Take a Giant Step (song)

"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.

"Take a Giant Step"
US single
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)

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".

In 1994, Monkees member Peter Tork released a folk version on his debut solo album Stranger Things Have Happened. Nina Hagen released a German version of the song (titled "Riesenschritt") on her 1995 album FreuD euch.[7]

References
  1. Planer, L. "Take a Giant Step". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  2. Lefcowitz, E. (2011). Monkee Business. Retrofuture. pp. 43, 52. ISBN 9780943249018.
  3. "Julian Cope presents Head Heritage | Unsung | Reviews | Fountain of Youth - Take a Giant Step/Don't Blame Me". Archived from the original on 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  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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