Give Me One Reason


"Give Me One Reason" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. It was released on her 1995 album New Beginning, and as a single the same year, her first since 1992's "Dreaming on a World." The song is Chapman's biggest US hit to date, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also her biggest hit in Australia, where it reached number three as well, and it topped the charts of Canada and Iceland. Elsewhere, the song reached number 16 in New Zealand, but it underperformed in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 95 in March 1997.
Chapman first performed "Give Me One Reason" six years before its release, on the December 16, 1989, episode of Saturday Night Live. Chapman earned the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for the track, that was also nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1997. A well known version of this song featuring Eric Clapton was released in 1999 in the compilation album A Very Special Christmas Live. A music video was released to promote the single.

Lyrics and style

The song is a classic twelve-bar blues, both in musical structure and the repeated lyrics in each verse and chorus. It’s musical form is Simple Verse Chorus. It is the story of an ending relationship, and a plea from the narrator to her partner for the partner to convince her to remain, to "give me one reason to stay here, and I'll turn right back around." At the end of the song, the partner is apparently given voice for the last line, "said I told you that I loved you, and there ain't no more to say."

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications