Woke up this mornin, the house was cold
Checked the furnace, she wasn't burnin'
Went out and hopped in my old Ford
Hit the engine but she ain't a turnin'.
Givin' each other some hard lessons lately
But we ain't learnin'
Same sad story that's a fact
One step up and two steps back.
Bird on a wire outside my motel room
But he ain't singin'
Girl in white, outside a church in June
But the church bells they ain't ringin'.
Sittin' here in this bar tonight
And all I'm thinkin' is
I'm the same old story, same old act
One step up and two steps back.
It's the same thing night, all night
Who's wrong and baby, who's right
Another fight and I slam the door
On another battle in our dirty little war.
When I look at myself I dont see
The man I wanted to be
Somewhere along the line I slipped off track
Movin' one step up and two steps back.
Theres a girl across the bar
I get the message she's sendin'
Mmm, she ain't lookin too married
Me, well honey, I'm pretending.
Last night I dreamed I held you in my arms
The music was never endin'
We danced as the evening sky faded to black
Movin' one step up and two steps back.
(One step up and two steps back.)
One step up and two steps back.
(One step up and two steps back.)
One step up and two steps back.
(One step up and two steps back)
One step up and two steps back.
Ohhh, baby we're movin'.
--- Instrumental ---
One step up and two steps back.
One step up and two steps back.
One step up and two steps back.
Mmm, one step up and two steps back.
(One step up and two steps back.)
(One step up and two steps back.)
One step up and one step back.
Oh baby...
Checked the furnace, she wasn't burnin'
Went out and hopped in my old Ford
Hit the engine but she ain't a turnin'.
Givin' each other some hard lessons lately
But we ain't learnin'
Same sad story that's a fact
One step up and two steps back.
Bird on a wire outside my motel room
But he ain't singin'
Girl in white, outside a church in June
But the church bells they ain't ringin'.
Sittin' here in this bar tonight
And all I'm thinkin' is
I'm the same old story, same old act
One step up and two steps back.
It's the same thing night, all night
Who's wrong and baby, who's right
Another fight and I slam the door
On another battle in our dirty little war.
When I look at myself I dont see
The man I wanted to be
Somewhere along the line I slipped off track
Movin' one step up and two steps back.
Theres a girl across the bar
I get the message she's sendin'
Mmm, she ain't lookin too married
Me, well honey, I'm pretending.
Last night I dreamed I held you in my arms
The music was never endin'
We danced as the evening sky faded to black
Movin' one step up and two steps back.
(One step up and two steps back.)
One step up and two steps back.
(One step up and two steps back.)
One step up and two steps back.
(One step up and two steps back)
One step up and two steps back.
Ohhh, baby we're movin'.
--- Instrumental ---
One step up and two steps back.
One step up and two steps back.
One step up and two steps back.
Mmm, one step up and two steps back.
(One step up and two steps back.)
(One step up and two steps back.)
One step up and one step back.
Oh baby...
song info:
Verified yes
SpråkEngelska
Rang−
Varaktighet00:05:53
Topplistor
Upphovsrätt ©Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
FörfattareBruce Springsteen
Texter licensierade avLyricFind
Tillagt
Senast uppdateradMarch 7th, 2022
Om"One Step Up" is a song by Bruce Springsteen from his 1987 Tunnel of Love album. It was released as the third single from the album, following "Brilliant Disguise" and the title track. It reached position #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart in the United States. It also reached #2 on the U.S. Album Rock Tracks chart, giving Springsteen three straight top two tracks from the album. The song was only released as a single in America.
Unlike much of the Tunnel of Love album, "One Step Up" was not recorded in Springsteen's home studio (Thrill Hill East). Rather, it was recorded at A&M Studios in Los Angeles, California. It was recorded between May and August 1987. Springsteen plays all instruments, and future wife Patti Scialfa provided backing vocals. No other members of Springsteen's usual backing group, the E Street Band, are present.
Like several other songs on the album, the song reflects the impending breakup of the marriage between Springsteen and then-wife Julianne Phillips. The song's lyrics are poetic, understated, emotional and eloquent. The song begins by describing a house with a broken furnace and a car that doesn't start, which serve as metaphors for the couple's relationship. Similar metaphors in the song are a bird that won't sing and church bells that won't ring for a new bride-to-be. Although the couple has been together for some time, they haven't learned from their experiences and continue to fight and slam doors. The lyrics refer to the couple's relationship as their "dirty little war." Finally, the singer finds himself at a bar wondering whether to hook up with another woman there, while remembering a dream he had the night before about dancing with his wife, with the dance poignantly echoing the song's title (one step up and two steps back). The singer is self-aware enough to recognize his share of responsibility for the couple's difficulties, as demonstrated in particular by the line: "When I look at myself I don't see/The man I wanted to be". Dave Marsh describes the song as being "as miserable a cheating song as even Nashville ever knew."
The music for the song has a bare arrangement, reflecting how personal the song is. It is a quiet ballad with an ironically reassuring melody. The backing vocal provides a haunting echo to the Springsteen's lead vocal. Ironically, given the fact that this is a song about a marriage breaking up, these backing vocals were sung by the woman who would prove to be Springsteen's future wife, Patti Scialfa.
Like several other videos from the Tunnel of Love album, including "Brilliant Disguise", "Tunnel of Love" and "Tougher Than the Rest", the video for "One Step Up" was directed by Meiert Avis. The video intersperses scenes of Springsteen singing the song with images reflecting the song's narrative. The video was later released on the VHS and DVD Video Anthology / 1978-88.
Perhaps due to the personal nature of the song, it has rarely been performed live. The song was a staple on the 1988 Tunnel of Love Express Tour, however, it vanished from the set lists until Springsteen briefly revived the song for some performances on the 2005 Devils & Dust Tour. On May 6, 2014, the song was performed for the first time in 26 years with the E Street Band on their 2014 High Hopes Tour stop in Houston, Texas.
Cover versions of "One Step Up" have been recorded by Clive Gregson and Christine Collister, Kenny Chesney, Bad Radio, Martyn Joseph, The Seldom Scene, Paul Cebar and Eddie Vedder, among others.
Unlike much of the Tunnel of Love album, "One Step Up" was not recorded in Springsteen's home studio (Thrill Hill East). Rather, it was recorded at A&M Studios in Los Angeles, California. It was recorded between May and August 1987. Springsteen plays all instruments, and future wife Patti Scialfa provided backing vocals. No other members of Springsteen's usual backing group, the E Street Band, are present.
Like several other songs on the album, the song reflects the impending breakup of the marriage between Springsteen and then-wife Julianne Phillips. The song's lyrics are poetic, understated, emotional and eloquent. The song begins by describing a house with a broken furnace and a car that doesn't start, which serve as metaphors for the couple's relationship. Similar metaphors in the song are a bird that won't sing and church bells that won't ring for a new bride-to-be. Although the couple has been together for some time, they haven't learned from their experiences and continue to fight and slam doors. The lyrics refer to the couple's relationship as their "dirty little war." Finally, the singer finds himself at a bar wondering whether to hook up with another woman there, while remembering a dream he had the night before about dancing with his wife, with the dance poignantly echoing the song's title (one step up and two steps back). The singer is self-aware enough to recognize his share of responsibility for the couple's difficulties, as demonstrated in particular by the line: "When I look at myself I don't see/The man I wanted to be". Dave Marsh describes the song as being "as miserable a cheating song as even Nashville ever knew."
The music for the song has a bare arrangement, reflecting how personal the song is. It is a quiet ballad with an ironically reassuring melody. The backing vocal provides a haunting echo to the Springsteen's lead vocal. Ironically, given the fact that this is a song about a marriage breaking up, these backing vocals were sung by the woman who would prove to be Springsteen's future wife, Patti Scialfa.
Like several other videos from the Tunnel of Love album, including "Brilliant Disguise", "Tunnel of Love" and "Tougher Than the Rest", the video for "One Step Up" was directed by Meiert Avis. The video intersperses scenes of Springsteen singing the song with images reflecting the song's narrative. The video was later released on the VHS and DVD Video Anthology / 1978-88.
Perhaps due to the personal nature of the song, it has rarely been performed live. The song was a staple on the 1988 Tunnel of Love Express Tour, however, it vanished from the set lists until Springsteen briefly revived the song for some performances on the 2005 Devils & Dust Tour. On May 6, 2014, the song was performed for the first time in 26 years with the E Street Band on their 2014 High Hopes Tour stop in Houston, Texas.
Cover versions of "One Step Up" have been recorded by Clive Gregson and Christine Collister, Kenny Chesney, Bad Radio, Martyn Joseph, The Seldom Scene, Paul Cebar and Eddie Vedder, among others.
Album Detaljer
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