Take a Giant Step (song)
| "Take a Giant Step" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US single label | ||||
| Single by The Monkees | ||||
| from the album The Monkees | ||||
| A-side | "Last Train to Clarksville" | |||
| Released | 16 August 1966 | |||
| Recorded | 9 July 1966 RCA Victor Studios, Studio C Hollywood, CA | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 2:31 | |||
| Label | Colgems #1001 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| The Monkees singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Take a Giant Step" is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and released by the American band The Monkees in 1966. It was also covered in 1969 by singer Taj Mahal.
History
The song was released as the B-side to the band's single "Last Train to Clarksville" and also as the closing track on side 1 of their debut album The Monkees.[1] Micky Dolenz sang the lead vocal.[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]
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.[3] It was also recorded by Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder, and the Rising Sons in 1966 but not released until 1992 on their self-titled album.
Labelmates of the Monkees on Colgems Records, Fountains of Youth, also released a version of the song, again with a much different arrangement. [4]
Nina Hagen released a German version, titled "Riesenschritt", of the song on her 1995 album FreuD euch.[5]
References
- ^ a b Planer, L. "Take a Giant Step". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
- ^ Lefcowitz, E. (2011). Monkee Business. Retrofuture. pp. 43, 52. ISBN 9780943249018.
- ^ Planer, L. "Giant Step". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCl-m33YZ2Q
- ^ "freuD euch - Nina Hagen Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
