Pebbles

Released: November 16, 1987

Songwriter: Danny Sembello Michael Sembello

Producer: Danny Sembello

[Intro]
I'm taking my first step
My first step in the right direction, baby

Ooh yeah

[Verse 1]
We were trying not to lose the fantasy
What we need is to keep the mystery
I can see it, our private paradise (so nice)
Don't you worry, our love will melt the ice (we'll melt the ice, baby)

[Pre-Chorus]
And I can tell that it won't be long
And I can feel love is coming strong, hey

[Chorus]
I took the first step in the right direction
You're the only one I really need
First step in the right direction for me (for me)
Whoa baby, you see, together with me
First step in the right direction, uh

[Verse 2]
Sometimes you wanna get just what you see (that's me, uh)
Too bad it doesn't come with a guarantee (there's no such thing)

[Pre-Chorus]
And I can tell that it won't be long
And I can feel love is coming strong, hey

[Chorus]
I took the first step in the right direction
You're the only one I really need
First step in the right direction for me (for me)
Whoa baby, you see, together with me

[Bridge]
Let's take it slow, there's no need to rush
Because it feels like it's serious (serious)

[Chorus]
I took the first step in the right direction
You're the only one I really need
First step in the right direction for me (for me)
Whoa whoa baby, you see (baby, baby, baby, baby, baby)
First step in the right direction
You're the only one I really need
First step in the right direction for me (for me)
For me
You're the first step in the right direction
You're the only one I really need
First step in the right direction for me (for me)
(Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby)
First...

[Bridge]
You're the first step in the right
You're the first step in the right direction
(Don't you know you're my first step)
First
You're the first step in the right
You're the first step in the right direction (for me)
Oh, first
You're the first step in the right
You're the first step in the right direction
(Don't you know you're my first step)
First
You're the first step in the right
You're the first step in the right direction (for me)

[Chorus]
First step in the right direction
You're the only one I really need
First step in the right direction for me (for me)
Oh you, are the first step in the right direction
You're the only one I really need
First step in the right direction for me (for me)

Pebbles (born Perri McKissack on August 29, 1964) is a singer-songwriter from the Bay Area. She got her start as a back-up singer for the Vallejo-based group Con Funk Shun in the early 1980s before breaking through with her self-titled debut album in 1987. Her first big single from the album was the L.A. Reid & Babyface-produced hit “Girlfriend,” which hit #1 on the R&B Singles chart and peaked at #5 on the pop chart. She followed that up with her biggest single “Mercedes Boy,” which also topped the R&B Singles chart while peaking at #2 on both the Billboard Hot 100 & Dance charts.

Her 1990 sophomore album Always was primarily written and produced by L.A. & Face. The album featured the #1 R&B singles “Giving You the Benefit” and her duet with Babyface “Love Makes Things Happen” as well as the Top 5 R&B hit “Backyard” with Salt-N-Pepa. On a personal note, R&B singer Cherrelle is her cousin and she was featured on the title track along with Johnny Gill.

Prior to the release of Always, Pebbles and L.A. Reid married in 1989. Following the release of that album, she began managing TLC under her Pebbitone company while they signed to LaFace Records. TLC filed for bankruptcy in 1995 and cited mismanagement by Pebbles as a source of their financial issues. This situation took a toll on her marriage to L.A. Reid and he filed for divorced the same year.

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Pebbles

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Pebbles (1987)

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