One Man Army (song)
| "One Man Army" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Our Lady Peace | ||||
| from the album Happiness... Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch | ||||
| Released | July 30, 1999 | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Arnold Lanni | |||
| Our Lady Peace singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "One Man Army" on YouTube | ||||
"One Man Army" (often mistakenly called "Falling") is a song by Canadian alternative rock band Our Lady Peace. It was released in July 1999 as the lead single from their third album, Happiness... Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch.
Content
Raine Maida stated that the song is about "the struggle for individuality. It's about finding the courage to metaphorically strip naked and set fire to all your inhibitions. It's about cleansing yourself of all the people and things that suffocate your individuality."
Release
The release of the live version of "One Man Army" from their Woodstock 1999 performance forced the record label to service the single to Canadian radio on July 30, 1999, ahead of its planned date of August 4.[1]
Music video
This music video was directed by Mark Kohr and was filmed in Toronto on August 5, 1999. It begins with lead singer Raine Maida sitting in a chair in what appears to be a hotel hallway. Using special effects, he stands up and walks away, but a second "copy" of him remains seated. The video is then split into two sets of scenes: In one set, the band is set up in the middle of a lobby and performs the song; in the other scenes, Maida walks through a city. During the choruses of the song, Maida is suddenly pulled through the air (apparently acting as gravity was pulling him), causing him to crash into several walls, and smash through a tree, a wall, and several windows. He tries holding onto a fire hydrant and a street sign, but is pulled away. At the end of the video, Raine sits down on a bench on a pier, but he is pulled away out over the water after trying to hold on to the bench. In 2000, the video won another two MuchMusic Video Awards (both are People's Choice), Favourite Canadian Group and Favourite Canadian Video.
Track listings
UK 7-inch single
- "One Man Army" – 3:22
- "Superman's Dead" (live in New York)
UK CD single
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | July 30, 1999 | Radio | Columbia | [1] |
| United States | August 17, 1999 | [10] | ||
| United Kingdom | January 3, 2000 | CD | Epic | [11] |
References
- ^ a b LeBlanc, Larry (September 11, 1999). "'Happiness' Is Third Columbia Set from Canada's Our Lady Peace". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 37. p. 25.
- ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Image 8458". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart on 15/1/2000 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart on 8/1/2000 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ "Our Lady Peace Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ "Our Lady Peace Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
- ^ "RPM 1999 Top 50 Rock Tracks". RPM. Retrieved February 15, 2026 – via Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Most Played Mainstream Rock Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 35.
- ^ "Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 36.
- ^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1312. August 13, 1999. pp. 109, 112.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. December 25, 1999. p. 20.
