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Cover Art

Only One Lyrics by William Finn

Elegies: A Song Cycle (Original Cast)

2003

[WOMAN]
If just one student learns the beauty of aesthetics
Then that's fine
I need only one
Or if one student learns the wonders of poetics
Then he's mine
And my work here will be done
And if one student values structure
Learns that words can be valuable and fun
Show me twenty students who despise
The poems they have to memorize
Alright, I need only one
And if one student learns that books can be ecstatic
What the heck?
I don't need romance
If I've wasted my life being firm and autocratic
I'm a spec in an orbiting expanse
What I did was always well intentioned
And what's done, folks, is ultimately done
Give me eighty students who deplore
The fact that I demanded more
Screw 'em!
I need only
One student who rarely watches television
One student who understands the value of precision
Are there limits to my teaching?
Was I always overreaching?
Probably, I was
And so what if I was?
I've been told that my life is ending very shortly
That's alright, I do not like scenes
Since I'm not someone's wife, and I don't have any children
I won't fight or be hooked up to machines
But for that special kid who liked me
He who laughed at an inauspicious pun
Let him fondly ponder who I was
And represent me well, because
There'll be only one
There'll be only one
There'll be only one
Only one
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da
So I'll live with the fact
That I'm prickly and derisive
That I will, and not make amends
I was born without tact
I was born to be decisive
And I still don't have very many friends
But I taught what I knew needing teaching
If they fought me, they learned who held the gun
So who's students always did the best
On every statewide essay test?
Count 'em!
I'm the only one
I'm the only one!
Credits
William Finn

William Finn

About “Only One” by William Finn

Read the complete lyrics to "Only One" by William Finn from the album "Elegies: A Song Cycle (Original Cast)" in 2003. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Musicals, Pop.

"Only One" is performed by William Finn. from the album "Elegies: A Song Cycle (Original Cast)" in 2003 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Only One", explore more songs by William Finn using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Only One" is credited to William Finn. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Only One" appears on "Elegies: A Song Cycle (Original Cast)" in 2003.

Visit the William Finn artist page at /artist/william-finn for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.