Synopsis

Joan Osborne performs "One of Us" against a distinctly New York backdrop, while the video moves through the attractions and atmosphere of Coney Island. Roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, the New York Aquarium, and boardwalk imagery are intercut with sepia-toned, vintage-looking shots of Osborne singing directly to the camera. The visual style gives the song's questions about faith, humanity, and divine presence an everyday setting, contrasting religious ideas with the colorful, slightly surreal world of an amusement park.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed mainly at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, with the New York Aquarium and several amusement attractions appearing in the footage.

• Its sepia-toned imagery gives the clip an old-fashioned, almost photographic quality, setting it apart from a straightforward performance video.

• The video was released in 1996, following the 1995 release of Osborne's debut album, *Relish*, and helped establish her as a major alternative-pop presence.

• "One of Us" was written by Eric Bazilian of The Hooters. The song became Osborne's breakthrough hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

• The song received Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

• Bazilian originally wrote the song as a quick home recording while trying to impress a woman he had met on a flight. The composition was later brought to Osborne during the sessions for *Relish*.

• The opening of the recording incorporates a fragment associated with Appalachian folk singer Nell Hampton, adding to the song's blend of pop, rock, and traditional American influences.

• The song later gained another television connection when it was used as the opening theme for the series *Joan of Arcadia*.