Sheet music for "Back at One" is in the key ofB major in common time with a slow tempo of 65 beats per minute.[1] The song modulates a half step toC major for the last chorus.
"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" bySantana.[2]
Americancountry music artistMark Wills covered "Back at One" on his 2000 albumPermanently, 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 theBillboard country singles charts for a week.[41] Despite not reaching the top spot in the US, the song did manage to reach number one on the CanadianRPM 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.
McKnight also performed the song with Brazilian singerIvete Sangalo on her albumFesta (en:Party).
In 2000, keyboardistBob Baldwin released a cover of the song from the albumBobBaldwin.com.[46][47]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 artistLulu recorded the song for her albumTogether with a duet withIrish pop bandWestlife and performed it live subsequently.
In 2003, Smooth jazz guitarist and musicianPaul Jackson, Jr. covered the song as the closing track from the albumStill Small Voice.
Another instrumental rendition of this song has been performed bysaxophonistWarren Hill, from his album 2005PopJazz.[48][49]
In 2006, British pop singerShayne Ward also performed this song on his debut albumShayne Ward.