A final song off the album By The Way, I Forgive You.
Brandi told Rolling Stone she remember’s exactly where she was when she wrote the song, “I was drunk. I was listening to [Joni Mitchell’s] Blue in the hayloft of my barn, and I was feeling an insane amount of pressure to make my domestic life work, more pressure than a straight person.” She says, “We’ve been witnessing an entire generation being granted access to a civil right and all of the pressure and all of the joy that comes with that,” says Carlile, who has been married to her partner since 2012.”
In an interview Carlile told Billboard: “I don’t think marriage is work, but I hear straight couples asked all the time, ‘Do you feel different now that you’re married?’ And they’re like, ‘Hell, no,’ because marriage is an institution they’ve had access to since the beginning of time. But it is different for us. That’s what ‘Party of One’ is about: No matter how epic the fight is, you always have to ask yourself what you can do to stay.”
The song’s music video was produced by Elisabeth Moss, who also served as creative director and star. It was directed by Bérénice Eveno. It was filmed by an all-female crew. Starring Elisabeth Moss with Nicole Disson as her co-star, the clip tells a love story between two women. Bérénice Eveno said her vision was to “capture a love so deep that it permeates everything around you, every object and every inch of space. A love that haunts you and never lets go.”
The song was an unlikely single from the album. Brandi Carlile explained “When Gregg Nadel, head of Elektra Records, told Carlile he was interested in making a video for the song, the singer was taken aback. “You’re the weirdest record label guy I have ever met. I love that song, but it’s not in any way commercial,” she says. ” It’s six and a half minutes, and it couldn’t be more of a ballad. I don’t know why you’d want to do that.”
Sam Smith collaboration
17th October 2018
As Songfacts reports, “Brandi Carlile recorded an orchestrated re-imagining of the track with British singer Sam Smith. Both singers are international ambassadors for Children in Conflict, which provides for children impacted by war, and a portion of the proceeds from their duet is being donated to the foundation.”This is a song about deep and enduring compassion. It’s about trying to navigate domesticity, love and particularly marriage whilst being willed to fail by those that would revoke that right if they could,” Carlile said.The singer added that the tone of “Party of One” made sense in connection to Children in Conflict, “We hope the vulnerability of this song reflects the fragility of their situation and compels people to support our cause.” They released the song through their Looking Out Foundation partnership wtih Children in Conflict
When the re-release of the single happened, Brandi Carlile told Rolling Stone “In a statement, Carlile said that “Party of One” “is a song about deep and enduring compassion. It’s about trying to navigate domesticity, love and particularly marriage whilst being willed to fail by those that would revoke that right if they could.”
Sam Smith said, “I am so excited for everyone to have this song in their ears and hearts,” Smith added. “Working with Brandi Carlile is truly one of the highlights of my career. Her voice and songwriting get me through the dark days.”
