About The Song
“Step By Step” is a romantic country-pop ballad by Eddie Rabbitt, released in July 1981 as the lead single from his Elektra Records album of the same name. Co-written by Rabbitt, Even Stevens, and David Malloy, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart for one week in October 1981, his sixth No. 1, and crossed over to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The 3:41 track outlines a courtship roadmap with tender sincerity: “First step, find a girl to love / Second step, get a big old diamond ring.” Rabbitt’s warm, velvety vocals and the song’s catchy melody made it a wedding favorite, as Billboard noted: “Eddie’s voice turns a simple love recipe into pure magic.” Rabbitt told CMT in 1982, “It’s about love’s journey, step by step—felt like my own story with Janine.” The song’s crossover success, amplified by heavy radio play, solidified Rabbitt’s status as a country-pop hitmaker.
Recorded in early 1981 at Caribou Ranch in Colorado and The Sound Shop in Nashville, the track was produced by David Malloy, with uncredited Nashville players likely including Larry Byrom on guitar, David Hungate on bass, and Matt Betton on drums, per Discogs. The polished arrangement—crisp acoustic guitar, soft piano, and lush strings—blends country warmth with pop sheen, as AllMusic praises: “It’s a slick, heartfelt gem that defined 1980s country crossover.” The album hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 23 on the Billboard 200. The G-C-D chord progression and “step by step, my dreams come true” refrain, per Chordify, ensured its radio dominance. A 2009 remaster on Number One Hits and a 2018 live version from Eddie Rabbitt: Live in Concert kept it relevant, per Spotify.
Eddie Rabbitt, born November 27, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, rose from songwriter—penning “Kentucky Rain” for Elvis Presley (1970)—to a 1970s and 1980s country-pop star with 17 No. 1 country hits, including “I Love a Rainy Night” (1980). Wikipedia notes his 1977 ACM Top New Male Vocalist award. “Step By Step” was a live staple, performed on Solid Gold in 1981 and during his 1982 tour with Crystal Gayle, with a YouTube clip showcasing his charismatic delivery. Covers are rare, but a 1982 version by The Kendalls exists, per SecondHandSongs. Reddit fans on r/country in 2023 called it “the ultimate love song,” with an X post in 2025 noting: “Still a wedding playlist must.” Rabbitt died of lung cancer on May 7, 1998, at 56.
The song appeared in no major films but thrives on streaming platforms, with Shazam users tagging its romantic melody. No controversies surround it—just Rabbitt’s knack for heartfelt anthems, as No Depression notes: “Eddie made love sound like a dance you never want to end.” “Step By Step” remains a timeless ode to love’s progression, cementing Rabbitt’s crossover legacy.
Video
Lyric
First step, find a girl to love
Second step, get a big old diamond ring
Third step, take her in your arms and never let her go
‘Cause step by step, my dreams come trueStep by step, I’m getting closer to you
Every move I make, every single night and day
Step by step, my dreams come trueFourth step, tell her that you love her
Fifth step, hold her when she cries
Sixth step, thank the Lord above for sending her to you
‘Cause step by step, my dreams come trueStep by step, I’m getting closer to you
Every move I make, every single night and day
Step by step, my dreams come trueStep by step, I’m getting closer to you
Every move I make, every single night and day
Step by step, my dreams come true