| "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Olivia Rodrigo | |
| from the album Sour | |
| Released | May 21, 2021 |
| Studio | Amusement (Los Angeles) |
| Length | 2:43 |
| Label | Geffen |
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Dan Nigro |
| Lyric video | |
| "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" on YouTube | |
"1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It is the fourth track on her debut studio album, Sour, which was released on May 21, 2021, via Geffen Records. Dan Nigro produced the song. Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff also received songwriting credits for its interpolation of Swift's 2017 song "New Year's Day".
The song's lyrics describe the harmful effects of inconsistent communication on a romantic relationship. Musically, "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" is a tender downtempo ballad driven by a damp piano and subtle bass. Upon Sour's release, "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" received positive comments from music critics, who complimented its simplistic instrumentation and vulnerable lyrics. Commercially, the song reached the top 20 in Australia, Canada, Singapore, and the United States, and the top 30 in New Zealand and Portugal.