Running Up The Charts - The Monkees and "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone"
On a day full of turkeys, I celebrate a group of Monkees and their contribution to both my exercise music list and my apparent love of songs with unnecessary parentheticals in the title
The Monkees - “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”
Chart peak:
#20 on the Hot 100 (January 14, 1967)
The Monkees are a fascinating band. A lot of ink has been spilled over the years about how they’re not really a band in the truest sense of the word, that they were a TV creation that happened to spit out hits played by session musicians. And it’s hard to argue that point when you consider the #20 Hot 100 hit “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone,” which only features one Monkee on the track: Micky Dolenz, who takes the lead vocals and elevates them to a gritty, angsty vibe that might not have worked if led by softer, mellower crooner Davy Jones. But their music, however it was created under their moniker, has stood the test of time, including this song, which falls a little bit outside of the typical hit you’d expect from this band.
This is a ‘60s punk song, even if The Monkees’ aesthetic couldn’t have been further from punk. This was a group of goofballs performing on a ‘60s comedy show with occasional musical vignettes, and their appeal strayed far from the trappings of what would later be considered “punk rock.” Indeed, three of The Monkees’ hits topped the pop charts: “Last Train To Clarksville,” “Daydream Believer,” and “I’m A Believer,” which ironically topped the mainstream chart at the same time that “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” peaked at #20 (“Steppin’ Stone” was the B-side of the “I’m A Believer” single).
Even if it’s not your prototypical Monkees song, it’s that punk vibe in “Steppin’ Stone” that works for me while lifting weights or running. I can’t imagine ever finding myself really picking up the pace if, say, “Pleasant Valley Sunday” started playing (though it’s another solid Dolenz-led track, a tongue-in-cheek rebuke of suburban life that peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 in the summer of 1967). But something about “Steppin’ Stone” just hits the right dopamine centers in the brain, especially if you find yourself losing motivation or hope that you’ll get through a particularly tough workout.
As always, I’m surprised the things I learn about songs whenever I do even a tiny bit of research into their origins. If someday I take this Substack to a subscriber model, I might be able to dive deeper than this, but I found out that this song began as a track recorded by Paul Revere and the Raiders. (This is another unique band, one who scored an inexplicable Hot 100 chart topper with “Indian Reservation” when their prime ‘60s jams like “Kicks” and “Good Thing” absolutely had the chops to hit #1. The Billboard charts are maddening sometimes.)
Another ‘60s rock act, The Trashmen, took a stab at “Steppin’ Stone,” and it didn’t quite match what the Monkees and the Raiders put out there.
Heck, even true punk rockers Sex Pistols took a stab at “Steppin’ Stone,” and depending on how you react to the purest distilled form of punk rock, your mileage may vary on this version.
Modern Rocketry in the 1980s and PJ & Duncan in the 1990s tried to add a dance/techno vibe to the rock classic, with varying degrees of success. Modern Rocketry’s version did some good numbers on the disco/dance charts in the U.S., while PJ & Duncan got some praise in the form of respectable U.K. chart placement.
For me, though, I’ll always be partial to the version with Dolenz growling about not being the “stepping stone” for someone looking to advance themselves in society’s fickle hierarchy. And, for now, it’ll maintain its place near the top of my workout list.
Running Progress - #DadBod2BeastMode
As I mentioned in my first “Running Up The Charts” article, I am training for a 10-mile race in September 2024 called “Beast On The Bay,” which is taking place 289 days from the date this article is published. I’ve been working out as frequently as life and time permits, but happy to say I’ve been consistent with my workout plan so far.
For the first time in many, many years, I decided to run with a couple thousand strangers at our city’s annual “Turkey Trot” 5k race. It gave me an opportunity to do an official timed race for the first time in more than five years, and it allowed me to gauge my progress from the past two months of training runs and gym workouts. And while I have a long way to go to hit my eventual goals, I’m pleased to say that this morning’s run was a new personal record (well, at least a 2020s personal record). It’s slow going but I’m already doing much better than I could have expected two months ago, and I’m fired up to keep this momentum going into the holidays.
A very happy Thanksgiving to you all, and as always, my thanks to you for taking the time to read this and everything else on my ‘Stack.
Do you have songs that you use in your workout playlist? Do you like any of the versions of “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” as a workout song? Would you include this song on a playlist titled “Unnecessary (Parentheticals) List”? Let me know in the comments. I’m eager to hear more about the songs that inspire and ignite your workouts, or inspire you to compose titles with unnecessary parentheticals.
YES! "This is a ‘60s punk song, even if The Monkees’ aesthetic couldn’t have been further from punk."