One Thing At A Time

Album: One Thing at a Time (2022)
Charted: 10
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a heartbreak song where Morgan Wallen has broken up with his girlfriend. In a last desperate attempt to rescue their romance, he'd given up drinking, smoking and drugs, but she still left him. Erasing the memory of her will require plenty of energy, so he'll need the booze, cigarettes, and pills. Wallen is "only quittin' one thing at a time."
  • Morgan Wallen wrote "One Thing At A Time" with:

    His songwriting partner Ernest K. Smith. A frequent Wallen collaborator, Ernest co-wrote 11 tracks on his Dangerous album, plus his collaboration with Lil Durk, "Broadway Girls."

    Nashville songwriter Ashley Gorley. One of Music City's most prolific hitmakers, Gorley has co-written a slew of #1 charting singles, including "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins, "Good Girl" by Carrie Underwood, and "T-Shirt" by Thomas Rhett.

    Songwriter/producer Charlie Handsome. He has worked with some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B, including Khalid ("Better"), Travis Scott ("5% Tint") and Juice WRLD ("Life's A Mess"). He previously worked with Morgan Wallen on his Lil Durk collaboration "Broadway Girls."

    Wallen, Ernest, Gorley and Handsome also co-wrote the country star's "You Proof" hit single.
  • This is one of a trio of songs Wallen included on his One Thing at a Time - Sampler EP, a teaser of new music he'd been working on.
  • Joey Moi produced "One Thing At A Time," inserting shades of '80s pop into the production. Moi helmed all three of the EP tracks.
  • "One Thing At A Time" is the title track of Wallen's third studio album. The cover art is a photo of the country star posing in front of his grandmother's home in Sneedville, Tennessee.
  • One Thing at a Time debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200 dated March 18, 2023. With 498.28 million on-demand official streams, it broke the record for the largest streaming week ever for a country album.
  • One Thing at a Time spent 19 nonconsecutive weeks on top of the US Billboard 200, breaking the record of Garth Brooks' Ropin' the Wind for the most weeks at #1 for a country album. Ropin' the Wind logged 18 nonconsecutive weeks at the Billboard 200 summit in 1991-'92.
  • One Thing At A Time is a sprawling 36-track epic that blends traditional country sounds with unexpected elements of hip-hop, R&B, and rock. Wallen drew inspiration from a wide array of influences, including the likes of Lil Wayne, Def Leppard, and Eric Church, aiming to create an album that reflects his diverse musical tastes. It was recorded over several months at multiple studios, including his home studio in Nashville.
  • Morgan Wallen set the record for the most songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 18, 2023, when he charted 36 entries powered by One Thing at a Time. He went one better in May 2025 when he placed 37 songs on the Hot 100 following the release of I'm The Problem.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Gilby Clarke

Gilby ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."