Step into Christmas

"Step into Christmas"
Single by Elton John
B-side "Ho, Ho, Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas)"
Released 23 November 1973
Recorded 11 November 1973
Genre Pop rock
Length 4:30
Label DJM, MCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Gus Dudgeon
Elton John singles chronology
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
(1973)		 "Step into Christmas"
(1973)		 "Candle in the Wind"
(1974)

"Step into Christmas" is a Christmas song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and performed by Elton John. It was released as a stand-alone single in November 1973 with the song "Ho, Ho, Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas)" as the B-side. Upon its original 1973 release, the song peaked at No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart, and it reached a new peak of No. 11 on the same chart in 2017.[1] In the United States, the single reached No. 56 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart[2] and No. 1 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart.[3][note 1]

"Step into Christmas" was later included as a bonus track on the 1995 remastered re-issue of the album Caribou, even though it was released in the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road era. It also appears on the albums Elton John's Christmas Party, Rare Masters, To Be Continued, Diamonds and various Christmas compilation albums. Two versions with different vocals exist.

In 2009, "Step into Christmas" was the ninth most played Christmas song in the United Kingdom.[5] In December 2016 the song was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry for sales of 200,000 copies.

Recording

According to liner notes about the song (in Rare Masters and Elton John's Christmas Party), the track and its B-side, both produced by Gus Dudgeon, were recorded during a quickie session on 11 November 1973 at Morgan Studios in London, [6] which was owned by drummer Barry Morgan, who had played on several of John's early albums. "Step into Christmas" was mixed to sound like one of producer Phil Spector's 1960s recordings, using plenty of compression and imitating his trademark wall of sound technique. This was intentional according to both John and Taupin, and an homage of sorts to Christmas songs by Spector-produced groups such as The Ronettes.

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single,[7] and is notable for its cameo appearance of Taupin, who is seen briefly playing tubular bells during the song's bridge. John is also seen holding his Watford F.C. supporters card. John would later go on to own the club.

Other versions

"Step into Christmas" was covered by the band The Wedding Present on their 1992 single "No Christmas" and also covered by The Business for the holiday EP Bollocks to Christmas. The song was also covered by The Puppini Sisters on their 2010 holiday album Christmas with The Puppini Sisters.

Notes

  1. ↑ In years when Billboard published a Christmas Singles chart, Christmas singles were not listed on the Hot 100 chart.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "step-into-christmas | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel. Top Pop Singles 1955–1996 (1997):316
  4. ↑ Whitburn, Joel. Top Pop Singles 1955–1996 (1997):xi
  5. ↑ "Mariah Is Our Christmas Number 1". Prsformusic.com. 22 December 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  6. ↑ Moments: ‘Step Into Christmas’ Retrieved 19 December 2017
  7. ↑ "Elton John Step Into Christmas Official Video". YouTube. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2016.

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