You Only Live Once (song)
Encyclopedia
"You Only Live Once" is the opening track and third single from First Impressions of Earth
, the third album from American rock band The Strokes
. They have performed this song on several programs, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O' Brien.
A cover of Marvin Gaye
's "Mercy Mercy Me" was recorded as a B-side and features Eddie Vedder
of Pearl Jam
sharing vocals with Julian Casablancas
, while Josh Homme (of Queens of the Stone Age
, Them Crooked Vultures
and Eagles of Death Metal
) plays drums alongside Fabrizio Moretti
.
When the song was released as a single, The Strokes launched Operation YOLO (You Only Live Once), prompting all of their fans to call and request the single on radio stations. Their goal was to try to get out the word of the new single as fast as possible, by spreading the song by word of mouth. The Strokes Myspace page asked all users to put the song in their profile in an attempt to spread the single among the online community.
The song's main bassline is similar to that of "I Want to Break Free
" by Queen
.
of the song, titled "I'll Try Anything Once" is included as one of the B-sides on the "Heart in a Cage
" single. It features only Nick Valensi playing keyboard while Julian Casablancas
sings the lyrics softly, which are quite different from the album version of the song. Some of these lyrics were also present when The Strokes played the song for the BBC's Radio 1 Session, which aired on 8 March 2006.
The soundtrack
to Sofia Coppola
's 2010 film Somewhere
included "I'll Try Anything Once". The song also featured prominently in the film's trailer
.
This version of the song also featured at the end of the 4th episode in series 4 of ITV
's "Secret Diary Of A Call Girl
".
It was listed at #16 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2006.
for the single was directed by Samuel Bayer
, who had previously helmed the "Heart in a Cage
" video, and features the band performing in an enclosed room as tobacco tar fills the room, implying that the room is their lungs. Julian Casablancas commented on the video saying, "People tell us all the time we're gonna die from smoking, but you only live once."
The video can be seen as a reference to The Rolling Stones
' video of It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It), in which the band can be seen playing in a tent which eventually fills with bubbles. The video was set to premiere in the UK on 24 May 2006, but was delayed, due to last-minute edits, until 21 June 2006. Yahoo!
premiered the video in the U.S. on June 27.
An alternate music video for the song, which was directed by Warren Fu, was premiered on the social media site imeem
on May 29, 2007. It contains the very end of "Ize of the World" and it works as an homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey
and as a video protest against war, hunger and consumerism.
First Impressions of Earth
First Impressions of Earth is the third album by the American indie rock band The Strokes. It was released in January 2006 , having been preceded by lead single "Juicebox" some weeks earlier...
, the third album from American rock band The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
. They have performed this song on several programs, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O' Brien.
A cover of Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
's "Mercy Mercy Me" was recorded as a B-side and features Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
of Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
sharing vocals with Julian Casablancas
Julian Casablancas
Julian Fernando Casablancas is an American singer-songwriter and musician of The Strokes. Casablancas pursued a solo career during The Strokes' hiatus, releasing the album Phrazes for the Young on November 3, 2009....
, while Josh Homme (of Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
, Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures is a rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 2009 by John Paul Jones , Dave Grohl , and Josh Homme . The group also includes guitarist Alain Johannes during live performances...
and Eagles of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1998 by Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme. Despite their band name, Eagles of Death Metal are not a death metal band. Hughes stated that a friend was introducing Josh Homme to the death metal genre...
) plays drums alongside Fabrizio Moretti
Fabrizio Moretti
Fabrizio Moretti is the drummer of the American indie rock band, The Strokes. Fabrizio’s side project with Rodrigo Amarante of Los Hermanos and Binki Shapiro, entitled Little Joy debuted on Rough Trade Records...
.
When the song was released as a single, The Strokes launched Operation YOLO (You Only Live Once), prompting all of their fans to call and request the single on radio stations. Their goal was to try to get out the word of the new single as fast as possible, by spreading the song by word of mouth. The Strokes Myspace page asked all users to put the song in their profile in an attempt to spread the single among the online community.
The song's main bassline is similar to that of "I Want to Break Free
I Want to Break Free
"I Want to Break Free" is a song by the British rock band Queen, which was written by its bassist John Deacon. The song was featured on the Queen's 1984 album The Works and distributed as a single on 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl records and 3-inch and 5-inch CDs. The song had three versions: album,...
" by Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
.
Demo Version "I'll Try Anything Once"
An early demo versionDemo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of the song, titled "I'll Try Anything Once" is included as one of the B-sides on the "Heart in a Cage
Heart in a Cage
"Heart in a Cage" is the second single from The Strokes' third album, First Impressions of Earth released in the UK on 20 March 2006, and worldwide 18 April 2006....
" single. It features only Nick Valensi playing keyboard while Julian Casablancas
Julian Casablancas
Julian Fernando Casablancas is an American singer-songwriter and musician of The Strokes. Casablancas pursued a solo career during The Strokes' hiatus, releasing the album Phrazes for the Young on November 3, 2009....
sings the lyrics softly, which are quite different from the album version of the song. Some of these lyrics were also present when The Strokes played the song for the BBC's Radio 1 Session, which aired on 8 March 2006.
The soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to Sofia Coppola
Sofia Coppola
Sofia Carmina Coppola is an American screenwriter, film director, actress, and producer.In 2003 she received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Lost in Translation, and became the third woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Directing...
's 2010 film Somewhere
Somewhere (film)
Somewhere is a 2010 American drama film that was written and directed by Sofia Coppola. The film follows Johnny Marco, a newly famous actor, as he recuperates from a minor injury at the Chateau Marmont, a well-known Hollywood retreat. Despite money, fame and professional success, Marco is trapped...
included "I'll Try Anything Once". The song also featured prominently in the film's trailer
Trailer (film)
A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
.
This version of the song also featured at the end of the 4th episode in series 4 of ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's "Secret Diary Of A Call Girl
Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Secret Diary of a Call Girl is a British television drama broadcast on ITV2 from 2007-2011 based on the blog and books by the pseudonymous "Belle de Jour," starring Billie Piper as Belle, a high-class London call girl. The series was written by Lucy Prebble, who is also known as the author of The...
".
Reception
Released on July 24, 2006, the single hit #35 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.It was listed at #16 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2006.
Music video
The initial music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the single was directed by Samuel Bayer
Samuel Bayer
Samuel David Bayer is an American commercial, music video and film director, and cinematographer.-Early life:Bayer was born in Syracuse, New York...
, who had previously helmed the "Heart in a Cage
Heart in a Cage
"Heart in a Cage" is the second single from The Strokes' third album, First Impressions of Earth released in the UK on 20 March 2006, and worldwide 18 April 2006....
" video, and features the band performing in an enclosed room as tobacco tar fills the room, implying that the room is their lungs. Julian Casablancas commented on the video saying, "People tell us all the time we're gonna die from smoking, but you only live once."
The video can be seen as a reference to The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' video of It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It), in which the band can be seen playing in a tent which eventually fills with bubbles. The video was set to premiere in the UK on 24 May 2006, but was delayed, due to last-minute edits, until 21 June 2006. Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
premiered the video in the U.S. on June 27.
An alternate music video for the song, which was directed by Warren Fu, was premiered on the social media site imeem
Imeem
The online service imeem was a social media web site where users interacted with each other by streaming, uploading and sharing music and music videos...
on May 29, 2007. It contains the very end of "Ize of the World" and it works as an homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey (film)
2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, partially inspired by Clarke's short story The Sentinel...
and as a video protest against war, hunger and consumerism.