Released 26 November 1973 Length 4:30 | Genre Christmas Label DJM, MCA | |
B-side "Ho, Ho, Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas)" Writer(s) Elton John
Bernie Taupin | ||
"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. It peaked at No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, the single reached No. 56 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart.
Contents
"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, and various Christmas compilation albums. Two versions with different vocals exist.
According to liner notes about the song by Elton John and Bernie Taupin (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 at Morgan Studios in London, owned by drummer Barry Morgan, who had played on several of Elton'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.
In 2009, "Step into Christmas" was the ninth most played Christmas song in the United Kingdom. In December 2016 the song was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry for sales of 200,000 copies.
Music video
A music video was produced to promote the single, and is notable for its cameo appearance of Bernie Taupin who is seen briefly playing bells during the song's bridge.
Other versions
"Step into Christmas" was covered by the band The Wedding Present on their 1992 album Hit Parade II, 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.