I Alone

"I Alone"
Single by Live
from the album Throwing Copper
B-side	"Pain Lies on the Riverside" "Selling the Drama" (Acoustic) "I Alone" (Acoustic Version)
Released	August 22, 1994
Format	7", 12", Cassette, CD
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:48
Label	Radioactive
Writer(s)	Live
Live singles chronology
"Selling the Drama" (1994) "I Alone" (1994) "Lightning Crashes" (1995)

"I Alone" is the second single from Live's album, Throwing Copper. The single was released to radio stations in Canada and the United States, but was only released commercially overseas. It reached #6 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.^[1] The song was ranked 62nd best song of the 1990s by VH1.^[2]

Lead singer Ed Kowalczyk said of the songs lyrics, "People think 'I Alone' is a love song but it really wasn't. The lyrics were more abstract, encompassing a much larger message." ^[3] He explained the line, "The greatest of teachers won't hesitate to leave you there by yourself chained to fate," by saying that a profound lesson he derived from studying spiritual teachings was that religion and truth must be found for oneself and practiced, rather than just accepting the word of others.^[4]

Live performed "I Alone" at the Woodstock '99 festival on July 23, 1999 in Rome, New York.^[5] The song was featured in the tv shows Homicide: Life on the Streets, Beavis and Butt-head^[6] and Hindsight.

Composition

"I Alone" is written in the key of G major (recorded a half step lower in G♭ major). It has a vocal range from D♭4-G5.^[7]

Charts

The song reached #20 in the Dutch charts^[8] and #48 in the UK.^[9]

Chart (1994-95)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart[10]	48
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	38
U.S. Billboard Album Rock Tracks[11]	6
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[11]	6

Track listings

All songs written by Live:

US promo CD (RAR5P-3123)

1. "I Alone" - 3:53

US promo CD (RAR5P-3249)

1. "I Alone" (Acoustic) - 3:49

Australian CD (MCADS32579)

1. "I Alone" - 3:55
2. "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:11
3. "Selling the Drama" (Acoustic) - 3:40

Australian cassette (MCACS32579)

1. "I Alone" - 3:55
2. "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:11
3. "Selling the Drama" (Acoustic) - 3:40

1. "I Alone" - 3:55
2. "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:11
3. "Selling the Drama" (Acoustic) - 3:40

UK CD (RAXTD 13)

1. "I Alone" - 3:53
2. "I Alone" (Acoustic Version) - 3:48
3. "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:11

UK cassette (RAXC 13)

1. "I Alone" - 3:51
2. "I Alone" (Acoustic Version) - 3:47
3. "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:10

1. "I Alone" - 3:51
2. "I Alone" (Acoustic Version) - 3:47
3. "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:10

UK 7" (RAX 13)

1. "I Alone" - 3:51

1. "I Alone" (Acoustic Version) - 3:47
2. "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:10

UK promo 12" (WRAXT 13)

1. "I Alone" - 3:51

1. "I Alone" - 3:51

French promo CD (RAD 33560)

	"I Alone" - 3:53 "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:13

German CD (RAD 32280)

1. "I Alone" - 3:56
2. "I Alone" (Acoustic) - 3:48
3. "Pain Lies on the Riverside" - 5:13

External links

• Official website
• "I Alone" Music Video via YouTube

References

1. "Thowing Copper > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" Allmusic
2. "Top 100 Songs of the 90s" VH1 - December 13, 2007
3. "Men With A Message". Retrieved 2008-02-23. Yahoo! Music (link no longer working)
4. "Live -- interview page". Retrieved 2008-02-23. - Listenin.org (link no longer working)
5. "Live - I Alone (Woodstock 1999)" YouTube
6. "Soundtracks for Beavis and Butt-Head: Oil Change (1995)" IMDb
7. Live "I Alone" Sheet Music musicnotes.com
8. "LIVE - I ALONE (NUMMER)" Ultratop
9. "I Alone" Chart Stats
10. "Lightning Crashes" Chart Stats
11. "Throwing Copper > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" Allmusic