Robert Pattinson. But only a select few know about the nature of their union. They tied the knot in secret because they knew that their relationship had the potential to be controversial.
The singer/songwriter is not ashamed to admit that he is keeping his marriage a secret, because he fears what his wife, Kate, might think about their relationship. Kate has had to put up with a lot since Rob’s publicist announced their engagement in February 2016. Back then, the 41-year-old was only given the choice of being either married to Rob or walking down the aisle for his third Twilight movie. She chose the former, and Rob has been staying true to his word ever since. They are planning to keep their union a well-guarded secret for as long as they can.
This is the kind of story that you can only find in a romantic comedy or a song. It’s not realistic, and it’s not meant to be. But it’s so much fun to sing about. And, in a way, it’s even more ridiculous when you think about the singer’s true marital status. It would be one thing if he were hiding the fact that he had previously been married; it would be quite another if he actually didn’t believe that he’s the only one who understood the meaning of love. If anything, the song’s protagonist is closer to Kanye West than to Tom Cruise in terms of his romantic lifestyle. (The musician has also been married three times, and he sings about his past relationships in his songs. It would be interesting to listen to a collabaration between West and Pattinson, if that ever happened.)
It Has A Ridiculous Hook
What else can we say about “I Am The Only One” that isn’t already apparent? The song has an absurd hook that is both irresistible and ridiculous. It doesn’t get much more ridiculous than “I Am The Only One”, which is probably why it became an Internet sensation almost immediately after its release.
The line “I am the only one / Who knows what love is” is so memorable that it’s been covered by hundreds of artists, from Ellie Goulding and Halsey to The Wiggles and Foster The People. In the face of such overwhelming demand, it’s no wonder that Rob Pattinson decided to put the song on repeat.
One of the most iconic images from “I Am The Only One” is that of a woman in a wedding dress, dancing alone in a bar. The look on her face is a picture-perfect distillation of joy and disbelief. It’s a joyful expression, because she’s finally found someone who understands her. But it’s also a look of sheer disbelief, because she can’t believe that this is finally happening. She had been waiting for a lifetime to feel this way.
The line has the ring of truth, because this is, in fact, what Rob’s fans have been saying for years. It’s only fair to assume that many of the song’s fans were initially disappointed to learn that the singer was already married when “Wish You Would” came out. Some of them probably thought that the song was about them, about the way that they felt about Rob. They’ve been waiting for him to settle down, to find someone who understands him, and the song’s lyrics are finally answering their prayers. (As if to confirm this theory, Rob took to Twitter to dispel any notions that the song was about a previous relationship, tweeting, “That’s actually not me singing about anyone specific. It’s more of a statement about finding the right person.”)
There are a variety of reasons why “I Am The Only One” struck such a nerve with the public. For one thing, it’s incredibly relatable. Anyone who has ever been in a romantic relationship can connect with the protagonist’s journey. The song also offers up a romantic vision of a world without endangering one’s relationship with one’s family. It depicts an independent, liberated woman who doesn’t need a family to validate her existence. What’s more, the song’s lyrics offer a blueprint on how to be with someone who shares your vision.
The music video for “I Am The Only One” is an extended metaphor for the song itself. It opens with a monologue by director Floria Sigismondi, who plays the role of a wise, older woman. (Actually, Floria is the older sister of Joe, one of Rob’s bandmates.) At the outset of the video, she hands a microphone to a man (Pattinson) who is sitting with his back to the camera. He looks confused, as if he don’t know what to say.
It’s a clever way of introducing the protagonist, and it sets the scene for the rest of the music video. From the beginning, we know that this man is hiding something. Every shot is a puzzle piece that makes the viewer more curious about his life. We soon learn that he’s been told by everyone around him not to open up, to keep quiet, and to never show anyone his true feelings. He’s followed this advice to the letter, and, as a result, he’s become a hermit, living in a cave, disconnected from the world.
Floria’s monologue intersperses with images of the man from the very beginning of the video. It’s a journey that’s been a long time coming.
It’s One Of The Most Romantic Songs Never Recorded
“I Am The Only One” is one of the most romantic songs that has ever been recorded. It contains all of the elements that one could want in a romantic song. The lyrics are stirring, the music is toe-tapping, and the performance is heartfelt. It would be an understatement to say that the song is “full of heart”; it is, in fact, practically overflowing with it.