"Back at One" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Brian McKnight. It was released as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Back at One (1999), on August 9, 1999. The song became a chart hit, reaching number two in the United States and entering the top 10 in Canada and New Zealand.
Composition Sheet music for "Back at One" is in the key of B major in common time with a slow tempo of 65 beats per minute.Back at One The song modulates a half step to C major for the last chorus.
Chart performance "Back at One" went on to be one of McKnight's biggest successes, reaching the top ten in New Zealand, Canada and the United States, where it eventually peaked at number two for eight weeks but was kept off the top spot by "Smooth" by Santana.
Music video The music video was directed by Francis Lawrence and was nominated for R&B video of the year in the Music Video Production Association Awards. In this music video, the ghost of Brian McKnight performs the song while walking out of the plane crash site at a cornfield.
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1999–2000) PeakpositionCanada CHR (Nielsen BDS)7 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 33
Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position US Billboard Hot 100 82 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard) 70 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) 90US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard) 21 Chart (2000) Position Brazil (Crowley)78 US Billboard Hot 100 20 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 7 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) 57 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard) 55 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) 25 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard) 33 US Top 40 Tracks (Billboard) 23
Certifications
Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)United StatesAugust 9, 1999MotownAugust 10, 1999September 13, 1999Smooth jazz radioNovember 5, 2002Digital download
Mark Wills version
American country music artist Mark Wills covered "Back at One" on his 2000 album Permanently, also releasing it as that album's first single. Released in October 1999 (two months after McKnight's version), Wills' cover peaked at number two on the Billboard country singles charts for a week. Despite not reaching the top spot in the US, the song did manage to reach number one on the Canadian RPM country tracks. In addition to his country chart success, "Back at One" also became his fifth entry on the Hot 100 charts, peaking at number 36 there.
Music video The music video was directed by Jim Hershleder.
Charts Chart (1999–2000)Peakposition
Year-end charts Chart (2000)Position US Hot Country Singles & Tracks (Billboard) 22
Other versions McKnight also performed the song with Brazilian singer Ivete Sangalo on her album Festa (en: Party).
In 2000, keyboardist Bob Baldwin released a cover of the song from the album BobBaldwin.com. Also in 2000, Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer Sanchez recorded a reggae cover version of the song over the "Fi Wi Rock" rhythm produced by King Jammy which became a popular dancehall hit in Jamaica and the US.
In 2001, UK music artist Lulu recorded the song for her album Together with a duet with Irish pop band Westlife and performed it live subsequently.
In 2003, Smooth jazz guitarist and musician Paul Jackson, Jr. covered the song as the closing track from the album Still Small Voice.
Another instrumental rendition of this song has been performed by saxophonist Warren Hill, from his album 2005 PopJazz.
In 2006, British pop singer Shayne Ward also performed this song on his debut album Shayne Ward.
Singer Mijares covered it in his 2009 Spanish album Vivir Así.
References