"I Lived" is a song recorded by American pop rock band OneRepublic. It was released on September 24, 2014, as the fifth and final single from the band's third album, Native (2013). It was originally planned to be released as the fourth single in January 2014 but was shelved in favor of "Love Runs Out".[1] It was the final song covered in the series finale of the hit FOX musical comedy-drama Glee in March 2015.[2][3][4]

"I Lived"
Single by OneRepublic
from the album Native
Released24 September 2014
Recorded2012
Length3:55
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Ryan Tedder
  • Noel Zancanella
OneRepublic singles chronology
"Love Runs Out"
(2014)
"I Lived"
(2014)
"Wherever I Go"
(2016)

Conception

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OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder noted that he wrote the song for his four-year-old son. In an interview with People magazine, he said, "The whole idea, to quote the late great Robin Williams from Dead Poets Society, is very much 'carpe diem'." He said that "it's absolutely universal and applicable to everybody." Regarding the lyrics "With every broken bone, I swear I lived", Tedder said, "So for every day that you're on this earth, for every minute that you have, the whole idea is doing nothing less than exactly what you feel you're supposed to do and squeezing every last drop out of life every day, regardless of the difficulties or trials that you face."[5] As with other songs on the Native album, Tedder drew songwriting inspiration from U2, where he focused on writing songs from the heart and from personal experience.[6]

Music video

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The music video was released on Vevo and YouTube on September 25, 2014. It is directed by Noble Jones. The idea was from Sophie Muller.[7] The video is dedicated to 15-year-old Bryan Warnecke, a fan of the band, who has cystic fibrosis.[8] Bryan Warnecke talks about living with cystic fibrosis in the music video:

"Cystic fibrosis is a disease that attacks the digestive system and slowly shuts down the lungs. The mucus in everyone else's lungs is more watery, so you guys can clear it easier, but when it comes to my lungs, the mucus is very syrupy. I've been doing my treatments every day of my life, so to me, it's just one of those things that's normal. My name is Bryan Warnecke, and I've been living with cystic fibrosis for fifteen years... When I first found out the life expectancy for the first time, it really scared me. Right now, it's up to about thirty-six. It's just one of those things that really makes you appreciate life. It makes you appreciate where you are, as a person..."

In the video, Warnecke is seen bicycling, skateboarding, playing hockey, and taking part in other leisure activities to make full use of his life. He also explains the fear of living with the disease. "It feels like I'm breathing through a straw", says Warnecke. "Whenever I try to breathe hard, it hurts. I want to make the most out of my life and have as much fun as I possibly can and my biggest fear is not being able to do that." The clip ends with Tedder driving Warnecke to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado to watch Tedder and the band perform live.[9] A postscript notes that in 2014, "Bryan and his teammates have ridden over 1200 miles and raised $300,000 for Cystic Fibrosis research", and refers viewers to the website of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF).

Promotion and release

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On July 25, the group played "I Lived" on Today as the viewers' most requested song.[10] They also performed it on The X Factor on October 26.[11]

Remixes have been developed for the single. On September 18, Arty released a remix for the song, which he describes on his website as "taken elements from the original and worked them into a melody-drenched progressive house ballad, successfully repositioning the track for the dance floor."[12] On September 23, the remix EP was released, which included the Arty remix as well as a "gossamery electro-pop" remix from Carousel[13] and a remix by the band Heroic.[14][15]

On October 1, the group performed the song at the Mercedes-Benz media night for the Paris Motor Show to help launch the B-Class Electric Drive. The car is also featured in the music video.[16][17][18]

A remix was produced for the Coca-Cola [RED] campaign to fight AIDS.[5] It was done by Dave Audé and released on November 3,[19] with an iTunes release on November 24.[20]

Cover versions and usage in media

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"I Lived" served as the theme song for the 2015 NHL Playoffs.[21] It also served as the tribute song for the retirement ceremony of Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace at The Palace of Auburn Hills.[22] ESPN has used it on multiple programs, including SportsCenter and First Take, while Jordan Smith, the winner of season 9 of The Voice, sang the song in a promotional music video of NBC for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[23]

The song has been used on the TV shows 90210, The Michael J. Fox Show and Red Band Society, as well as in the 2014 film The Giver.[24] "I Lived" was the final song covered in the series finale of the musical comedy-drama Glee,[25][3][26] and was the first song used by Noah Galloway and his partner Sharna Burgess on season 20 of Dancing with the Stars.

NBC used the song in commercials for The Office and Parks and Recreation,[27] while ABC featured it in multiple ads for its 2017 drama The Good Doctor and the final season of Modern Family in 2019. The song is also used as the background music for Huawei Mate 10 commercial, with Naomi Watts and Anna Kendrick.

It was sung by Peter Gallagher in the Season Two series finale titled "Zoey's Extraordinary Goodbye," of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist.

Reception

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Marcus Floyd of Renowned for Sound gave the single four out of five stars, citing its finger-picking introduction as setting an easy and soothing atmosphere, and calling the overall song a catch and enlightening addition to their singles.[28] Camilla Cassidy of The Edge also gave it four out of five stars, describing the song as an anthem for hope and empowerment, with meaningful lyrics and a wistful tone that inspires listeners, however, she found its delivery to be somewhat absent, and "neither somber nor particularly energetic".[29] Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush described the track as having "a funky, lived-in energy, and is looser than many of its counterparts. It also has more fun than any other track on the record."[30]

Emily Tan of Idolator grouped the song with "Counting Stars" and "Something I Need" as songs that "will keep core fans and AC radio listeners happy".[31] Haley Black of Highlight Magazine while not reviewing the song specifically in her Native review, listed "I Lived" along with "Au Revoir" as a recommended track on the album.[32] Matt Collar of AllMusic grouped the song among the album's "clearing house for mainstream pop sensibilities".[33]

Colin Stutz of Billboard called the music video a touching tribute to Warnecke.[9]

Track listing

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  • Digital download
  1. "I Lived" – 3:55
  1. "I Lived (Arty Remix)" – 4:26
  2. "I Lived (Carousel Remix)" – 3:39
  3. "I Lived (Heroic Remix)" – 3:43
  4. "I Lived (iTunes Session)" – 3:59
  • I Lived ((RED) Remix)[35]
  1. "I Lived ((RED) Remix)" – 4:17

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[65] 2× Platinum 140,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[66] Gold 30,000
Germany (BVMI)[67] Gold 200,000
Italy (FIMI)[68] Platinum 50,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[69] Gold 30,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[70] Platinum 600,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "I Lived"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Italy October 24, 2014 Radio impact Universal [71]

References

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  1. ^ "X Factor results: One Republic stun with I Lived VIDEO". Unreality TV. Archived from the original on March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  2. ^ Lesley Goldberg [@Snoodit] (February 25, 2015). ""Jane Lynch says #Glee will flash back to 2009 & the pilot before jumping to 2020 w/ the cast covering One Republic's I Lived in the finale."" (Tweet). Retrieved March 25, 2015 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b Exton, Emily (February 25, 2015). "Jane Lynch Reveals What Song the 'Glee' Cast Will Sing in the Series Finale". VH1. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015.
  4. ^ OneRepublic [@OneRepublic] (February 25, 2015). ""We're so honored that the cast of @GLEEonFOX will be singing #ILived in the series finale episode on @FOXTV!"" (Tweet). Retrieved March 25, 2015 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ a b Corinthos, Aurelie (November 24, 2022). "OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder Wrote This Song for His Son – And Now the Remix Will Help Fight AIDS". People. Time. Archived from the original on August 13, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  6. ^ "How U2 Influenced OneRepublic's Personal New Album". Radio.com.
  7. ^ "OneRepublic – I Lived – YouTube". OneRepublic, Vevo, Interscope Records and Mosley Music Group. September 25, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  8. ^ Chau, Thomas (September 27, 2014). "OneRepublic's "I Lived" music video dedicated to fan with cystic fibrosis". Popcrush. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  9. ^ a b Stutz, Colin (September 25, 2014). "Watch OneRepublic's touching 'I Lived' video, dedicated to a fan with cystic fibrosis". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  10. ^ Toyota Concert Series (July 25, 2014). "Which song did OneRepublic sing on TODAY? Find out here". TODAY.
  11. ^ O'Neill, Kara (October 26, 2014). "OneRepublic on X Factor: 'Ella Henderson won us over with a 60 second YouTube clip'". Daily Mirror. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  12. ^ "OneRepublic I Lived Arty Remix Premiere". Arty Official Website. September 18, 2014. Archived from the original on January 3, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  13. ^ "Kick Kick Snare – [EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE] OneRepublic: I Lived (Carousel Remix)". Kick Kick Snare. October 22, 2014.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ Heroic (October 7, 2014). "It's out! It's out! It's out! OneRepublic "I Lived" Heroic Remix is out on iTunes and Spotify now" (Facebook post). Facebook.
  15. ^ "OneRepublic: I Lived (Remix EP)". Google Play. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  16. ^ "Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Makes Appearance In One Republic "I Lived" Video". insideevs.com.
  17. ^ "B-Class Electric Drive appears in music video "I lived" by OneRepublic: OneRepublic singer Ryan Tedder becomes Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador – Daimler Global Media Site > Brands & Products > Mercedes-Benz Cars > Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars > Sales & Marketing". daimler.com. September 30, 2014.
  18. ^ "Recharge Wrap-up: Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive is a rock star, FedEx tests electric trucks". autogreenmag.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  19. ^ "Coca-Cola RED Featuring OneRepublic". The Coca-Cola Company.[permanent dead link]
  20. ^ "iTunes – Music – I Lived ([RED] Remix) – Single by OneRepublic". iTunes.
  21. ^ Brittany Frederick (April 16, 2015). "OneRepublic's 'I Lived' named theme of 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs". AXS. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  22. ^ "Detroit Pistons – Pistons Hits: Ben Wallace Tribute". YouTube. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  23. ^ "Jordan Smith, 2016 Rio Olympics - "I Lived", The Voice". NBC. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  24. ^ "LISTEN: OneRepublic 'The Giver' Soundtrack Song 'Ordinary Human' Recalls Modern U2". Music Times. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  25. ^ Lesley Goldberg [@Snoodit] (February 25, 2015). ""Jane Lynch says #Glee will flash back to 2009 & the pilot before jumping to 2020 w/ the cast covering One Republic's I Lived in the finale."" (Tweet). Retrieved March 25, 2015 – via Twitter.
  26. ^ OneRepublic [@OneRepublic] (February 25, 2015). ""We're so honored that the cast of @GLEEonFOX will be singing #ILived in the series finale episode on @FOXTV!"" (Tweet). Retrieved March 25, 2015 – via Twitter.
  27. ^ The Office Promos (April 27, 2013). "The Office: Livin' the Dream clips". OfficeTally. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  28. ^ "Renowned for Sound – Single Review: OneRepublic – 'I Lived'". October 6, 2014.
  29. ^ Camilla Cassidy (November 14, 2014). "Review: OneRepublic – 'I Lived'". The Edge.
  30. ^ "OneRepublic, 'Native' – Album Review". PopCrush. March 27, 2013.
  31. ^ Tan, Emily (March 26, 2013). "One Republic's 'Native': Album Review". Idolator. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  32. ^ Black, Haley (March 21, 2013). "OneRepublic – Native". Highlight Magazine. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  33. ^ Matt Collar. "Native – OneRepublic – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards – AllMusic". AllMusic.
  34. ^ "iTunes – Music – I Lived (EP) by OneRepublic". iTunes. October 7, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  35. ^ "iTunes – Music – I Lived ([RED] Remix) – Single by OneRepublic". iTunes. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  36. ^ "OneRepublic – I Lived". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  37. ^ "OneRepublic – I Lived" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  38. ^ "OneRepublic – I Lived" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
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  40. ^ "OneRepublic Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  41. ^ "OneRepublic Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
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  43. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 3. týden 2015 in the date selector. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  44. ^ "OneRepublic – I Lived" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  45. ^ "OneRepublic – I Lived" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  46. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  47. ^ "Chart Track: Week 47, 2014". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  48. ^ "OneRepublic – I Lived". Top Digital Download. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
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  50. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  51. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 20154 into search. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  52. ^ "SloTop50 | Slovenian official singles weekly charts" (in Slovenian). Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  53. ^ "OneRepublic – I Lived" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  54. ^ "OneRepublic: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
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  56. ^ "OneRepublic Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  57. ^ "OneRepublic Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  58. ^ "OneRepublic Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  59. ^ "OneRepublic Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  60. ^ "OneRepublic Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  61. ^ "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2014". Mahasz. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  62. ^ "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2015". Mahasz. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  63. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  64. ^ "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  65. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  66. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – OneRepublic – I Lived" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  67. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (OneRepublic; 'I Lived')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  68. ^ "Italian single certifications – OneRepublic – I Lived" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  69. ^ "Spanish single certifications – OneRepublic – I Lived". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  70. ^ "British single certifications – OneRepublic – I Lived". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  71. ^ "OneRepublic - I Lived (Radio Date: 24-10-2014)".
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