Friday, September 12, 2008

"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" /
The Monkees


Another forgotten gem resurrected during the Great Music Transfer. What a great Boyce and Hart bit of snarky satire; it ranks right up there with the Kinks' "Starstruck" and Paul Revere and the Raiders' "Kicks" (I'm sure the Stones did something in this vein too, I just can't think of it right now) as a nasty putdown of some ambitious climber of a girlfriend. This goes way beyond a simple break-up song, doesn't it? There's actually a bit of weariness and menace in Mickey Dolenz's voice as he sings this -- not that the Monkees ever got credit for their dark side. And those minor-key background "ahhs," echoing across the room, they almost sound like the Yardbirds. Davy's tambourine sounds almost sinister here.

Now, I was a Davy girl; I still have to stifle a sigh when I hear "I Wanna Be Free." Yes, it's true, I did betray Peter Noone for Davy Jones back in the dark ages of 1967. I have nothing to say in my own defense. Perhaps this song was written about me....


I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone sample

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sinister tambourines? Who knew?

Natsthename said...

LOL, I was a Mickey girl, with a Davy leaning. I'm still laughing that you betrayed Peter Noone. I betrayed..um...McCartney.

Holly A Hughes said...

Ah, well, yes, it was McCartney I betrayed in the first place to throw myself after Peter Noone. Evidently you stayed the course a little longer than I did.

(Though secretly I've always remained true to Paul, honestly.)

Anonymous said...

Are you sure there's enough of you to go around, hollyh?

Holly A Hughes said...

All you need is love, 44.

Anonymous said...

My wife was a "Davy Girl," as well.

I think she even bought the propagana (never denied by the Monkee Machine) in the teen mags that he was a jockey! An occupation just slightly less dangerous than a sword swallower!!

Oh, well.

The shavin' razor's cold and it stings.

Rich