He's Gonna Step on You Again

"He's Gonna Step on You Again" (also known as "Step On") is a song originally performed by John Kongos, co-written by Kongos and Christos Demetriou, and first released in 1971 by Fly Records. It entered the UK Singles Chart on 22 May 1971 and spent 14 weeks there, peaking at No. 4.[1] Covers of the song have been chart successes several times, including for Happy Mondays in 1990.

"He's Gonna Step on You Again"
Single by John Kongos
from the album Kongos
B-side"Sometimes It's Not Enough"
ReleasedMay 1971
Length4:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Gus Dudgeon
John Kongos singles chronology
"He's Gonna Step on You Again"
(1971)		 "Tokoloshe Man"
(1971)

It was cited in the Guinness Book of Records as being the first song to have used a sample.[2] However, according to the sleeve note of the CD reissue of the Kongos album, it is actually a tape loop of African drumming,[2] and the use of tape loops and instruments using prerecorded samples such as the Mellotron and Optigan was well established by this time.

Chart performance
Chart (1971) Peak
position
Australia (Go-Set National Top 40)[3] 2
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[4] 77
France (IFOP)[5] 9
Germany (Official German Charts)[6] 26
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7] 27
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 22
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[9] 2
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 70

Cover versions
"He's Gonna Step on You Again"
Single by the Party Boys
from the album The Party Boys
B-side"Small Talk"
Released18 May 1987 (1987-05-18)[12]
Length4:08
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Party Boys singles chronology
"Kashmir"
(1984)		 "He's Gonna Step on You Again"
(1987)		 "Hold Your Head Up"
(1987)

1987 Australian versions

In 1987 three Australian bands (the Party Boys, Chantoozies and Exploding White Mice) each released their own cover version of "He's Gonna Step on You Again". The Party Boys' single was issued in May, and peaked at No. 1, for two weeks, in late July on the Australian Music Report chart while the Chantoozies version reached No. 36.[13]

The Party Boys

The Party Boys released a cover version in 1987 that reached No. 1 on the Australian Music Report and No. 10 on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[14][15] The band also recorded a 12-inch single, "He's Gonna Step on You Again" (Stomp mix) with Nick Mainsbridge remixing, which was backed by "She's a Mystery".

Chart (1987) Peak
position
Australia (Australian Music Report)[14] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 10

Chantoozies
"He's Gonna Step on You Again"
Single by Chantoozies
from the album Chantoozies
B-side"Twenty Six 02"
Released8 June 1987 (1987-06-08)[16]
StudioPlatinum (Melbourne, Australia)
LabelMushroom
Producer(s)David Courtney
Chantoozies singles chronology
"Witch Queen"
(1987)		 "He's Gonna Step on You Again"
(1987)		 "Wanna Be Up"
(1988)

The Chantoozies released a version in 1987 as the second single from their debut studio album Chantoozies. The song peaked at number 36 on the Australian Kent Music Report.[13]

Track listings

7-inch single (K301)

  • Side A "He's Gonna Step on You Again"
  • Side B "Twenty Six 02"

12-inch single (X 14504)

  • Side A "He's Gonna Step on You Again" (12" version)
  • Side B1 "He's Gonna Step on You Again" (7" version)
  • Side B2 "Twenty Six 02"
Charts
Chart (1987) Peak
position
Australia (Australian Music Report)[13] 36

Happy Mondays version
"Step On"
Single by Happy Mondays
from the album Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
A-side"Step On" (Stuff It In mix edit)
B-side"Step On" (One Louder mix edit)
Released26 March 1990 (1990-03-26)[17]
GenreMadchester[18]
Length
  • 4:20 (7-inch single edit)
  • 5:19 (album version)
LabelFactory (FAC 272/7)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Happy Mondays singles chronology
"WFL (Wrote for Luck)"
(1989)		 "Step On"
(1990)		 "Kinky Afro"
(1990)
Official video
"Step On (Official Music Video)" on YouTube

English band Happy Mondays covered the song in 1990, retitling it "Step On", with two different music videos. It was originally intended as a contribution to the Rubáiyát: Elektra's 40th Anniversary compilation for their US label Elektra, but they decided to keep it to release as a single, and instead covered Kongos's "Tokoloshe Man" for the compilation. The Happy Mondays version incorporates a short sample of three guitar notes from the original.[19]

"Step On" became Happy Mondays' biggest-selling single, peaking at No. 5 in the UK and No. 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The lyric "you're twisting my melon, man" was used for singer Shaun Ryder's autobiography Twisting My Melon.[20]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1990–1991) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[21] 157
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[22] 64
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[23] 12
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 46
UK Singles (OCC)[25] 5
US Billboard Hot 100[26] 57
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[27] 9
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[28] 13
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[29] 46

Year-end charts

Chart (1990) Position
UK Singles (OCC)[30] 50

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 306. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. Unterberger, Richie. "John Kongos "Kongos" Liner Notes". Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  3. "Go-Set National Top 40". Go-Set. 16 October 1971. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  4. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5322." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  5. "Le Détail par Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Select "John Kongos" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  6. "John Kongos – He's Gonna Step on You Again" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  7. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 23, 1971" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  8. "John Kongos – He's Gonna Step On You Again" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  9. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (K)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  11. "John Kongos – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  12. "Singles: New Releases". Kent Music Report. 18 May 1987. Retrieved 4 December 2019 – via Imgur.
  13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book Ltd. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  14. "Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 24 January 2023 – via Imgur.
  15. "The Party Boys – He's Gonna Step on You Again". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  16. "Singles: New Releases". Kent Music Report. 8 June 1987. Retrieved 4 December 2019 – via Imgur.
  17. "New Singles". Music Week. 24 March 1990. p. 33.
  18. Reynolds, Simon (2013). Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture. Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-28914-1.
  19. Berry, Mark "Bez" (1998). Freaky Dancin' (1st ed.). London: Pan. p. 285. ISBN 0-330-37054-5.
  20. "Review: Twisting My Melon by Shaun Ryder". M. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  21. "Fw: ARIA chart peaks". 5 June 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2015 – via Imgur.
  22. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1552." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  23. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 16. 21 April 1990. p. IV. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  24. "Happy Mondays – Step On" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  26. "Happy Mondays Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  27. "Happy Mondays Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  28. "Happy Mondays Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  29. "Happy Mondays Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  30. "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London: Spotlight Publications. 2 March 1991. p. 41.
  31. "British single certifications – Happy Mondays – Step On". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
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