One And One
The Step Kings Lyrics


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Two hours earlier it wouldn’t be so bad for her, stare at the wall
Two hours later now the food is cold and so is her heart, tired of it all
Waiting for integration, a product of stagnation
Two separate lives
Still hoping for a celebration, yet always fearing cancellation
They can’t see why, they can’t see why

And one is home and one is out, and one is thinking for oneself
Someone’s content but one’s alone

Something’s come up he feels he ought to go and show his face there
Part of the scene
He loses track of time the hours pass just one more drink then
Gone to extremes
Timing is such a question, a cause of all the tension
Two separate lives




Still holding back on their expressions, no one gets enough attention
They can’t see why, they can’t see why

Overall Meaning

The Step Kings’ song “One and One” speaks of a relationship that is in a state of limbo. The first verse speaks of a woman who seems to have given up waiting for something that was promised to her. The food is cold, and her heart is tired, a metaphor for how she is now indifferent to the relationship. She has been waiting for integration, but it hasn’t happened; instead, she has been a product of stagnation. Even though she and her partner have separate lives, they still want to celebrate, yet at the same time, there is always the fear of cancellation. In essence, the two of them are not on the same page, and while they still hope for the best, the gap between them keeps growing wider.


The chorus emphasizes how vastly different their lives are. One is home, while the other is out. One is independent, while the other is content to be alone. The second verse essentially tells the same story, where the man has something come up but keeps losing track of time. The relationship is suffering, and he knows it. Timing is to blame for the tension, and no one is getting the attention they need. They have separate lives, but are still holding back on their expressions. They simply cannot understand why they are drifting apart, but it is happening, and there is nothing they can do about it.


Line by Line Meaning

Two hours earlier it wouldn’t be so bad for her, stare at the wall
If she had received the bad news two hours earlier, she could have coped with it better, instead she is left to stare at the wall in disappointment


Two hours later now the food is cold and so is her heart, tired of it all
As time has passed, her disappointment has grown and is now affecting her entire being, causing her to feel cold and tired of the situation


Waiting for integration, a product of stagnation
The feeling of waiting for things to come together is a direct result of being stuck in a stagnant situation


Two separate lives
The two individuals involved in this situation are living separate and distinct lives


Still hoping for a celebration, yet always fearing cancellation
Despite their circumstances, they still cling to the hope of a celebration but are filled with fear that it may not happen


They can’t see why, they can’t see why
They are unable to understand why things are the way they are


And one is home and one is out, and one is thinking for oneself
One person is home, while the other is out and each one is preoccupied with their own thoughts and concerns


Someone’s content but one’s alone
One person is content with the situation, while the other is alone and unhappy


Something’s come up he feels he ought to go and show his face there
Something has happened that has caused him to feel obligated to attend an event and be seen


Part of the scene
He feels the need to be present at the event to be part of the social scene


He loses track of time the hours pass just one more drink then
He becomes so caught up in the situation that he loses sight of time and continues to drink


Gone to extremes
He has taken things to an extreme and his drinking has caused him to act in a way that is not rational


Timing is such a question, a cause of all the tension
The timing of events is a major source of tension between these two individuals


Still holding back on their expressions, no one gets enough attention
They are both not expressing their feelings and as a result, no one is getting the attention they need


They can’t see why, they can’t see why
Once again, they are unable to understand why things are the way they are




Contributed by Katherine H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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