This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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'
Given 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 don't see
The man I wanted to be
Somewhere along the line I slipped off track
Movin' one step up and two steps back
{Music}
There's a girl across the bar
I get the message she's sendin'
Mmm she ain't lookin' too married
Me well honey I'm pretendin'
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
Ohhhh baby we're movin'
{Music}
One step up and two steps back
{Music}
One step up and two steps back
{Music}
One step up and two steps back
Mmmmm
One step up and two steps back
(One step up and two steps back)
(One step up and two steps back)
Oooooooooooooh
Oooooooooooooh
Oooooooooooooh
Oooooooooooooh
Why we movin'
One step up and two steps 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'
Given 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 don't see
The man I wanted to be
Somewhere along the line I slipped off track
Movin' one step up and two steps back
{Music}
There's a girl across the bar
I get the message she's sendin'
Mmm she ain't lookin' too married
Me well honey I'm pretendin'
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
Ohhhh baby we're movin'
{Music}
One step up and two steps back
{Music}
One step up and two steps back
{Music}
One step up and two steps back
Mmmmm
One step up and two steps back
(One step up and two steps back)
(One step up and two steps back)
Oooooooooooooh
Oooooooooooooh
Oooooooooooooh
Oooooooooooooh
Why we movin'
One step up and two steps back
Oh baby
Lyrics submitted by Seanie, edited by FootrotFlats97
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
When I first heard this song it was January of 2005, in the hot tub of the Hotel Beau Rivage in Biloxi Mississippi. It was my first vacation in over 5 years and that first full day I got there I spent 8 hours in that hot tub. It was 60 there and it was 8 in Chicago. I was a senior in High school and the prime of my life.
I can relate to every part of this song from beginning to end. I met a girlfriend who would change my life forever and I lost her. We were so deeply in love and her mom just didn't like me. Why, I still don't know. She loved me and I loved her. Prom came along and she was not allowed to go with me. It killed me to go with someone else. We eventually started fighting with arguments and it got to the point;
"It's the same thing night on night Who's wrong 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 don't see The man I wanted to be Somewhere along the line I slipped off track I'm caught movin' one step up and two steps back"
I also dreamed about the two of us at Prom and just holding each other tight the way we wanted it to be. And her just being drop dead gorgeous and whispering "One Step Up" in my ear as the music continued to play and eventually the people around us all faded to black. All it was in my dream was her and I dancing on the hard wood dance floor with a spot light on us as we slowly danced the night away.
She eventually dumped me for some guy in New York. Back in June Where I am in my life now, I think I finally understand it: the anguish of loving someone completely and it still falling apart. It's a reality song – strong and brutally honest. To me, it's about being man enough to own that happily ever after isn't a given. Perfect can come apart no matter what you do… and all you can do is feel the pain and regret." We laughed together; we cried together we loved each other together. I still have feelings for her and I doubt she will ever be forgotten. This song has been a companion to me my whole senior year, lost love, lost time, friends who go off to war. If I try hard enough I can still “be back in that hot tub.”