"Every Little Step" | ||||
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Single by Bobby Brown | ||||
from the album Don't Be Cruel | ||||
Released | January 31, 1989 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:57 | |||
Label | MCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Bobby Brown singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Every Little Step" on YouTube |
"Every Little Step" is a 1989 single by American singer Bobby Brown, written by L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and released by MCA Records. Released as the fourth single on his second album Don't Be Cruel it reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Hot Black Singles chart, and number six on the UK Singles Chart in 1989. The song also appears on Brown's remix album Dance!...Ya Know It! . The single garnered Brown's first career Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 32nd Grammy Awards in 1990.
Around the time Don't Be Cruel was in production, Reid was dating singer Pebbles, who later became his wife. Inspired by his relationship with his girlfriend at the time, he wrote and co-produced the song with Edmonds, intending to give it to the group Midnight Star. Bobby Brown, however, heard a demo of the song and liked it instantly, which led to its inclusion on Don't Be Cruel. [3]
Brown popularized the Roger Rabbit dance (aka the "backwards" running man),[ citation needed ] as performed in the music video for the song, [4] along with the Gumby-style hi-top fade. [5]
In 1995, "Every Little Step" was remixed by British DJ/producer C.J. Mackintosh and was included on Brown's remix album, Two Can Play That Game (1995). This version of the song was released as a single in 1996, reaching number 25 in the UK Singles Chart. [6]
In 2013, former New Edition manager Steven Machat claimed additional vocals on the song were allegedly done by Brown's friend, and fellow New Edition member Ralph Tresvant. Machat alleges that Tresvant was brought in to sing some of Brown's vocals, as he claims Brown had been strung out on drugs. [7] Machat's story contradicts what happened with Brown as far back as 1989, where he was interviewed by Rolling Stone during the filming of the video for "On Our Own". Brown said he left New Edition primarily because of Machat and his business partners, Bill Dern and Rick Smith, whom he named as the managers who ripped him off and started the rumor of him being heavily addicted to drugs at the time. Brown said, "People at MCA thought we was on drugs. That wasn't us. We were a bunch of brats, but we wasn't into drugs, we wasn't into liquor. We was into girls". [8]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [28] | Gold | 35,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [29] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Robert Barisford Brown Sr. is an American singer and rapper. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started his career in the R&B and pop group New Edition, from its inception in 1978 until his exit from the group in December 1985.
"My Prerogative" is a song by American singer Bobby Brown from his second studio album, Don't Be Cruel (1988). It was released on October 11, 1988, as the second single from the album. After recording sessions were completed, Brown and producer Gene Griffin traveled to New York City, since he felt something was "missing" from the record. "My Prerogative" was written by Brown as a response to the criticism he received for his firing from New Edition. He explained the song was about making decisions in one's life and not caring about other people's judgment. "My Prerogative" is often considered as new jack swing.
Don't Be Cruel is the second studio album by American singer Bobby Brown. It was released in the United States on June 20, 1988, by MCA Records. MCA changed producers for this album and had Brown work with hit-making songwriting and production duo Babyface and L.A. Reid. Brown dedicated the album to his deceased best friend James "Jimbo" Flint who was stabbed to death when Brown was aged 11. Don't Be Cruel incorporates new jack swing, R&B, funk, dance and soul.
"Blame It on the Rain" is a song written by Diane Warren and performed by the German dance-pop group Milli Vanilli. It was released as a new track from the group's North American debut album, Girl You Know It's True (1989), and did not appear on All or Nothing (1988), their debut album in other regions. An extended remix of the song did appear on The U.S.-Remix Album: All or Nothing (1989), which served to release the new tracks included on Girl You Know It's True that did not appear on All or Nothing outside of North America.
"Hit Me Off" is a song by American R&B group New Edition, released in July 1996 as the first single from the group's sixth studio album, Home Again (1996), as well as their first single in seven years. Featuring lead vocals from all six New Edition members, it samples "Storm King" by Bob James, "I Got Cha Opin" by Black Moon, and "One Nation Under a Groove" by Funkadelic.
"Humpin' Around" is a song by American singer Bobby Brown. It is rumored that the song was originally titled "Fuckin' Around", with the name later changed to make it more radio friendly, and to avoid potential censorship. The song contains an interpolation of "Dancing Days" by Led Zeppelin.
Heart Break is the fifth studio album by American R&B quintet New Edition, released June 20, 1988, by MCA Records. It is the first album to return the Boston-reared band as a quintet after the public exit of original member Bobby Brown, and the first album to feature Johnny Gill as a member of the group. The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
"Candy Girl" is the debut single by New Edition from their debut album Candy Girl. It was released as a single in late February 1983 and the song hit number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the 31st-best-selling single of the year. It also peaked at number 1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, passing Michael Jackson’s song "Beat It" on May 14, 1983.
"Cool It Now" is a 1984 hit single by American group New Edition, is the first single from their eponymous second album, New Edition. In the US, the song entered the Hot Black Singles chart on September 1, 1984 and reached number 1. In January 1985 the song peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was Produced by Vincent Brantley and Rick Timas. The lyrics depict a guy professing his love for a girl, despite growing concerns from his friends.
"Mr. Telephone Man" is a song by New Edition, and the second single from their eponymous second album, New Edition. Released as a single, by December 8, 1984, it was being added to the most "Hot Black" radio station playlists.
"If It Isn't Love" is a song by American R&B quintet New Edition, and the first single from their fifth studio album, Heart Break (1988). The song became the biggest hit from the album, reaching the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number seven, becoming their first top 10 hit following the departure of Bobby Brown, and reaching the second position on the Hot Black Singles chart. The song and video is also notable for being the introduction of fellow R&B singer Johnny Gill as a new member of the R&B quintet. Its chart performance and well-received music video garnered the quintet their first, and to date, sole nomination for the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 31st Grammy Awards in February 1989.
"Don't Be Cruel" is a song by American singer Bobby Brown. Taken from his second studio album of the same name, the song was written and produced by the songwriting and production duo Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid, with additional writing by Daryl Simmons.
"On Our Own" is a song by American singer Bobby Brown from the soundtrack of the 1989 Columbia motion picture Ghostbusters II. It was released as a single on May 30, 1989. It peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot Black Singles chart for one week and at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. Outside the US, it reached number one in New Zealand for three weeks and became a top-five hit in Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
"Baby Don't Forget My Number" is a song by German dance-pop group Milli Vanilli. The track was released in December 1988 as the second single from their debut album, All or Nothing (1988), as well as its American counterpart, Girl You Know It's True (1989). It became the first of their three number-one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989, earning a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Worldwide, the single reached the top 10 in seven other countries and was certified gold in Australia, where it charted for 36 weeks.
"Roni" is a song by American singer Bobby Brown, written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds with additional lyrics written by the Deele member Darnell Bristol. It was released on the MCA label as the third single from Brown's second album, Don't Be Cruel (1988). "Roni" reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in March 1989 and peaked at number two on the Hot Black Singles chart in January 1989.
"Your Mama Don't Dance" is a hit 1972 song by the rock duo Loggins and Messina. Released on their self-titled album Loggins and Messina, it reached number four on the Billboard pop chart and number 19 on the Billboard Easy Listening Chart as a single in early 1973.
"Rock Wit'cha" is the fifth and final single released by Bobby Brown from the album Don't Be Cruel. It is a ballad with two versions of the song. The music video uses the remix version found in the Dance!...Ya Know It! album. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1989.
"Bust a Move" is a song by British-American rapper Young MC from his 1989 debut album, Stone Cold Rhymin'. The song is built on a sample of "Found a Child" by the group Ballin' Jack. The drums, produced by a LinnDrum, are sampled from the song "Radio-Activity" by RoyalCash. The breakdown segment contains a combination of beats sampled from the songs "Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band, and "Daytime Hustler" by Bette Midler. "Bust a Move" also featured guest vocals by Crystal Blake and bass guitar by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, who both appear in the music video.
The discography of American R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and dancer Bobby Brown consists of five studio albums, six compilation/remix albums and 24 singles.
American singer Whitney Houston, known as "The Voice", released 57 singles as a leading artist and 4 as a featured artist. Houston is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 220 million records sold worldwide. In the United States, Houston amassed 11 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, all of whom have been certified either gold, platinum, multi-platinum or diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America and was one of a selected group of artists to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in four different decades. She is currently ranked in seventh place of the artists with the most number one singles in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. Prior to the introduction of digital singles, Houston sold 16.5 million physical singles in the country, the most ever by a female recording artist. In October 2012, the Official Charts Company claimed Houston was the fourth biggest-selling female singles artist of all time with a sales total of 8.5 million singles in that country.