Every Little Step
Encyclopedia
"Every Little Step" is a 1989 single by R&B singer Bobby Brown
, released by the MCA Records
label. Released as the fourth single on his second album Don't Be Cruel
, it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
, #1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, and #6 on the UK Singles Chart
. The song also appears on Brown's album of remixes, Dance!...Ya Know It!
.
era, complete with a rap (edited out in some versions). In the late-'80s and early '90s, Brown's style of rap was injected into the bridge of many Pop songs, essentially replacing a guitar solo. As rap evolved, this style became outdated, but it helped bring together Hip-Hop and Pop, especially since the rap could be removed on versions for the many radio stations that were not comfortable with the genré.
.
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
, released by the MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
label. Released as the fourth single on his second album Don't Be Cruel
Don't Be Cruel (album)
Don't Be Cruel is the second album by American R&B singer Bobby Brown, released in 1988 on MCA Records. It includes four hit singles "Don't Be Cruel", "My Prerogative", "Roni" and "Every Little Step." All were #1 R&B singles except "Roni," which peaked at #2, while "My Prerogative" became Brown's...
, it reached #3 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...
, #1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, and #6 on the UK Singles Chart
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 ...
. The song also appears on Brown's album of remixes, Dance!...Ya Know It!
Dance!...Ya Know It!
Dance!...Ya Know it! is a remix album by American singer Bobby Brown, released in 1989. The album features remixes of various recordings collected from his King of Stage and Don't Be Cruel albums including "On Our Own", a single from the Ghostbusters II soundtrack...
.
Composition
The song is about falling for a girl in a big way. The song is a classic of the New jack swingNew jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
era, complete with a rap (edited out in some versions). In the late-'80s and early '90s, Brown's style of rap was injected into the bridge of many Pop songs, essentially replacing a guitar solo. As rap evolved, this style became outdated, but it helped bring together Hip-Hop and Pop, especially since the rap could be removed on versions for the many radio stations that were not comfortable with the genré.
Music video
The song's video is known for its all-white background with dancers in front. This video style has been replicated since then, most notably in commercials for GapGap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
.
Covers and samples
- Performed by Vocal Point on NBC's The Sing Off 2011
- Performed on The X Factor USA 2011
- R&B/pop singer UsherUsher (entertainer)Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
covered "Every Little Step" on his 1999 album, LiveLive (Usher album)Live is a live album by American recording artist Usher. It was recorded on October 15 and 16, 1998 in the singer's hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and released by LaFace Records on March 23, 1999...
. - Play covered the song for their Don't Stop the Music album.
- Mercury4Mercury4Mercury4 is a Melbourne-based Australian boy band which, , has achieved three top 40 singles in Australia.-History:Mercury4 started in 2000 with Rien Low and Brad Johnston meeting and deciding to work together. Cole Rintoul joined in 2001 with Jarvier Perez joining in 2002...
covered the song on their debut albumMercury4 (album)Mercury4 is the 2004 debut album by Melbourne boy band Mercury4.-Making of the album and chart success:BMG recruited hit production team the Matrix who had produced hits for Avril Lavigne and Hilary Duff to write and produce their first single "Get Me Some"...
. - The song was sampled in "If You MustIf You Must (song)"If You Must" is a song by the alternative hip hop artist Del Tha Funkee Homosapien. The song has uncredited samples of "La Di Da Di" by Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh and "Every Little Step" by Bobby Brown. The song is a comedic song describing a man with poor bodily hygiene, who always hangs around...
" by Del Tha Funkee HomosapienDel tha Funkee HomosapienTeren Delvon Jones , better known as Del the Funky Homosapien or Del tha Funkee Homosapien, is an American MC.-Early life and beginnings: 1990-1997:...
without credit. - Australian band BluejuiceBluejuiceBluejuice is a rock band based in Sydney, Australia. The group consists of Jake Stone, Stavros Yiannoukas, Jamie Cibej, Jerry Craib and James Hauptmann.They have released three studio albums; Problems, Head of the Hawk and Company....
covered the song on the weekly segment Like a VersionLike A VersionLike a Version is a segment on the Australian radio station Triple J. It was created by Mel Bampton as part of the Mel in the Morning program. Currently the segment pops up whenever artists are available and willing to do it, though mainly on the Breakfast show...
on Triple JTriple Jtriple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
in September 2008. - John TravoltaJohn TravoltaJohn Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
covered the song on the soundtrack to the film Old DogsOld Dogs (film)Old Dogs is a 2009 American ensemble comedy film directed by Wild Hogs Walt Becker and starring Robin Williams and John Travolta with an ensemble supporting cast played by Kelly Preston, Matt Dillon, Justin Long, Seth Green, Rita Wilson, Dax Shepard, and Bernie Mac...
. - Wayne BradyWayne BradyWayne Alphonso Brady is an actor, singer, comedian and television personality, known for his work as a regular on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and as the host of the daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show...
and Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
parodied this song in a video for the website "Funny or DieFunny or DieFunny or Die is a comedy video website founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's production company, Gary Sanchez Productions with original and user-generated content. Funny or Die contains exclusive material from a number of famous contributors and also has its own Funny or Die Team, which creates...
" Bobby himself appears in the parody.