"1, 2 Step" is a R&B

Contemporary R&B

Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...

/dance

Dance music

Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...

/hip hop

Hip hop music

Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...

 song recorded by Ciara

Ciara

Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...

 and Missy Elliott

Missy Elliott

Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...

 for Ciara's debut album Goodies

Goodies (album)

Goodies is the debut studio album by American recording artist Ciara. It was released on September 28, 2004 via LaFace Records. After writing songs for several established acts, Ciara's talents were noticed by Jazze Pha, and she began to work on what became Goodies...

(2004). Written by Ciara and Missy Elliott and produced by Jazze Pha, it was released as the album's second single

Single (music)

In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 in October 2004 (see 2004 in music

2004 in music

See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....

) in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and the second quarter of 2005 (see 2005 in music

2005 in music

-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...

) internationally. It reached the top ten in several countries worldwide. The song is heavily-inspired by 1980s electro music production. Throughout the lyrics, Ciara gives a description of how the song's beat

Beat (music)

The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...

 feels as she demands party-goers to dance to the music. 1, 2 Step was ranked 59th on Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

's Top 100 Songs of the Decade.

Production and inspiration

"1, 2 Step" is one of four songs originally recorded at Doppler Studios in Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

 two years before the release of Goodies. Pha asked Missy Elliott to appear on the track and she accepted. Elliott recorded her rap verse at the Hit Factory Criteria in Miami

Miami, Florida

Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...

. Jazze Pha quoted that he completed the instrumental in four minutes. Pha said after feeling the others' energy in the recording studio makes "the best ones come real quick, in like four to eight minutes".

"1, 2 Step" is an R&B – futuristic track, which is strongly influenced by 1980s electro music. The song was created on one of Jazze Pha's five Akai MPC3000s. Pha used laser pulses from E-mu Proteus 2000s that were used for old school hip hop

Old school hip hop

Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music , and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended . Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group...

 songs and b-boy break dance

Break Dance

Break Dance is a Commodore 64 computer game that relies on players making dancing moves that resemble the classic game Simon says.-Gameplay:...

 tracks. Engineer Nico Solis says, "The zaps are his signature, his hi-hat

Hi-hat

A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...

 when he's doing futuristic beats". "1, 2 Step" is inspired by Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...

's "Planet Rock

Planet Rock (song)

"Planet Rock" is a 1982 song by Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force. In the background and hooks featured Marvella Murray, Yvette Murray, Melissa Johnson and Sandra Wheeler. Although it was only a minor hit in the US, Canada, and UK, it helped change the foundations of hip-hop and dance music...

". Jazze Pha thought about how he could create a more melodic version, "almost like roller-skating music". He believed it would fit Ciara's image.

Elliot's section in the song contains an interpolation

Interpolation (music)

Interpolation in music refers to an abrupt change in musical elements from the main theme.-In classical music:In music and musical composition, especially 20th century and later, interpolation is an abrupt change of elements, with continuation of the first idea...

 of a verse in Teena Marie

Teena Marie

Mary Christine Brockert, better known by her stage name Teena Marie, was an American singer, songwriter and producer...

's "Square Biz

Square Biz

"Square Biz" is a song by American R&B singer, Teena Marie. The song was released as a single in 1981 from the album It Must Be Magic. It would go on to become one of Marie's signature songs.- Chart performance :...

".

Release history

Region	Date
United States	November 23, 2004
United Kingdom	April 4, 2005

Reception

"1, 2 Step" received favorable reviews from music critics. Contact Music gave the song three out of five stars and called it "arse shaking floor filling R&B" and a "wicked melodic souful twist". Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic was published that the track is "good, if not great". Gerardo E. wrote it's "a feel good track", something that is not overproduced but works its magic". Kate Watkins of The Situation called it "a funky song in the style we have come to expect from Missy". Fazed stated that the song is about "joys of dancing around with family". Slant thought that "1, 2 Step" was "the fun dance track".

"1, 2 Step" was nominated for the 2006 Grammy Award

Grammy Awards of 2006

The 48th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 8, 2006 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Irish rock band U2 were the big winners, winning five awards including Album of the Year. Mariah Carey, John Legend, and Kanye West each were nominated for eight awards and won three,...

 for "Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

The Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs on which rappers and singers collaborate...

", but lost to "Numb/Encore

Numb/Encore

"Numb/Encore" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z and rock band Linkin Park from their album Collision Course, . It was released as a single on November 16, 2004, by Warner Bros. and Roc-A-Fella Records...

" by Jay-Z

Jay-Z

Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

 and Linkin Park

Linkin Park

Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...

. Also, the song won "Best Performed Songs in the ASCAP Repertory for the 2005 Survey Year", including the album Goodies singles "Oh" and title track

Goodies (song)

"Goodies" is the debut single by American recording artist Ciara. Written by herself, Sean Garrett, LeMarquis Jefferson, and Craig Love, the song is produced by Lil Jon and features label-mate Petey Pablo. It was released worldwide from June 2004 as the lead single from her debut album of the same...

; nominated for "Favorite Song" at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards

The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, also known as the KCAs or Kids Choice Awards, is an annual awards show that airs on the Nickelodeon cable channel, which airs live and is usually held and telecast live on a...

; "Best Dance Cut" and "Best R&B Soul/Rap New Artist" at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Music Awards; "Choice Music R&B/Hip Hop Track at the Teen Choice Awards

Teen Choice Awards

The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...

 and "Best Collaboration" and "Viewer's Choice" at the BET Awards

BET Awards

The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...

 in 2005.

Chart performance

"1, 2 Step" debuted at seventy-four on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

. In the January 8, 2005 issue of Billboard Magazine, the song peaked at #2 for seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 chart, becoming Ciara's second top-ten single. "1, 2 Step" reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay

Hot Dance Airplay

Dance/Mix Show Airplay is a monitored electronic dance music radio chart that is featured weekly in Billboard magazine. The chart came about as a result of the small but influential impact of electronic dance music on the radio in the United States and the stations that program it...

, Hot Digital Tracks

Hot Digital Tracks

The Hot Digital Tracks chart is a song popularity chart that ranks the best selling digital tracks in the United States according to Billboard magazine...

, and Top 40 Mainstream charts. It peaked in the top five on the Hot Digital Songs

Hot Digital Songs

The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...

, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...

, Rhythmic Top 40 and the Top 40 Tracks

Top 40 Tracks

Top 40 Tracks is a defunct airplay chart from Billboard Magazine. It was created in 1998, when Billboard Magazine changed the airplay profile of The Hot 100 Airplay to include more R&B, Country, and Rock stations to its profile . To preserve the notion of the former chart, Top 40 Tracks was...

 charts and the top thirty on the Hot Dance Club Play

Hot Dance Club Play

The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...

 chart.

"1, 2 Step" was successful outside the U.S., reaching the top ten in several countries. In the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, "1, 2 Step" entered and peaked at number three on both charts. In Ireland, the single stayed at three for three weeks. The song reached number two in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 for one week and New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 for two weeks. It peaked at number five in China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 and was a top thirty in Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 and Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

.

"1, 2 Step" was ranked #5 for the year on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2005.

Music video

The music video

Music video

A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

 for "1, 2 Step" was directed by Benny Boom

Benny Boom

Benny Boom is a music video director and current director of Gorilla Flix, Inc. He trained at Temple University's School of Radio, Television, & Film, and also served as a protégé of veteran director Little X and Hype Williams....

. It takes place in an Atlanta skating rink and on the streets. R&B boy band, B5 makes a short appearance in the video, along with Lloyd

Lloyd (singer)

Lloyd Polite, Jr. , who performs under the mononym Lloyd, is an American R&B recording artist, who experienced as a member of the group N-Toon before embarking on a solo career in 2004....

 and Lil Scrappy

Lil Scrappy

Darryl Kevin Richardson II , better known by his stage name Lil Scrappy, is an American rapper.Richards was discovered by producer and performer Lil Jon while performing at a bar, when a fight broke out during his set in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia...

. Ciara can be seen teaching others the song's titular "one, two step" dance, which is similar to the traditional grapevine

Grapevine (dance move)

Grapevine is the name of a dance figure, which may look different in various ballroom, club, and folk dances, but shares a common appearance: it includes side steps and steps across the support foot.-Sequence:...

.

The video begins, with Ciara inserting her Goodies CD in a radio, setting it to the "1, 2 Step" track, and pressing play. As the song begins, you see Jazze Pha reciting the introduction, showing Elliott, and then finally Ciara herself. We see Ciara and her dancers, dancing in the Atlanta skating Rink, and certain shots of her teaching her female friend the "1, 2 Step". We then see a clip of Ciara meeting up with B5 and performing the 1, 2 Step. Later Ciara is seen dancing alone on the streets. While dancing in the skating rink, she looks behind her, and sees Elliott in the mirror, but thinks she is just seeing things. Then Elliott begins to rap her verse and they continue dancing with each other in front of the mirror, until the songs ends. During this time, we also see shots of Ciara teaching a group of young girls the dance and also, she meets a boy who is standing in front of his house and kind of gives him a flirtatious look. We also see three dancing skaters, two male, and one female skater, skating in the streets and a final shot of Ciara and her dancers.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "1, 2 Step".
12" Vinyl
A-Side

1. "1, 2 Step"
2. "1, 2 Step" (Instrumental)

B-Side

1. "1, 2 Step"
2. "1, 2 Step" (Acapella)

Remix 12" Vinyl
A-Side

1. "1, 2 Step (Johnny Budz Mixshow Edit)"
2. "1, 2 Step (Ford's E-Hop Club Mix)"
3. "1, 2 Step (Don Candiani Reggaeton Mix)"

B-Side

1. "1, 2 Step (Don Candiani and Carmenantes Super Bounce Remix)"
2. "Goodies (Bimbo Jones Full Vocal)
   Goodies (song)
   "Goodies" is the debut single by American recording artist Ciara. Written by herself, Sean Garrett, LeMarquis Jefferson, and Craig Love, the song is produced by Lil Jon and features label-mate Petey Pablo. It was released worldwide from June 2004 as the lead single from her debut album of the same...
   
   "

French CD Single

1. "1, 2 Step"
2. "1, 2 Step (Johnny Budz Mixshow Edit)"

European Maxi Single

1. "1, 2 Step"
2. "1, 2 Step (Johnny Budzshow Edit)"
3. "1, 2 Step (Ford'S E-Hop Club Mix)"
4. "Goodies (Bimbo Jones Full Vocal)"

UK CD Single #1

1. "1, 2 Step"
2. "1, 2 Step" (Instrumental)

UK CD Single #2

1. "1, 2 Step"
2. "1, 2 Step (Delinquent Remix)"
3. "1, 2 Step (Phattbelly Club Remix)"
4. "1, 2 Step (Eazy Remix)"
5. "1, 2 Step" (Music video)

UK 12" Vinyl
A-Side

1. "1, 2 Step"
2. "1, 2 Step (Phattbelly Club Remix)"

B-Side

1. "1, 2 Step (Delinquent Growing Pains Remix)"
2. "1, 2 Step (Eazy Remix)"

UK Remix 12" Vinyl
A-Side

1. "1, 2 Step (Phatbelly Remix)"

B-Side

1. "1, 2 Step (Delinquent Remix)"
2. "1, 2 Step (Eazy Remix)"

Personnel

• Vocals by: Ciara
• Produced by: Jazze Pha
  Jazze Pha
  Phalon Anton Alexander , also known as Jazze Pha , is an American singer, and songwriter.raised in Memphis, TN; son of James Alexander ....
  
  
• Recorded by: Sam Thomas at Doppler Studios, Atlanta, Georgia
  Atlanta, Georgia
  Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
  
   and Carlos Bedoya at Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, Florida
  Miami, Florida
  Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
  
  
• Vocal production by: Pierre Medore for Tha Corner Boyz
• Mixed by: Leslie Brathwaite at Patchwerk Studios, Atlanta, Georgia
• Assisted by: Kori Anders

Charts and certifications

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Chart (2004–05)	Peak position
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... )	3

Certifications

Country	Provider	Certification
Australia	ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...	Platinum
New Zealand	RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...	Gold
United States	RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...	Platinum