1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back

Album

SOUR

Label

Geffen Records

Genre

Ballad

Composer(s)

Olivia Rodrigo;Taylor Swift;Jack Antonoff

Entered Chart

Jun 5, 2021

Peak Date

Jun 5, 2021

Released

May 21, 2021

Recorded

Studio Amusement (Los Angeles)

Catalog #

Geffen Records

B-Side

n/a

Here, Olivia Rodrigo sings of navigating a back-and-forth relationship with a moody boyfriend. The dude is totally inconsistent – some days he's happy and she's the love of his life, then something petty will make him go mad. She feels their romance isn't progressing; whenever she feels it's taking a step forward, a sudden and illogical outburst of anger sends it three steps back. The guy's inconsistent behavior is making Rodrigo wonder if there's something wrong with her. Never doubted myself so much Like, am I pretty? Am I fun, boy? I hate that I give you power over that kinda stuff The singer sang of similar feelings of inadequacy on "Drivers License," where she compares herself to her ex's new girlfriend. And you're probably with that blonde girl Who always made me doubt She's so much older than me She's everything I'm insecure about So why does Olivia stay with the moody dude? She sings in the second verse of how the emotional roller coaster ride he is giving her is a turn on. And maybe in some masochistic way I kind of find it all exciting Like which lover will I get today? Will you walk me to the door or send me home cryin'? Rodrigo wrote the song with her regular producer, Dan Nigro. Taylor Swift and her writing partner Jack Antonoff also get credited because the song borrows melodic elements from the pop princess' 2017 Reputation track "New Year's Day." Rodrigo is a self-confessed Swiftie, and the song title is a nod to her hero. 1 + 3 = 13, which is Swift's lucky number. She frequently sneaks in references to 13 in her music. Olivia Rodrigo plays the piano on this song. It is the only Sour track where she plays an instrument and also sings. When Olivia Rodrigo appeared on The Zach Sang Show she said the song originated when someone sent her a text message, which included the titular phrase. "I've never heard somebody say something like that, so I thought it would be a cool way to describe this toxic, sort of manipulative relationship." After coming up with the "one step forward" concept, Rodrigo wrote a verse and a chorus. Later, after returning home from a road trip, she had the idea to sing it over the chords of "New Year's Day." Dan Nigro came up with the idea of incorporating the birdsong at the beginning of "1 Step Forward." One morning he stuck a microphone out of his house window and recorded the birds chirping. Rodrigo said it adds "a cool ambiance."

Called you on the phone today
Just to ask you how you were
All I did was speak normally
Somehow I still struck a nerve

You got me fucked up in the head, boy
Never doubted myself so much
Like, am I pretty? Am I fun, boy?
I hate that I give you power over that kind of stuff

'Cause it's always one step forward and three steps back
I'm the love of your life until I make you mad
It's always one step forward and three steps back
Do you love me, want me, hate me? Boy, I don't understand
No, I don't understand

And maybe in some masochistic way
I kinda find it all exciting
Like, which lover will I get today?
Will you walk me to the door or send me home cryin'?

It's one step forward and three steps back
I'm the love of your life until I make you mad
It's always one step forward and three steps back
Do you love me, want me, hate me? Boy, I don't understand

No, it's back and forth, did I say something wrong?
It's back and forth, goin' over everything I said
It's back and forth, did I do something wrong?
It's back and forth, maybe this is all your fault

Instead it's one step forward and three steps back
And I'd leave you, but the roller coaster is all I've ever had
Yeah, it's one step forward and three steps back
Do you love me, want me, hate me? Boy
I don't understand
No, I don't understand