Take a Giant Step (song)

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"Take a Giant Step"
Monkees Take a Giant Step.jpg
US single label
Single by The Monkees
from the album The Monkees
A-side"Last Train to Clarksville"
Released16 August 1966
Recorded9 July 1966
RCA Victor Studios, Studio C
Hollywood, California
GenrePop rock
Length2:31
LabelColgems 1001
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Take a Giant Step" is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, and first released by American pop rock band the Monkees in 1966.

History[]

The song was released as the B-side to the band's first single, "Last Train to Clarksville", and later appeared as the closing track on side one of their debut album.[1] Micky Dolenz performed lead vocals.[1]

The song is presented as a plea to a heartbroken girl to move on from her past romantic disappointments, and to "learn to live again at last", by "taking a giant step outside your mind". Critic Eric Lefcowitz describes the song as "proto-psychedelic."[2]

Fountain of Youth released a version of the song in June 1968 on the Monkees' own Colgems label, featuring a different arrangement.[3][4]

The song was later covered by singer Taj Mahal, in a significantly rearranged version, and included as the title track to his 1969 double album release Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home.[5] It was also recorded by Rising Sons—featuring Mahal and Ry Cooder—in 1966, but not released until 1992 on their self-titled album.[6]

The song was also covered by Bobby Sherman in the March 20, 1970, episode of the television series Here Come the Brides, titled "Absalom".

Nina Hagen released a German version of the song (titled "Riesenschritt") on her 1995 album FreuD euch.[7]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Planer, L. "Take a Giant Step". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  2. ^ Lefcowitz, E. (2011). Monkee Business. Retrofuture. pp. 43, 52. ISBN 9780943249018.
  3. ^ [1][dead link]
  4. ^ "Fountain Of Youth - Take A Giant Step". 45cat.com. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  5. ^ Planer, L. "Giant Step". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  6. ^ "Rising Sons Featuring Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder - Rising Sons | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  7. ^ "freuD euch - Nina Hagen Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
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