So Tired Of All The Darkness In Our Lives

Joe Jackson “Steppin’ Out”

With its restless electronic pulse and bright keyboard notes, “Steppin’ Out” sounds like Kraftwerk sitting in at a piano bar. Joe Jackson’s piano part signals “classy and elegant,” evoking the ambiance of jazz or pop standards without sounding quite like it, like how a gifted cartoonist can imply a lot of visual information with only a few lines. The piano seems to sparkle, and nudges you towards imagining a ritzy club or an ornate ballroom. He pushes you to imagine a place filled with glamour, grace, and luxury.

“Steppin’ Out” is a New York City song written from the perspective of a visitor who is caught up in the romance of it all. His character is talking his partner into going out on the town for the night, and imagining the good times he might miss if they just stay in and watch television. Today we would call this FOMO.

The loveliest line in the song is when he imagines a small moment en route to wherever they’re going: “In a yellow taxi turn to me and smile / we’ll be there in just a while.” That’s what this guy really wants, much more so than going to the place itself. He wants that little bit of intimacy and sweetness, and being excited about sharing a special experience. There’s never any indication that the character ever talks his partner into going out; the song exists entirely in a liminal space of fantasy and anticipation.

Steve Barron’s video for “Steppin’ Out” – one of my all-time favorite music videos! – pushes all of these ideas into a more literal visual presentation without spoiling any of the more abstract and magical qualities of Jackson’s song. Barron’s camera captures the glamour and grime of early ‘80s Manhattan, with a particular focus on neon lights, shiny chrome, and lavish old places that seem to exist outside of regular time. The plot of the video centers on a maid at a posh hotel who imagines herself living the life of a fancy, stylish woman dating a handsome, wealthy man. She just wants to escape her drab life, to be the woman in the chic dress, to ascend in class status.

Jackson and producer David Kershenbaum’s arrangement for the song is rather simple and streamlined, but has some very intriguing details. I particularly like the odd little synth note that opens the second and third verses – it’s a strange and subtle thing, but adds to the dynamics of the song without cluttering it. The breakdown at the end is also quite lovely, with its seamless segue into live drums and the addition of another melody played on some kind of mallet instrument that adds an extra layer of glitter before the song is through.

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