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"Step in Time" is a song in Disney's film Mary Poppins, based on the popular "Knees Up Mother Brown". It is sung by Bert and a chorus of chimney sweeps.

The version of the song featured on the Mousercise album was not only used on the Mousercise TV show, but also as a DTV music video in the 1980s, using clips from the Johnny Appleseed segment of Melody Time, How to Be a Sailor, In the Bag, The Klondike Kid, Victory Vehicles, The Old Mill, Pluto's Fledgling, Chicken Little, The Little Whirlwind, They're Off, The Cactus Kid, The Tortoise and the Hare, and Plane Crazy. It was included on Disney Sing Along Songs: You Can Fly! and Disney Sing Along Songs: Disneyland Fun as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Chip and Dale, and Roger Rabbit welcome everyone to Disneyland during their grand opening.

In the musical version, the song is reworked by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe into a number that alludes to the idea that chimney sweeps act as guardian angels in the night whenever called upon to "step in time".

Lyrics[]

Bert:
Step in time! step in time!

Chimney Sweeps:
Step in time, step in time
Step in time!

Bert:
Step in time!

Step in time, step in time
Come on, mateys, step in time

Chimney Sweeps:
Step in time!

Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Step in time, to step in time!

Bert:
Kick your knees up!

Chimney Sweeps:
Kick your knees up, step in time
Kick your knees up, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Kick your knees up, step in time!

Bert:
Round the chimney!

Chimney Sweeps:
Round the chimney, step in time
Round the chimney, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Round the chimney, step in time!

Bert:
Flap like a birdie!

Chimney Sweeps:
Flap like a birdie, step in time
Flap like a birdie, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Flap like a birdie, in time.

Bert:
Up on the railing!

Chimney Sweeps:
Up on the railing, step in time
Up on the railing, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Up on the railing, step in time!

Bert:
Over the rooftops!

Chimney Sweeps:
Over the rooftops, step in time
Over the rooftops, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Step in time!
Over the rooftops, over the rooftops

Bert:
Link your elbows!

Chimney Sweeps:
Link your elbows, step in time
Link your elbows, step in time
Link your elbows, link your elbows
Link your elbows!

Chimney Sweeps:
Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
You step in time, you step...in...time!

[instrumental interlude]

Bert:
Mary Poppins, step in time!

[instrumental interlude]

Mrs. Brill:
AH! They're at it again!

Chimney Sweeps:
They're at it again, step in time
They're at it again, step in time
They're at it again, step in time

Ellen:
Ow!

Chimney Sweeps:
Ow, step in time
Ow, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Ow, step in time

[instrumental interlude]

Chimney Sweeps:
Votes for women, step in time
Votes for women, step in time
Votes for women

Winifred Banks: Votes for women!

[instrumental interlude]

Ellen:
It's the master!

Chimney Sweeps:
It's the master, step in time
It's the master, step in time

George Banks: What's all this?

Chimney Sweeps:
What's all this!
What's all this!
What's all this!
What's all this!
What's all this!

Chimney Sweeps:
Link your elbows, step in time
Kick your knees up, step in time
Kick your knees up, kick your knees up
Kick your knees up
Kick your knees up in time!

Step in time! step in time!
Everybody, step in time!

Step in time!

Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Get in line to step in time

Raise the rooftop

Raise the rooftop, step in time
Raise the rooftop, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Raise the rooftop, step in time

Step in time!
Step in time!

(long instrumental verse plus instrumental medley verse)

Love and laughter, steps in time
Everywhere, it's "Steps in Time"
With every song, with every rhyme
Disney's saying, "It's Steps in Time"

With every song...
With every rhyme...
Disney's saying, "It's Steps in Time"!

Steps in time!
Steps in time!
Steps in time!

Goofy:
Step in time, Step in time
Come along, people, step in time!

Chorus:
Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Step in time, you step in time

Mickey Mouse:
Okay, kick your knees up!

Chorus:
Kick your knees up, step in time
Kick your knees up, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Kick your knees up, step in time

Goofy:
Squat like a froggy!

Chorus:
Squat like a frog and jump in time
Squat like a frog and jump in time
Down real low then let 'er go!
Squat like a frog and jump in time

Donald Duck:
Flap like a birdie!

Chorus:
Flap like a birdie, step in time
Flap like a birdie, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Flap like a birdie, step in time

Chip and Dale:
Spin like a whirlybird!

Chorus:
Spin like a whirlybird in time
Spin like a whirlybird in time
The more you twirl, the higher you climb
Spin like a whirlybird in time

Mickey Mouse:
Trot like a horsie!

Chorus:
On all fours, trot in time
Like a horse, trot in time
Keep with the beat on your hands and feet
On all fours and trot in time

Donald Duck:
Bounce like a bunny!

Chorus:
Bounce like a bunny, hop in time
Bounce like a bunny, hop in time
Wiggle your nose, your tail and toes
Bounce like a bunny, hop in time

Goofy:
Roar like a rocket!

Chorus:
Roar like a rocket, 'round the room
Roar like a rocket, 'round the room
Zoom on up and touch the moon
Roar like a rocket, 'round the room

Mickey Mouse and Friends:
Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
When you step in time, you step in time

Sweep 1: Brush away the dirt and soot

Sweep 2: Brush away the tears

Sweep 3: Cobwebs that aren't swept away

Sweep 4: Hang around for years

Sweeps: In all weathers up all hours
We can see for miles
Our idea of heaven is
A night out on the tiles

We may look a motley crew
Smudged with tar and grime
But when you need a helping hand

Women: We Try to step in,
try to step in just in time

Men: Try to step in, step in
just in time


Bert: We will step in.
(Step in time)

Bert: we will step in
(step in time)

Bert: never need a reason
never need a rhyme

Bert and small group:
We will step in. Step in time

Over the rooftops step in time
Over the rooftops step in time
Never need a reason
Never need a rhyme,
Over the rooftops step in time

All: Watch your step, but step in time.
Watch your step, but step in time.
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme

Watch where you step, but step in time
Kick your knees up, step in time.
Kick your knees up, step in time.
Never need a reason never need a rhyme.
Kick your knees up, step in time.

Mary Poppins: Childhood is a step in time,
Parenthood's the same.

Mary/Bert: Never miss a chance to get it right.

Bert: Don't it seem a perfect crime
Don't it seem a shame

Mary: when the steps aren't going
As smoothly as they might

All: that's when we step in, step in time.
That's when we step step, in time!
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme.
That's when we step in, step in time!

(interlude)

All: Step! Step! Step! Step! Step!
Link your elbows, step in time!
Link your elbows step in time!
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme.

Link your elbows step in time!
Link your elbows step in time!
Step in time, step step in time!

(interlude)

Mary: Just remember when you're low, feeling in the wars

Sweeps: Someone’s up your chimney

Mary: And it isn't Santa clause!

Sweeps: If you need us, if you don't
Doesn't make much odds
We’ll be watching over you.
Brushes brooms and
(Brushes brooms and brushes brooms)
Brushes, brushes
Brooms…

Bert: And rods!

Over the rooftops!
(over the rooftops)

I'm movin' up in the world!
(over the rooftops, over the rooftops)

Top o' the evenin' to ya!
(over the rooftops)

ALL: Over the rooftops step in time,
Over the rooftops step in time.
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme.

Bert: Over the rooftops, step in time!

Sweeps: Link your elbows, step in time
Link your elbows, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Link your elbows, step in time!
Kick your knees up, step in time.
Kick your knees up, step in time.
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme.
Kick your knees up, step in time.

Oh! Step in time
(step in time)

Spoken/shout: STEP! STEP! STEP!

Step in time
(step in time)

All: STEP! STEP! STEP!
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme.
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme.
If you kick your knees up,
kick your knees up,
kick your knees up,
kick your knees up

Spoken/shout: Step (x17)
Never need a reason if you step in time!

Kick your knees up, step in time
Kick your knees up, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Kick your knees up, step in time!

Link your elbows, step in time
Link your elbows, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Link your elbows, step in time!

Flap like a birdie, step in time
Flap like a birdie, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Flap like a birdie, step in time!

Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Never need a reason, never need a rhyme
Step in time, you step...in...time!

Other Versions[]

Performer(s) Title(s) Translations(s) Language
Neritan Liçaj Albanian
Ézio Ramos (VHS version)
Marcelo Coutinho (DVD version)
Brazilian Portuguese
Salvador Escamilla "Pisa a tiempo" Castilian Spanish
Ladislav Běhůnek ? ? Czech
Lars Bom Danish
Ben Cramer Dutch
Antti Pääkkönen Finnish
Michel Roux "Prenons le rythme" French
Harry Wüstenhagen "Schritt und Tritt" German
דרור קרן
(Dror Keren)
Hebrew
Oreste Lionello "Tutti insieme" Italian
山寺宏一
(Kōichi Yamadera)
"踊ろう、調子よく" (Odorō, Chōshi Yoku) Let's dance rhythmicaly Japanese
Arturo Mercado "Al compás" Latin Spanish
Johannes Joner Norwegian
Wojciech Paszkowski "Raz i dwa" Polish
Florian Ghimpu Romanian
Алексей Иващенко
(Aleksey Ivashchenko)
Russian
Stefan Frelander "Gå i takt" Swedish

Videos[]


v - e - d
Mary Poppins Logo
Media
Films: Mary Poppins (video/soundtrack) • Mary Poppins Returns (video/soundtrack) • The Cat That Looked at a KingMusicalThe Legacy CollectionPractically Poppins in Every Way: A Magical Carpetbag of Countless Wonders
Disney Parks
Country Bear Musical JamboreeGarden of the Twelve FriendsMary PoppinsThe Great Movie Ride

Entertainment: Disney Adventure Friends CavalcadeDisney's BelieveDisney Classics: The Music & The MagicFollow Your DreamsMickey's Magical Music WorldOne Man's Dream II: The Magic Lives OnOnce Upon a Mouse
Restaurants: Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe
Parades: Celebrate A Dream Come True ParadeDisney's Dreams On Parade: Moving OnDisney's Magical Moments ParadeDisney's Party ExpressDisney Cinema ParadeDisney Magic on ParadeDisney on Parade: 100 Years of MagicDisney Stars on ParadeDisney Stars 'n' CarsDreaming Up!Happiness is Here ParadeMickey's Soundsational ParadeThe Wonderful World of Disney ParadeTokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade: DreamLightsSpectromagic
Fireworks: Believe... There's Magic in the StarsDisney Dreams!Disney Movie MagicDisneyland ForeverFantasy in the Sky Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical CelebrationsReach for the Stars
Spring: Disney's Easter WonderlandDisney's Spring Promenade

Characters
Mary Poppins: Mary PoppinsBertGeorge BanksWinifred BanksJane BanksMichael BanksPenguin WaitersFoxAdmiral Boom and Mr. BinnacleUncle AlbertMr. Dawes Sr.Katie NannaMrs. BrillEllenMr. Dawes Jr.Constable JonesJolly Holiday Farm AnimalsThe Pearly BandRobinsMiss LarkChimney SweepsParrot Umbrella

Mary Poppins Returns: William Weatherall WilkinsJackTopsyThe Balloon LadyClydeShamusJohn BanksAnnabel BanksGeorgie BanksAngusHamilton Gooding and Templeton FryeThe Park KeeperPenny FarthingDolphinsRoyal Doulton AnimalsLamplighters
The Cat That Looked at a King: CatKingQueenPrime Minister
Musical: Miss Andrew

Locations
LondonCherry Tree LaneEnglish Countryside PaintingRoyal Doulton Music Hall
Songs
Mary Poppins: Sister SuffragetteThe Life I LeadThe Perfect NannyA Spoonful of SugarSobre las OlasJolly HolidaySupercalifragilisticexpialidociousStay AwakeI Love to LaughFeed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag)A British BankFidelity Fiduciary BankChim Chim Cher-eeStep in TimeA Man Has DreamsLet's Go Fly a Kite

Mary Poppins Returns: (Underneath the) Lovely London SkyA ConversationCan You Imagine That?The Royal Doulton Music HallA Cover is Not the BookThe Place Where Lost Things GoTurning TurtleTrip a Little Light FantasticNowhere to Go But Up
Musical: Temper, TemperPractically PerfectAnything Can HappenBrimstone and TreaclePlaying the GameBeing Mrs. BanksGood for NothingCherry Tree LanePrecision and Order
Deleted Songs: The Anthropomorphic ZooThe ChimpanzooThe Right SideTimbucktuThe Land of SandAdmiral BoomMary Poppins' MelodyYou Think, You BlinkThrough The Eyes of LoveWest WindTiki TownTea in ChinaThe North Pole Polka

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