Step Back in Time

Infobox Single
Name = Step Back in Time


Artist = Kylie Minogue
from Album = Rhythm of Love
Released = October 1990: Worldwide
Format = CD single: Worldwide
Vinyl single: Worldwide
Cassette single: United Kingdom
Recorded = London, England
Genre = Pop/Dance
Length = 3:03
Label = PWL/Mushroom
[Writer = Mike Stock
Matt Aitken
Pete Waterman
Producer = Stock, Aitken & Waterman
[Certification =]
Last single = "Better the Devil You Know"
(1990)
This single = "Step Back in Time"
(1990)
Next single = "What Do I Have to Do?"
(1991)

"Step Back in Time" is a 1990 song recorded by Kylie Minogue.

Background

"Step Back in Time" was released in October of 1990 as a second single prior to the release of Minogue's third album "Rhythm Of Love". Originally, the song "What Do I Have to Do?" was going to be released as the second single but the decision was changed to "Step Back in Time". This song marks the first time Minogue took her music into the genre of disco. In the song, Minogue gives her critique on modern music and wishes that life could be similar to the way it was in the 1970s ("Remembering the old days/"Remember the O'Jays").

Music video

The music video for "Step Back in Time" features Minogue in a number of campy 1970s-style costumes with similarly attired dancers. In one scene, Minogue is shown with a green feathery vest, black hot pants, and oversized sunglasses. In another scene Kylie is dressed in a Partridge family-esque outfit dancing. The video promotes the image of Minogue travelling around a city with her friends dressed in 1970s influenced attire and partying.

Continuing popularity

Kylie Minogue's initial successes in various worldwide markets, particularly in Europe were not sustained by 1990 but she remained consistently popular in her homeland of Australia and even more so in her production base, the UK.

In the UK "Step Back in Time", it is considered, marked the beginning of a popular backlash against her new "raunch" image amongst her initial demographic of young teenagers. In the annual "Smash Hits" Poll 1990, a popular teen music magazine which avidly supported the star, Minogue won several "worst" awards for such crimes ranging from her fashion sense to her recent musical output. Although her music, still produced by UK producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman, was not radically removed from her previous output, her recent change of image, for the time being it seemed, was to lose her more popular support than she was to gain, most notably with hindsight, an increasing gay following due to a more dance-pop orientation.

Formats and track listings

; 7" Single PWL
# "Step Back in Time" (Edit) (3:03)
# "Step Back in Time" (Instrumental) (3:30)

; 12" Single PWL
# "Step Back in Time" (Walkin' Rhythm Mix) (8:05)
# "Step Back in Time" (Extended Instrumental) (4:59)

; Cassette Single PWL
# "Step Back in Time" (Edit) (3:03)
# "Step Back in Time" (Instrumental) (3:30)

; CD Single PWL
# "Step Back in Time" (Edit) (3:03)
# "Step Back in Time" (Walkin' Rhythm Mix) (8:05)
# "Step Back in Time" (Instrumental) (3:30)

; Australian 7" MUSHROOM
# "Step Back in Time" (Edit) (3:03)
# "Step Back in Time" (Instrumental) (3:30)

; Australian 12" MUSHROOM
# "Step Back in Time" (Walkin' Rhythm Mix) (8:05)
# "Step Back in Time" (Edit) (3:03)
# "Step Back in Time" (Extended Instrumental) (4:59)

; Australian Cassette 1 Single MUSHROOM
# "Step Back in Time" (Edit) (3:03)
# "Step Back in Time" (Instrumental) (3:30)

; Australian Cassette 2 Single MUSHROOM
# "Step Back in Time" (Walkin' Rhythm Mix) (8:05)
# "Step Back in Time" (Edit) (3:03)
# "Step Back in Time" (Instrumental) (3:30)

; Australian CD Single MUSHROOM
# "Step Back in Time" (Edit) (3:03)
# "Step Back in Time" (Walkin' Rhythm Mix) (8:05)
# "Step Back in Time" (Instrumental) (3:30)

Chart performance

Minogue continued to performed consistently on both the UK and Australian charts hitting #4 in the UK and #5 in Australia. It also hit #21 in New Zealand, becoming her last charting single until "Confide in Me" in 1994, and #36 in Germany.