{{Short description|1976 single by Orleans}} {{Distinguish|You're Still the One}} {{Infobox song | name = Still the One | image = Still the one by orleans US single blue PRC label side-A.png | alt = blue side-A label by Asylum Records | caption = One of side-A labels of the US single | type = single | artist = Orleans | album = Waking and Dreaming | B-side = Siam Sam | released = August 1976 | recorded = 1975 | studio = Sound Factory (Hollywood) | venue = | genre = * Soft rock<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stereogum.com/5507/40_most_softsational_softrock_songs/franchises/list/|title=VH1's 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs|date=May 31, 2007|website=Stereogum|publisher=SpinMedia|access-date=July 31, 2016}}</ref><ref name= "Cifarelli 2026">{{cite web|last= Cifarelli|first=David|title=Hit ‘70s band to stop performing after 54 years: ‘It’s time to turn the page’|website= MassLive|date= March 19, 2026|url= https://www.masslive.com/entertainment/2026/03/hit-70s-band-to-stop-performing-after-54-years-its-time-to-turn-the-page.html?outputType=amp|accessdate=March 23, 2026|quote=...[Orleans is] best known for its mix of pop-rock and soft rock on hits such as “Still the One,” “Dance with Me” and “Love Takes Time}}</ref> * pop rock<ref name= "Cifarelli 2026"/> | length = {{Duration|m=3|s=54}} | label = Asylum | writer = Johanna Hall, John Hall | producer = Chuck Plotkin | prev_title = Dance with Me | prev_year = 1975 | next_title = Reach | next_year = 1977 | misc = {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|SdfW_2frXnE|"Still the One"}}}} }}
"'''Still the One'''" is a song written by Johanna Hall and John Hall, and recorded by the soft rock group Orleans on their album ''Waking and Dreaming'', released in 1976; it reached No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
Country singer Bill Anderson recorded and released a successful cover version, peaking at No. 11 on ''Billboard'''s Hot Country Singles chart in 1977.
==Background== Orleans bass player Lance Hoppen recalls that Johanna Hall wrote the lyrics for "Still the One" after a friend "asked her why somebody couldn't write a song about staying together, as opposed to breaking up"; Johanna Hall wrote the lyrics on an envelope which she then handed to John Hall who Hoppen says "created the music in about fifteen minutes".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Orleans-and-Friends-at-Ridgefield-Playhouse-folk-2172766.php#ixzz2VCZoQ4gf |title=Orleans and Friends at Ridgefield Playhouse, folk icon Jonathan Edwards in Newtown |publisher=NewsTimes |date=2011-09-15 |access-date=2016-10-11}}</ref> Johanna Hall's recollection is that the realization that there was a dearth of songs about long-term relationships came to her while she was doing laundry, and that she handed John Hall a napkin on which she'd written the song's lyric.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rudetsky |first=Seth |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/onstage-amp-backstage-how-disaster-plans-to-beat-the-fundraising-competition-in-honor-of-bc-efa |title=Onstage & Backstage: How Disaster! Plans to Beat the Fundraising Competition in Honor of BC/EFA |publisher=Playbill |date=2016-04-04 |access-date=2016-10-11}}</ref> John Hall would recall that "Still the One" was not an automatic choice for lead single from ''Waking and Dreaming'' saying rather that "we had several songs that were candidates. We were too close to it to see. Fortunately, our producer, Chuck Plotkin, had a strong feeling about the song."<ref name="John Hall interview">{{cite web|url=http://www.orleansforever.com/johnhallrocknetinterview |title=John Hall Aug 1996, Rocknet Interview |website=Orleansforever.com |date= |access-date=2016-10-11}}</ref>
''Record World'' said that it was a "suitable follow-up to 'Dance with Me'" and that "chiming guitars and confident harmony work are the ingredients to make it happen."<ref name=rw>{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=July 17, 1976|page=1|access-date=2023-03-04|title=Hits of the Week|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/76/Record-World-1976-07-17.pdf}}</ref>
The B-side was a non-album track called "Siam Sam" that was sung by Wells Kelly and composed by both Kelly and songwriter/instrumentalist Chris Myers.
==Personnel== * John Hall – electric guitar, backing vocals * Larry Hoppen – electric piano, lead vocals, electric guitar * Lance Hoppen – bass * Jerry Marotta – drums * Wells Kelly – backing vocals, tambourine
==In popular culture== In 1977, "Still The One" was used as a jingle by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) to promote the 1977-78 television season,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IQmlPvCJ58|title=ABC-TV "Still the One" Promos: 1977 and 1979|access-date=15 September 2023|via=YouTube}}</ref> and again in the 1979-80 television season,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbrO3HIac6Q|title=ABC 1979 | We're Still the One|access-date=15 September 2023|via=YouTube}}</ref> when the network was the highest rated in the country. A lot of ABC News affiliates used it to promote strong ratings. The lyrics were sometimes adapted for local station promotional advertisements, sometimes awkwardly; e.g. "We're still having fun, Dayton Twenty-Two's the one." ABC made two more versions of the song in 1995 and 2002. The song was used in commercials for Burger King in 1996 and 1997.
The song was also used in adverts and promotions for the Nine Network of Australia from the late 1970s to the mid-2000s, and even though the song only charted at No. 61 in Australia in its original chart run, it is most remembered for its usage by the Nine Network. It was also used at EM TV in Papua New Guinea in the 1980s (at the time owned by the Nine Network), and by Sky Television in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |title=EMTV Promo 1987 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RIohRROnOI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/5RIohRROnOI |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=YouTube |access-date=10 June 2021 |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sky Advert We're The One|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHCLq2pOMj8|website=YouTube|access-date=8 June 2022 |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
In 2004, the Bush campaign played the song at campaign events until Orleans co-founder (and future Democratic congressman and Bush critic) John Hall commented publicly that the campaign had never received permission to use the song. The campaign later dropped the song from its playlist. Hall expressed similar criticisms when John McCain used the song in his 2008 presidential campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/13/1138458.aspx |title=Rep. To McCain: Stop using my song! - First Read - MSNBC.com |access-date=2011-11-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922192434/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/13/1138458.aspx |archive-date=2008-09-22 }}</ref> A version of the song's chorus was sung at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, following the conclusion of Senator Ted Kennedy's speech.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4fh80ZkVNk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/f4fh80ZkVNk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=DNC Tribute and Speech by Sen. Edward Kennedy|website=YouTube|access-date=November 25, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !Chart (1976) !Peak<br />position |- |Australia (KMR)<ref>{{cite web|author=Steffen Hung |url=http://www.australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=35359 |title=Forum - Top Singles of 1976 (Personal Charts: Your Special Occasion Charts) |website=Australian-charts.com |date= |access-date=2016-10-11}}</ref> |style="text-align:center;"|61 |- |Canada ''RPM'' Top Singles<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5082A.pdf |title=RPM Top Singles|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=9 October 1976 |access-date=4 April 2020}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|9 |- |Canada ''RPM'' Adult Contemporary<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.4347&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.4347.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.4347|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=1976-09-11 |access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|43 |- |New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20rianz&qartistid=977#n_view_location|title=Flavour of New Zealand, 5 November 1976|website=Flavourofnz.co.nz|access-date=15 September 2023}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|31 |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref name=MusicVF>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=Still+the+One+by+Orleans&id=31304|title=Still the One (song by Orleans)|website=Music VF.com|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|5 |- |U.S. ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19761016.html |title=Top 100 1976-10-16 |work=Cashbox Magazine |access-date=2015-07-30 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|6 |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' Easy Listening<ref name=MusicVF/> |align="center"|33 |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !Chart (1976) !Rank |- |Canada<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5173b&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=pqf3jt4v5cnr3br0dp1olkl882 |title=RPM Top Singles|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=8 January 1977|access-date=2016-10-11|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012075955/https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5173b&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=pqf3jt4v5cnr3br0dp1olkl882|archive-date=12 October 2016}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|100 |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1976.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |date= |access-date=2016-10-11}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|82 |- |U.S. ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/1976YESP.html |title=Top 100 Year End Charts: 1976 |work=Cashbox Magazine |access-date=June 5, 2016 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|76 |} {{col-end}}
==Bill Anderson version== {{Infobox song | name = Still the One | image = Still the one by bill anderson US retail single side-A.png | caption = Side A of the US retail single | type = single | artist = Bill Anderson | album = Scorpio | B-side = "This Ole Suitcase" | released = {{Start date|1977|03}} | recorded = December 13, 1976 | genre = {{hlist|Country|countrypolitan<ref>{{cite web |title=''Scorpio'': Bill Anderson: Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/scorpio-mw0001062517 |website=AllMusic |access-date=24 July 2020}}</ref>}} | length = {{duration|m=3|s=20}} | label = MCA | producer = Buddy Killen | prev_title = Where Are You Going, Billy Boy | prev_year = 1977 | next_title = I Can't Wait Any Longer | next_year = 1978 }} "Still the One" was notably recorded by American country singer-songwriter Bill Anderson. It was released as a single in 1977 via MCA Records and became a major hit the following year.
Anderson's version was recorded on December 13, 1976 in Nashville, Tennessee. The session was produced by Buddy Killen, who recently became Anderson's producer after many years of working with Owen Bradley. Killen would continue producing Anderson until his departure from MCA Records. "Still the One" was the only song recorded during this particular session.<ref name="Liner Notes">{{cite journal |last1=Anderson |first1=Bill |title=''Scorpio'' (Album Information and Liner Notes) |journal=MCA Records |date=April 1977}}</ref>
"Still the One" was released as a single by MCA Records in October 1977.<ref name="Billboard Singles">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc.|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}</ref> The song spent 12 weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles before reaching number 11 in June 1977.<ref>{{cite magazine |title="Still the One" chart history |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/bill-anderson/chart-history/csi/|magazine=Billboard |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref> The song was among Anderson's final major hits as a recording artist. His final top ten hit would be released in 1978, followed by his final top 20 release in 1979.<ref name="Billboard Singles"/> In Canada, the single also reached the top 20, reaching number 13 on the ''RPM'' Country Songs chart in 1977.<ref name="RPM Country Songs">{{cite web |title=Search results for "Bill Anderson" -- Country Singles |url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=Bill+Anderson&ChartEn=Country+Singles& |website=RPM | date=17 July 2013 |access-date=9 April 2020}}</ref> It was Anderson's second single that was a cover version of an original recording. His first was 1969's "But You Know I Love You", which reached the country top 10.<ref name="Billboard Singles"/> It was first released on his 1977 studio album ''Scorpio'', which also included the major hit "Head to Toe".<ref name="Liner Notes"/>
'''7" vinyl single''' * "Still the One" – 3:20 * "This Ole Suitcase" – 4:14
===Chart performance=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (1977) ! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position |- ! scope="row"| Canada Country Songs (''RPM'')<ref name="RPM Country Songs"/> | 13 |- {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|11|artist=Bill Anderson|rowheader=true|access-date=July 27, 2020}} |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}<!--added above categories/infobox footers by script-assisted edit-->
{{Orleans}} {{Bill Anderson singles}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Still The One}} Category:1976 songs Category:1976 singles Category:1977 singles Category:American Broadcasting Company Category:Asylum Records singles Category:Bill Anderson (singer) songs Category:MCA Records singles Category:Nine Network Category:Orleans (band) songs Category:Song recordings produced by Chuck Plotkin Category:Songs written by John Hall (New York politician) Category:Songs written by Johanna Hall