Dave Grohl Wishes He Wrote R.E.M.'s '80s Hit "The One I Love"

The Foo Fighters frontman admires the song's simplicity and beauty.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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In a recent interview, Dave Grohl revealed that he wishes he had written R.E.M.'s 1987 hit song "The One I Love." Grohl praised the song's simplicity, with just a few lyrics and chords, calling it a "beautiful anthem." The song became R.E.M.'s first mainstream hit and continues to be one of their most streamed tracks on Spotify. The all-star band Drink the Sea, which includes R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, has been performing the song live on tour.

Why it matters

As the frontman and chief songwriter for the Foo Fighters and the drummer for Nirvana, Grohl has written many iconic songs himself. His admiration for the simplicity and beauty of "The One I Love" highlights the timeless appeal of R.E.M.'s songwriting and the lasting impact of their music.

The details

Grohl praised the song's minimalist approach, with just five lyrics and a few chords, saying "the simplicity of that is really only like five chords or something like that." While Grohl's lyric count was slightly off, the song's dark undertones and memorable melody have made it one of R.E.M.'s most enduring hits. The song reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987 and remains one of the band's most-streamed tracks today.

  • "The One I Love" was the lead single from R.E.M.'s 1987 album Document.
  • The song recently enjoyed a live resurgence as part of the setlists for the band Drink the Sea, which includes R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck.

The players

Dave Grohl

The frontman and chief songwriter for the Foo Fighters, as well as the drummer for Nirvana.

R.E.M.

The influential American rock band known for hits like "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and "Losing My Religion."

Drink the Sea

An all-star band that includes R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck and has been performing "The One I Love" live on tour.

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What they’re saying

“The other day I was in the car and I, the R.E.M. song, 'The One I Love'.... that song came on. And of course, I'd heard it a trillion times and I was a huge R.E.M. fan when I was young from their first record on. And I was listening to this song and I'm like, wait, there's only five lyrics. In this whole song, 'This one goes out to the one I love, this one goes out to the one I left behind.' That's all the song says, and it's such a beautiful [song], it's an anthem and the simplicity of that is really only like five chords or something like that. So, I was listening to that and like, I wish I could write something that simple.”

— Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters Frontman (BBC Radio 6 Music)

What’s next

The all-star band Drink the Sea, which includes R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, is expected to continue performing "The One I Love" on their current tour.

The takeaway

Grohl's admiration for the simplicity and beauty of R.E.M.'s "The One I Love" highlights the timeless appeal of the band's songwriting and the lasting impact of their music, even on other iconic artists like the Foo Fighters frontman.