"One and One" was covered by Italian
electronic dance musician
Robert Miles featuring English singer
Maria Nayler and released to radio in August 1996 and physically released on 4 November 1996, by label DBX, from Miles' debut album,
Dreamland (1996). The song was Miles' second number one on the US
Billboard Dance Club Play chart, and it also peaked at number one in
Flanders, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, and Scotland. Michael Geoghegan directed the song's accompanying music video.
Background Maria Nayler secured her first record deal with
Big Life in 1990 with her band Ultraviolet. Their first release, a cover of the
Simon Dupree and the Big Sound's Sixties hit "
Kites", gained her a significant fan —
Sasha. He tracked her down and he and Nayler wrote "Be As One", which reached number 17 in February 96. Similarly, Robert Miles was so taken with Nayler's voice after hearing "Be As One" that he invited her to sing on "One And One". Miles is known by some collectors of CD singles for the quotes he includes on his jewel case inserts, succinct expressions of what he was attempting to communicate in writing and producing the song. About "One and One", Miles wrote: ''...Sometimes, you don't even have the time to realize what is happening to your life,that it has already happened...the world moves too fast...let's recapture the essence of time."''
Critical reception AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis described the song as a "magical" and "gorgeous, touching, dreamy song, featuring tender vocals by
Maria Nayler, which remains one of the most sincere
dance songs of its era."
Larry Flick from
Billboard magazine wrote that Nayler "brings an appropriately ethereal quality to the cut's warm and pillowy instrumentation. She coos and whispers atop a stream of piano lines that are similar to the infectious tinkling on '
Children', while a quietly insinuating dance beat pushes along at a
disco-like pace." Dave Sholin from the
Gavin Report commented, "Well, no one can argue that the words are better this time around. In all seriousness, Miles disproved the long-held belief that
Top 40 programmers will not play instrumentals. They do play hits, and after overcoming some initial resistance, "Children" proved itself to be a smash here just as it had been around the world. This followup, which does feature a vocal, has a Euro feel, which
B96-Chicago MD Erik Bradley describes as hypnotic. After two weeks of spins, he reports "a ton of calls from women. I think this will be one of the big records for fall." A reviewer from
Music Week gave it a score of four out of five, complimenting Nayler's "sweet
Madonna-ish vocals [that] combine with a dreamy soundscape from Miles. It's enigmatic — and another big hit."
Chart performance "One and One" was very successful on the charts all over the world and remains Robert Miles' biggest hit alongside "
Children". In Europe, it peaked at number-one in Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, Romania and Scotland, as well as on the
Eurochart Hot 100. The single entered the top 10 also in Austria (8), Czech Republic (8), Denmark (3), Finland (8), Germany (5), Hungary (4), Iceland (10), Ireland (3), Latvia (2), Norway (3), Sweden (3), Switzerland (6) and the United Kingdom. In the latter, it reached number three in its sixth week at the
UK Singles Chart, on 15 December 1996. Additionally, "One and One" was a top 20 hit in France and the Netherlands. Outside Europe, it hit number-one on the
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the United States, number seven on the
RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada and number 56 in Australia. The single earned a
gold record in Belgium, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK.
Track listings •
12-inch maxi, Germany • "One & One" (original club version) – 6:30 • "One & One" (David Morales club mix) – 9:00 • "One & One" (Joe T. Vannelli light mix) – 7:34 • "One & One" (David Morales one dub) – 11:40 •
12-inch maxi, Italy • "One & One" (club version) – 6:30 • "4US" – 7:41 • "One & One" (Joe T. Vannelli SLK mix) – 9:11 • "One & One" (Joe T. Vannelli Radio light mix) – 4:05 •
CD single • "One & One" (radio version) – 4:00 • "One & One" (club version) – 6:30 •
CD maxi, Germany • "One & One" (Quivvers Amytiville vocal) – 9:43 • "One & One" (Quivvers Amytiville dub) – 8:25 • "One & One" (David Morales journey mix) – 10:00 • "One & One" (Joe T. Vannelli SLK mix) – 8:50 •
CD maxi, Italy • "One & One" (radio version) – 4:00 • "One & One" (radio without the beat) – 4:00 • "4US" – 7:41 • "One & One" (Quivvers Amytiville dub) – 8:25 • "One & One" (David Morales journey mix) – 10:00 • "One & One" (Joe T. Vannelli radio light mix) – 4:05 • "One & One" (Joe T. Vannelli SLK mix) – 8:50 •
CD maxi, Japan • "One & One" (radio version) – 4:00 • "One & One" (club version) – 6:30 • "One & One" (David Morales club mix) – 9:00 • "One & One" (Joe T. Vannelli's light mix) – 7:34 • "One & One" (Quivvers Amytiville vox mix) – 9:43 •
CD maxi, Netherlands • "One & One" (radio version) – 4:00 • "One & One" (Joe T. Vannelli light radio mix) – 4:05 • "One & One" (club version) – 6:30 • "4US" – 7:41 • "One & One" (Quivver's Amytiville vox mix) – 9:42 • "One & One" (David Morales journey mix) – 9:56 •
CD maxi, UK • "One & One" (radio version) – 4:00 • "One & One" (club version) – 6:30 • "4US" – 7:41 •
CD maxi – Remixes • "One & One" (extended album version) – 6:30 • "One & One" (David Morales club mix) – 8:58 • "One & One" (Joe T. Vanelli light mix) – 7:32 • "One & One" (David Morales journey mix) – 10:00
Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Certifications Release history ==Notes==