Eric Woolfson wrote most of the music and lyrics while Alan Parsons overviewed the production process. Prior to starting his Project, Parsons worked as an engineer with names such as the Beatles (Abbey Road, the Get Back roofttop concert) and Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon, Atom Heart Mother).
Since the 1990s Alan Parsons has been performing live shows, touring all over the world, but without Eric Woolfson.
Step By Step
The Alan Parsons Project Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I Didn't have the Heart to play
But sooner or later
I'll find a reason to throw it away
Risin' on the crest of a natural wave
That Never seems to break my way
I'm livin' without it
Step by step little by little
Step by step take it line by line
Move move move, move a Little closer
I was Just a runner in a one horse race
Livin' on the don't pass line
Sooner or later
I Got to lose cause I'm wasting my time
Lady luck must have been a wonderful girl
She's never been a Friend of mine
I'm living without her
But I still got that mountain to climb
Step by step little by little
Step by step rake it line by line
Move move move, move a little closer
Step by step the Deal is mine
The Alan Parsons Project's song "Step By Step" tells a story of a successful individual, who feels trapped in a world that they have created for themselves, constantly trying to rise above the limitations set upon them. In the opening verse, the singer describes themselves as a "joker in a serious game" who was never brave enough to play along. They have been living on the fringe and enjoying life. But sooner or later, they realize they need to throw away their carefree attitude and take their life seriously. They are tired of simply existing and want to start living, but they don't know how to change their situation. They are "livin' without it," but they know they need to do something about it.
The second verse tells the story of someone who feels like they were born to lose, destined for failure, living their life on chance. They are running in a one-horse race, always living as if they are the underdog. They know that they will eventually lose, but they don't know how to break the cycle. The singer realizes that success is a journey, not a destination. It doesn't happen all at once, but rather it happens "step by step, little by little, take it line by line." The only way to move forward is to "move a little closer" every day. Each step gets them closer to their goals until they finally achieve success.
**Interesting facts about the song "Step By Step":**
* "Step By Step" was released in 1981 on The Alan Parsons Project's album "The Turn of a Friendly Card."
* The song was written by Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons.
* Parsons himself does not sing on the song; instead, the lead vocal is done by Lenny Zakatek.
* Lenny Zakatek has provided the lead vocals for several other Alan Parsons tracks, including "Games People Play."
* The song was released as a single and reached #16 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981, making it one of the band's biggest hits.
* The song features a prominent synthesizer riff, which was a common feature of many of the band's songs.
* The album cover features the artwork of Hipgnosis, a design studio which was responsible for many iconic album covers from the 60s to the 80s.
* Eric Woolfson, who co-wrote the song, was a well-respected composer and songwriter in his own right. His other credits include co-writing "Eye in the Sky" with Parsons and singing lead vocals on the song "Time" from the album "The Time Machine."
* The Alan Parsons Project disbanded in 1990 after releasing 11 studio albums and selling over 50 million records worldwide.
* "Step By Step" remains a fan favorite and is often included in "best of" lists of The Alan Parsons Project's discography.
**Chords:**
The chords for "Step By Step" are C, Am, F, and G.
Line by Line Meaning
I was just a joker in a serious game
I was someone who didn't take life too seriously in a world where everything seemed serious.
I Didn't have the Heart to play
I lacked the courage or conviction to engage in the seriousness of life.
But sooner or later I'll find a reason to throw it away
But eventually, I'll find my purpose or motivation to let go of my fears and take action.
Risin' on the crest of a natural wave
I'm moving along with the natural flow of life as it ebbs and flows.
That Never seems to break my way
Although I move along with the natural flow, things never seem to go my way.
I'm livin' without it
I'm living without success or good fortune.
But I got to Do something about it
However, I know I need to take action to change my situation.
Step by step little by little
I need to make progress gradually, and not try to do everything all at once.
Step by step take it line by line
I need to break down my goals into smaller steps and tasks to make them more manageable and achievable.
Move move move, move a Little closer
I need to keep moving forward towards my goal, even if it is just a small step at a time.
I was Just a runner in a one horse race
I was running in a race where there was only one competitor - myself.
Livin' on the don't pass line
I was taking a risk by not taking part in the mainstream and trying to avoid failure.
Sooner or later I Got to lose cause I'm wasting my time
At some point, I will lose because I'm not fully participating and instead wasting my time.
Lady luck must have been a wonderful girl
Someone who has good luck must be a happy and fortunate person.
She's never been a Friend of mine
However, luck has never favored or helped me.
I'm living without her
I've accepted that I cannot rely on luck or good fortune.
But I still got that mountain to climb
But I know I still have a big challenge ahead of me.
Step by step rake it line by line
I need to slowly and methodically work towards my goal, paying attention to every detail along the way.
Step by step the Deal is mine
If I keep chipping away at my goal one step at a time, I will eventually achieve it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAN PARSONS, ERIC WOOLFSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind