Discovered by television personality Steve Allen, Marilyn Maye soon signed a recording contract with RCA Victor. Her debut studio album, Meet Marvelous Marilyn Maye followed in 1965. The label would release a series of studio recordings of Maye's material during the 1960s.[2] Maye's commercial popularity peaked during this period after recording songs that would be featured in Broadway shows. Among these Broadway tunes was "Step to the Rear", which was taken from the musical How Now Dow Jones.[3] The song's popularity would inspire Maye's next studio album of the same name.[4]
Step to the Rear was originally released by the RCA Victor label in November 1967. It was offered as a vinyl LP in both mono and stereo versions. Six tracks were included on "Side A" while five tracks were included on "Side B". It was Maye's fifth studio album in her career and the fourth released by RCA.[4] In later years, it was re-released digitally and made available as either a music download or for streaming purposes.[8] In its original release, Step to the Rear was among 22 albums issued by RCA Victor in the later half of 1967. Cashbox magazine named the album among the "most popular" releases of the year.[9]Billboard magazine gave Step to the Rear its December 1967 review. "The music is class 'A' programming for radio and best of all, class 'A' listening," the publication concluded.[1] The only single from the album was the title track, which RCA first issued in October 1967.[10] It became Maye's third top ten single on the American Billboardadult contemporary chart, peaking at the number two position in January 1968.[11]
