It was released on 29 August 2005 as the first single from his seventh studio album, Life in Slow Motion (2005).

The song was produced by Marius de Vries and is Gray's second-highest achievement on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number eight.

In the United States, it topped the Billboard Triple-A chart for six weeks.

"The One I Love" was released as a two-CD single and 7-inch vinyl set.

"Everybody's Leaving Town", the B-side on CD1 and the 7-inch, also appears on the Japanese version of Life in Slow Motion as a bonus track.