3 Rock Songs From the 1990s That Were Recorded in Just One Take

So much groundbreaking rock music came out in the 1990s, and your favorite song from the era might have actually been recorded in just one take. That’s either major talent or serious luck. Let’s take a look at a few examples, shall we?

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“The Bends” by Radiohead (1992)

The title track of one of Radiohead’s finest albums, “The Bends” is one of the most recognizable songs from the uniquely creative rock outfit and alternative rock as a whole. And, according to drummer Philip Selway, “The Bends” was recorded in a single take.

“I wanted to get away from the studio to view a house for rent,” said Selway in a fan club booklet. “Consequently, this was the first take.”

It’s worth noting that a few publications at the time reported that the song took several takes to complete. Though, I’m more inclined to believe a band member over anyone else.

“Losing My Religion” by R.E.M. (1991)

This one’s a bit of a cheater. “Losing My Religion”, like most songs recorded in the 1990s, made use of multitrack recording. Much of the song was recorded in multiple takes. However, when it came to Michael Stipe’s iconic vocals on “Losing My Religion”, his track was recorded in just one take.

Fun fact: “Losing My Religion” was written in just a few minutes and would become the band’s most well-known song to date. The song topped the Alternative Airplay and Mainstream Rock charts back in 1991, and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Alive” by Pearl Jam (1991)

Alright, maybe this one is cheating, too. “Alive” as a whole was not recorded in a single take. However, Mike McCready’s killer outro solo certainly was, so I’m including this song on our list of 1990s rock classics that were recorded in just one take.

The iconic solo at the end of “Alive” was a hard point for mixer Tim Palmer and guitarist McCready. Originally, he recorded several attempts at the solo, which Palmer attempted to piece together into one usable version. It just didn’t hit. Then, using a Uni-Vibe pedal, McCready gave it another shot. And after McCready “had another go at it” per Palmer in a print Guitar World interview, he “got it right away. There was no piecing together to do; it was one take.”

Photo by Frans Schellekens/Redferns