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🔘 Step Into Christmas – Single: Nov. 1973

  • Writer: Elton John
    Elton John
  • Nov 26, 1973
  • 3 min read


A glittering burst of festive glam‑pop joy, “Step Into Christmas” marked Elton John’s first original Christmas single — exuberant, melodic, and overflowing with the bright, celebratory energy of his classic early‑’70s period.


Released on November 26, 1973, the single arrived between the albums *Goodbye Yellow Brick Road* and *Caribou*. Issued by DJM Records under catalogue number DJS 290, the track was recorded quickly and deliberately mixed to emulate the dense, punchy sound of Phil Spector’s Christmas productions. Backed with the playful B‑side “Ho, Ho, Ho (Who’d Be a Turkey at Christmas?),” the release showcased Elton and Bernie Taupin’s ability to craft a festive anthem with both humour and heart. Entering the UK Singles Chart in early December, it became a seasonal hit and has since grown into one of Elton’s most enduring holiday classics.


Label: DJM Records

Catalogue Number: DJS 290

Format: 7" Vinyl Single (Solid Centre)

Released: November 26, 1973 (UK)


🔘 Track List


UK 7" Single — DJM – DJS 290 — 1973


A. Step Into Christmas

B. Ho, Ho, Ho (Who’d Be a Turkey at Christmas?)


Written by: Elton John, Bernie Taupin

Produced by: Gus Dudgeon

Recorded: 1973


🔘 Key Highlights

• Released November 26, 1973

• Elton John’s first original Christmas song

• B-side: Humorous festive track

• Chart debut: December 1973

• Performed on: *The Gilbert O’Sullivan Show* (notably)

• Recorded at: 1973 DJM sessions


🔘 The Story

By late 1973, Elton John was at the height of his creative and commercial powers. Fresh from the success of *Goodbye Yellow Brick Road*, he and Bernie Taupin turned their attention to crafting a Christmas single — something bright, joyful, and unmistakably Elton.


“Step Into Christmas” was recorded rapidly, with producer Gus Dudgeon intentionally pushing the mix into Spector‑style saturation: booming drums, chiming guitars, stacked vocals, and a wall of festive sound. Elton’s exuberant vocal and piano performance carried the track, while the B‑side, “Ho, Ho, Ho (Who’d Be a Turkey at Christmas?),” delivered a cheeky, narrative‑driven holiday vignette.


Although the single peaked modestly on release, it has since become one of Elton’s most beloved seasonal staples, returning to the charts in later decades and earning a permanent place in the UK’s festive canon.


🔘 Variants (UK)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single — DJM – DJS 290 — UK — 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Demo — DJM – DJS 290 — UK — 1973

• Issued in standard DJM company sleeve


🔘 Chart Performance


UK — Official Singles Chart

33 — December 8, 1973

26 — December 15, 1973

23 — December 22, 1973

24 — December 29, 1973

38 — January 5, 1974


Total Weeks: 5


🔘 Context & Notes

• A-side: Elton’s first original Christmas single

• B-side: Humorous festive narrative

• Production: Gus Dudgeon

• Sleeve notes: Standard DJM company sleeve

• Historical placement: Now regarded as a Christmas classic

• Reissues / compilation appearances: Featured on numerous Elton John holiday and career anthologies


🔘 Related Material

• *Goodbye Yellow Brick Road* (1973)

• “Bennie and the Jets” (1974)

• “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” (1974)

• *Caribou* (1974)


🔘 Discography

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road — 1973

Step Into Christmas — 1973

Bennie and the Jets — 1974

Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me — 1974


🔘 Mini‑Timeline

✦ 1973 — Recorded during DJM sessions

✦ Nov 26, 1973 — UK single released

✦ Dec 8, 1973 — Enters UK Singles Chart

✦ Dec 22, 1973 — Peaks at No. 23

✦ Jan 5, 1974 — Completes 5‑week chart run


🔘 Glam Flashback

A sparkling, joyous glam‑pop Christmas classic — festive, exuberant, and unmistakably Elton.



🔘 Sources

Primary reference sources: DJM Records, Discogs, Official Charts Company, contemporary music‑press documentation, archival references.


🔘 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.





 
 
 

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