Many years before their recent Detour de Force, Barenaked Ladies were breaking through stateside on the strength of "One Week," a single that would become further entrenched in pop culture through its appearance in film, television commercials and the parody catalogue of "Weird Al" Yankovic. Now, BNL's Ed Robertson has reflected on its unexpected success in a new interview.
Speaking with the Guardian for the outlet's "How We Made" series, Robertson admitted that "One Week" was not initially conceived as the lead single for their 1998 album Stunt.
"It's such a silly song. We were getting quite serious about songwriting, and so we assumed it would be a fun B-side or bonus track," Robertson shared. "When the label told us it was going to be the lead single, I said: 'You can't do that. We're a serious band.' But it went to No 1 very quickly, so I was happy to be wrong."
Sue Drew, former vice-president of A&R at Reprise Records, remembered visiting BNL in-studio as Stunt was coming together. "The band's new songs were catchy and entertaining – I was pleased, we had a good album in the works," she shared. "Then they said: 'There is one other, but we're just not sure…'"
Drew continued: "They played me 'One Week' and I said: 'My God. This is the single. I can't believe you were doubting the validity.' It was so charming, fresh and different from anything that was being played on the radio."
However, selling the record label on its first single standing was "nearly impossible," according to Drew. "Every few days, I would go into the head of pop promotions' office and say: 'Let's work this thing.' He would look bemused and say: 'This sounds like nothing on the radio. I can never get this played.' It was expensive to promote a record and send it out to radio. But I was like a bulldozer, pushing and pushing, thinking: 'What have we got to lose?'
Robertson also reflects on first freestyling his rap verses to a camcorder before recording, loosely interpolating Busta Rhymes, and how producers Susan Rogers and David Leonard helped make "One Week" nothing short of a "banger." You can read the full Guardian interview here.
"I don't understand when artists have a complicated relationship with their hit single. Maybe it was some big compromise or it's overshadowed their career, but I love 'One Week,'" Robertson concludes. "I love that it's so silly and represents us when we play it live. It's become even more popular lately as a meme. We get all these requests to approve it to use on Family Guy or Jimmy Fallon or James Corden. I don't care if they're celebrating the song, making fun of it or making some joke about the band. I always say yes in an instant."
Read Exclaim!'s review of Detour de Force.
Another Barenaked Ladies hit recently landed among Exclaim!'s 27 best songs about Toronto.
Speaking with the Guardian for the outlet's "How We Made" series, Robertson admitted that "One Week" was not initially conceived as the lead single for their 1998 album Stunt.
"It's such a silly song. We were getting quite serious about songwriting, and so we assumed it would be a fun B-side or bonus track," Robertson shared. "When the label told us it was going to be the lead single, I said: 'You can't do that. We're a serious band.' But it went to No 1 very quickly, so I was happy to be wrong."
Sue Drew, former vice-president of A&R at Reprise Records, remembered visiting BNL in-studio as Stunt was coming together. "The band's new songs were catchy and entertaining – I was pleased, we had a good album in the works," she shared. "Then they said: 'There is one other, but we're just not sure…'"
Drew continued: "They played me 'One Week' and I said: 'My God. This is the single. I can't believe you were doubting the validity.' It was so charming, fresh and different from anything that was being played on the radio."
However, selling the record label on its first single standing was "nearly impossible," according to Drew. "Every few days, I would go into the head of pop promotions' office and say: 'Let's work this thing.' He would look bemused and say: 'This sounds like nothing on the radio. I can never get this played.' It was expensive to promote a record and send it out to radio. But I was like a bulldozer, pushing and pushing, thinking: 'What have we got to lose?'
Robertson also reflects on first freestyling his rap verses to a camcorder before recording, loosely interpolating Busta Rhymes, and how producers Susan Rogers and David Leonard helped make "One Week" nothing short of a "banger." You can read the full Guardian interview here.
"I don't understand when artists have a complicated relationship with their hit single. Maybe it was some big compromise or it's overshadowed their career, but I love 'One Week,'" Robertson concludes. "I love that it's so silly and represents us when we play it live. It's become even more popular lately as a meme. We get all these requests to approve it to use on Family Guy or Jimmy Fallon or James Corden. I don't care if they're celebrating the song, making fun of it or making some joke about the band. I always say yes in an instant."
Read Exclaim!'s review of Detour de Force.
Another Barenaked Ladies hit recently landed among Exclaim!'s 27 best songs about Toronto.
