One Thing

Album: Girl On Fire (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Keys penned this melancholy slow-burner with Frank Ocean and his frequent collaborator, James "Malay" Ho. Their collaboration started with the pair just conversing and getting to know one another. "We were just gonna hang out and talk and next thing we knew I was like, 'but I have these chords,'" she recalled to MTV News. Malay them picked up a guitar and started strumming and according to Keys a "natural, cool vibe" emerged that became this song.
  • The song is about the memory of a passed relationship during a journey "I really love ["One Thing"], because it's this story about this relationship," Keys told MTV News. "It starts out on the train and by the end of the song you figure out who I got on that train. And how there's one thing you're searching for and what happens in that story."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Guy Clark

Guy ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett are just a few of the artists who have looked to Clark for insightful, intelligent songs.

Jimmy Jam

Jimmy JamSongwriter Interviews

The powerhouse producer behind Janet Jackson's hits talks about his Boyz II Men ballads and regrouping The Time.

Jack Tempchin - "Peaceful Easy Feeling"

Jack Tempchin - "Peaceful Easy Feeling"They're Playing My Song

When a waitress wouldn't take him home, Jack wrote what would become one of the Eagles most enduring hits.

Tanita Tikaram

Tanita TikaramSongwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."

Fire On The Stage

Fire On The StageSong Writing

When you have a song called "Fire," it's tempting to set one - these guys did.