Honest truth? Most Christmas hits feel like they were manufactured in a lab to make you buy more wrapping paper. But then there’s Step Into Christmas. It’s messy. It’s loud. It sounds like a party that’s about to spin out of control, and that is exactly why we are still talking about it more than 50 years later.
In late 1973, Elton John was basically the king of the world. He had just dropped Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, an album so massive it could have its own zip code. He didn’t need a holiday hit. But Elton being Elton, he decided he wanted to say thanks to the fans. He wanted a "thank you card" in musical form.
So, he and Bernie Taupin wrote the whole thing in a single morning. They recorded it the very next afternoon. That’s it. One day of work for a song that now generates enough royalties to probably power a small village.
The Phil Spector Obsession
If you listen closely to the percussion—that driving, echoing wall of sound—you’re hearing a very specific tribute. Elton and his producer, Gus Dudgeon, were trying to copy Phil Spector’s famous "Wall of Sound" technique. You know, the stuff that made A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector so iconic.
They wanted it to sound huge.
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They used Morgan Studios in London on Sunday, November 11, 1973. It wasn't some long, drawn-out session. It was a "loon about," as Elton called it. He told Melody Maker at the time that they’d never really written a song specifically to be a single before. Usually, they wrote albums and the singles just sort of happened. This was different. It was intentional, yet completely spontaneous.
Why it took 40 years to become a "Super Hit"
Here is the weird part about the history of Step Into Christmas. When it first came out in '73, it didn't even break the Top 20 in the UK. It peaked at Number 24. In the US, it did okay on the Billboard Christmas charts, but it wasn't exactly a world-conquering anthem.
Then, the digital era happened.
Streaming changed everything for holiday music. Around 2011, the song started creeping back into the UK Singles Chart. And it didn't just visit; it moved in.
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- 2017: It hit Number 11.
- 2019: It finally cracked the Top 10, hitting Number 8.
- 2025: Just last month, it reached a new peak of Number 7 in the UK.
It's actually more popular now than it was when Elton was wearing the platform boots for the first time. In December 2025, the RIAA officially certified it Platinum in the US for over a million units sold. In the UK, it’s currently 4x Platinum. That is a staggering amount of staying power for a song written over breakfast.
That Kitsch 1973 Music Video (and the 2024 Remake)
You’ve probably seen the original video. Elton is wearing these massive, feathered glasses. Bernie Taupin is awkwardly holding a Watford FC supporters' card and playing tubular bells. It looks like it cost about fifty bucks to make.
The chaos was real. They were just having a ball.
Interestingly, to celebrate the song's massive resurgence, a brand-new video was released in late 2024. It stars Cara Delevingne playing a 1970s-era Elton. It’s a meta-tribute to the original, reimagining the "making of" the 1973 promo. It captures that same frantic, "we're just making this up as we go" energy that defined the original session.
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The Secret Ingredient: The Bass Line
If you’re a music nerd, you know the real hero of Step Into Christmas is the late Dee Murray. His bass playing on this track is absolutely wild. While most Christmas songs are content with a simple "thump-thump," Murray is playing lead lines that weave in and out of Elton's piano.
The band lineup was the "classic" trio:
- Davey Johnstone on those bright, jangling guitars.
- Dee Murray on the melodic bass.
- Nigel Olsson on the heavy-hitting drums.
- Kiki Dee actually provided uncredited backing vocals (this was right before "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" made her a household name).
How to actually enjoy the track today
Honestly, the best way to experience the song isn't through a tinny phone speaker. You need the original 1973 mix. There are two versions floating around—the standard single and a slightly different vocal version recorded for The Gilbert O'Sullivan Show.
The single mix is the one with the most "punch." It’s got that muddy, glorious 70s reverb that makes it feel like you’re standing in the middle of a crowded pub on Christmas Eve.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the B-Side: If you only know the main track, go find "Ho, Ho, Ho (Who'd Be A Turkey At Christmas)". It’s a ridiculous, fun track recorded in the same session that most people completely overlook.
- Watch the 2024 Video: Look for the Cara Delevingne version on YouTube; the attention to detail on Elton's 70s wardrobe is actually pretty impressive.
- Listen for the "Wall of Sound": Next time it plays, try to ignore the lyrics and just listen to the sheer amount of percussion in the background. It’s a masterclass in 70s production.
The legacy of Step Into Christmas is basically a lesson in not overthinking things. Elton and Bernie didn't try to write a masterpiece. They tried to write a party. Fifty years later, the party is still going.