{{Short description|1971 single by John Kongos}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}} {{Infobox song | name = He's Gonna Step on You Again | cover = John Kongos He's Gonna Step on You Again.jpg | caption = Side A of the original South African single | alt = | type = single | artist = John Kongos | album = Kongos | B-side = Sometimes It's Not Enough | released = {{start date|1971|4|30|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = Rock | length = 4:24 | label = *Fly *Ariola | writer = *John Kongos *Christos Demetriou | producer = Gus Dudgeon | prev_title = Flim Flam | prev_year = 1969 | next_title = Tokoloshe Man | next_year = 1971 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|4N2Ul7ll-FM|"He's Gonna Step on You Again" (French TV, 1971)}}}} }} "'''He's Gonna Step on You Again'''" (also known as "'''Step On'''") is a song originally performed by South African singer John Kongos, co-written by Kongos and Christos Demetriou, and first released in 1971 by Fly Records and featured on his second studio album ''Kongos''. It was a hit in Kongos' native South Africa, Australia and Europe and a minor hit in North America that year, entering the UK Singles Chart on 22 May 1971 and spending 14 weeks there, peaking at No. 4.<ref>{{cite book|first= David |last= Roberts |year= 2006 |title= British Hit Singles & Albums |edition= 19th |publisher= Guinness World Records Limited |location= London |page= 306 |isbn= 1-904994-10-5}}</ref> Covers of the song have been chart successes several times, including for the Happy Mondays in 1990.
It was cited in the ''Guinness Book of Records'' as being the first song to have used a sample,<ref name="LN">{{cite web|first= Richie |last= Unterberger |author-link= Richie Unterberger |title= John Kongos "Kongos" Liner Notes |access-date= 18 July 2013 |url= http://www.richieunterberger.com/kongos.html}}</ref> utilising a tape loop of African drumming.<ref name="LN"/>
==Chart performance== {|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1971) !Peak<br/>position |- |Australia (Go-Set National Top 40)<ref>{{cite magazine|title= Go-Set National Top 40 |date= 16 October 1971 |magazine= Go-Set |access-date= 18 July 2013 |url= http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1971/19711016.html}}</ref> |align="center"|2 |- {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|77|chartid=5322|access-date=1 June 2013}} |- |France (IFOP)<ref>{{cite web|title= Le Détail par Artiste |website= InfoDisc |access-date= 19 May 2016 |url= http://www.infodisc.fr/Tubes_Artistes_K.php |id= Select "John Kongos" from the artist drop-down menu |language= fr}}</ref> |align="center"|9 |- {{singlechart|Germany|26|artist=John Kongos|song=He's Gonna Step on You Again|songid=123103|access-date=1 June 2013}} |- {{singlechart|Dutch40|27|year=1971|week=23|access-date=1 June 2013}} |- {{singlechart|Dutch100|22|artist=John Kongos|song=He's Gonna Step On You Again|access-date=1 June 2013}} |- |South Africa (Springbok Radio)<ref>{{cite web|title= South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (K) |website= Rock.co.za |access-date= 1 June 2013 |url= http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(K).html}}</ref> |align="center"|2 |- {{singlechart|UK|4|date=19710703|artist=John Kongos|access-date=1 June 2013}} |- |US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|title= John Kongos – Awards |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= 18 July 2013 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-kongos-mn0000232679/awards}}</ref> |align="center"|70 |}
==Cover versions== {{Infobox song | name = He's Gonna Step on You Again | cover = The Party Boys - He's Gonna Step on You Again.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = the Party Boys | album = The Party Boys | B-side = Small Talk | released = {{start date|1987|5|18|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web|title= Singles: New Releases |issue= 669 |date= 18 May 1987 |publisher= Kent Music Report |via= Imgur |access-date= 4 December 2019 |url= https://i.imgur.com/tGPtCFt.jpg}}</ref> | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = Rock<ref>{{Citation |title=The Party Boys by The Party Boys on Apple Music |date=1987-11-13 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-party-boys/1497646380 |access-date=2026-02-28 |language=en-US}}</ref> | length = 4:08 | label = CBS | writer = *John Kongos *Christos Demetriou | producer = *Alan Lancaster *John Brewster *Paul Christie | prev_title = Kashmir | prev_year = 1984 | next_title = Hold Your Head Up | next_year = 1987 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|282N-EvZtXI|"He's Gonna Step on You Again"}}}} }} ===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.<ref name="Kent">{{cite book|first= David |last= Kent |author-link= David Kent (historian) |year= 1993 |title= Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |publisher= Australian Chart Book Ltd |location= St Ives, N.S.W. |isbn= 0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
====The Party Boys==== Australian rock supergroup The Party Boys released a cover version in 1987 that reached No. 1 on the Australian Music Report, No. 92 in the United Kingdom and No. 10 on the New Zealand Singles Chart and was featured on their self-titled lone studio album later the same year.<ref name="aus87"/><ref name="NL"/><ref>{{Citation |title=The Party Boys by The Party Boys on Apple Music |date=1987-11-13 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-party-boys/1497646380 |access-date=2026-02-28 |language=en-US}}</ref> 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".
{|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1987) !Peak<br/>position |- |Australia (Australian Music Report)<ref name="aus87">{{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/sPdqqRt.jpg|title=Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987|publisher=Kent Music Report|via=Imgur|access-date=24 January 2023}}</ref> |align="center"|1 |- {{single chart|New Zealand|10|artist=The Party Boys|song=He's Gonna Step on You Again|access-date=18 July 2013|refname="NL"}} |- |UK Singles (Official Charts Company)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/14339/party-boys/|title=Official Charts > Party Boys|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=3 August 2024}}</ref> |align="center"|92 |}
====Chantoozies==== {{Infobox song | name = He's Gonna Step on You Again | cover = He's Gonna Step On You Again by Chantoozies.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Chantoozies | album = Chantoozies | B-side = Twenty Six 02 | released = {{start date|1987|6|8|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web|title= Singles: New Releases |issue= 672 |date= 8 June 1987 |publisher= Kent Music Report |via= Imgur |access-date= 4 December 2019 |url= https://i.imgur.com/pCZHfJD.jpg}}</ref> | recorded = | studio = Platinum (Melbourne, Australia) | venue = | genre = Pop<ref>{{Citation |title=Chantoozies by The Chantoozies on Apple Music |date=1988-01-01 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/chantoozies/886440952 |access-date=2026-02-28 |language=en-US}}</ref> | length = 3:40 | label = Mushroom | composer = | lyricist = | producer = David Courtney | prev_title = Witch Queen | prev_year = 1987 | next_title = Wanna Be Up | next_year = 1988 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|eiZNtZDVpTE|"He's Gonna Step on You Again"}}}} }} Australian pop group the Chantoozies released a version in 1987 as the second single from their self-titled debut album (1988). The song peaked at number 36 on the Australian Kent Music Report.<ref name="Kent"/>
===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" {{small|(12" version)}} *Side B1 "He's Gonna Step on You Again" {{small|(7" version)}} *Side B2 "Twenty Six 02"
===Charts=== {|class="wikitable" !Chart (1987) !Peak<br/>position |- |Australia (Australian Music Report)<ref name="Kent"/> |align="center"|36 |}
===Happy Mondays version=== {{Infobox song | name = Step On | cover = Happy Mondays - Step On.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Happy Mondays | album = Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches | B-side = "Step On" (One Louder mix edit) | released = {{start date|1990|3|26|df=y}} | recorded = {{Start date|1990|2}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Classic Tracks: Happy Mondays 'Step On' |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-happy-mondays-step |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=www.soundonsound.com}}</ref> | studio = Eden (London, UK)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Classic Tracks: Happy Mondays 'Step On' |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-happy-mondays-step |access-date=2026-02-21 |website=www.soundonsound.com}}</ref> | venue = | genre = Madchester<ref>{{cite book|first= Simon |last= Reynolds |author-link= Simon Reynolds |year= 2013 |title= Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture |publisher= Faber and Faber |isbn= 978-0-571-28914-1 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=CXPZyYHLd-kC&q=%22step+on%22&pg=PT106}}</ref> | length = *4:20 (7-inch single edit) *5:19 (album version) | label = Factory | writer = *John Kongos *Christos Demetriou | producer = *Paul Oakenfold *Steve Osborne | prev_title = WFL (Wrote for Luck) | prev_year = 1989 | next_title = Kinky Afro | next_year = 1990 | misc = {{External music video|{{Plainlist| *{{YouTube|mFBQ0PH5rM4|"Step On" (Version 1)}} *{{YouTube|t1p-VeJPJKM|"Step On" (Version 2)}}}} |header=Music videos|}} }} British band the 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 was subsequently featured on their third studio album ''Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches''), and instead covered Kongos' follow-up single "Tokoloshe Man" for the compilation. The Happy Mondays version incorporates a short sample of three guitar notes from the original.<ref>{{cite book|first= Mark "Bez" |last= Berry |year= 1998 |title= Freaky Dancin' |edition= 1st |publisher= Pan |location= London |page= 285 |isbn= 0-330-37054-5}}</ref>
The first music video for "Step On" was directed by the Bailey Brothers and was filmed on the roof of a hotel in Barcelona, Spain.<ref name="auto">Spence 2015, p. 201</ref> The second, directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino<ref>{{Cite web |last=Metzger |first=Richard |date=2017-05-15 |title=24 Hour Partying People: Happy Monday, it’s the Happy Mondays! |url=https://dangerousminds.net/comments/24_hour_partying_people_happy_monday_its_the_happy_mondays/ |access-date=2026-02-28 |website=dangerousminds.net |language=en-US}}</ref> and intended for American audiences, depicts the band performing the song on a fictional Asian television programme, intercut with footage of two fans watching the performance in a bedroom.
"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''.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= Review: Twisting My Melon by Shaun Ryder |magazine= M |date= 27 October 2011 |access-date= 21 June 2019 |url= https://www.m-magazine.co.uk/features/review-twisting-my-melon-by-shaun-ryder/ }}{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
====Charts==== '''Weekly charts''' {|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1990–1991) !Peak<br/>position |- |Australia (ARIA)<ref>{{cite web|title= Fw: ARIA chart peaks |date= 5 June 2015 |via= Imgur |access-date= 22 November 2015 |url= http://i.imgur.com/DkGCr8v.jpg}}</ref> |align="center"|157 |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|64|chartid=1552|access-date=18 July 2013|refname="Canada91"}} |- |Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>{{cite magazine|title= Eurochart Hot 100 Singles |magazine= Music & Media |volume= 7 |issue= 16 |page= IV |date= 21 April 1990 |access-date= 11 February 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-04-21.pdf}}</ref> |align="center"|12 |- {{single chart|Dutch100|46|artist=Happy Mondays|song=Step On|access-date=18 July 2013}} |- {{single chart|UK|5|date=19900414|artist=Happy Mondays|access-date=18 July 2013}} |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|57|artist=Happy Mondays|access-date=16 August 2023}} |- {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|9|artist=Happy Mondays|access-date=16 August 2023}} |- {{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|13|artist=Happy Mondays|access-date=16 August 2023}} |- {{single chart|Billboarddancesales|46|artist=Happy Mondays|access-date=16 August 2023}} |}
'''Year-end charts''' {|class="wikitable" !Chart (1990) !Position |- |UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine|title= 1990 Top 100 Singles |magazine= Music Week |publisher= Spotlight Publications |location= London |date= 2 March 1991 |page= 41}}</ref> |align="center"|50 |}
====Certifications==== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Happy Mondays|title=Step On|award=Platinum|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|id=14477-572-1|access-date=19 July 2024}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
====Release history==== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom |26 March 1990 |rowspan="2"|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|cassette}} |Factory |<ref>{{cite magazine|title= New Singles |magazine= Music Week |page= 33 |date= 24 March 1990}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|Australia |30 July 1990 |{{hlist|Factory|Festival}} |<ref>{{cite magazine|title= New Release Summary: Singles |magazine= The ARIA Report |issue= 29 |page= 19 |date= 29 July 1990}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|Japan |1 June 1991 |CD (Remix '91) |Factory |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/123519/products/190443/1/|title=ハッピー・マンデーズ {{!}} ステップ・オン|trans-title=Happy Mondays {{!}} Step On|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=13 September 2025}}</ref> |}
==See also== *List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1980s {{clear}}
==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *{{YouTube|4N2Ul7ll-FM|John Kongos "He's Gonna Step on You Again" (French TV, 1971)}} *{{YouTube|282N-EvZtXI|The Party Boys "He's Gonna Step on You Again" music video}} *{{YouTube|eiZNtZDVpTE|Chantoozies "He's Gonna Step on You Again" music video}} *{{YouTube|mFBQ0PH5rM4|Happy Mondays "Step On" (Version 1)}} *{{YouTube|t1p-VeJPJKM|Happy Mondays "Step On" (Version 2)}} {{The Party Boys}} {{Chantoozies}} {{Happy Mondays}} {{Authority control}} Category:1971 debut singles Category:1971 songs Category:1987 singles Category:1990 singles Category:Ariola Records singles Category:CBS Records singles Category:Chantoozies songs Category:Factory Records singles Category:Festival Records singles Category:Fly Records singles Category:Happy Mondays songs Category:John Kongos songs Category:Mushroom Records singles Category:Number-one singles in Australia Category:Song recordings produced by Gus Dudgeon Category:Songs written by John Kongos Category:UK Independent Singles Chart number-one singles