THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

580-Happy Mondays-Step On.

1990-Number 5 single.

Best Bit-At 0.01. Don’t panic, this is not fruit abuse. The term ‘Twistin’ my melon man,’ actually means being confused by something to the point that it’s really annoying.

The Happy Mondays were formed in Salford, England, United Kingdom, in 1980, by Shaun Ryder, (vocals) his brother Paul Ryder, (1964-2022) (bass) Gary Whelan, (drums) Paul Davis, (keyboards) and Mark Day, (guitar) they were soon joined by Mark ‘Bez’ Berry, (dancer and percussionist.) In 1990 they were joined by Rowetta, (vocals) in 2004, by Kav Sandhu, (guitar and keyboards) and in 2006 by Dan Broard, (keyboards.) It was Paul Ryder who named the group, as after the day their unemployment benefit cheques arrived, as Paul put it, ‘It was the day for getting off your face.’ The Happy Mondays remained active between 1980-1993, but have since reformed on a further three occasions. They played an important role in the development of the Manchester music scene, which became known as ‘Madchester,’ by incorporating ‘Rock’ music, with ‘Psychedelica,’ ‘Funk,’ and ‘House Music,’ helping to pave the way to ‘Dance Music.’ The Happy Mondays were also an influence on other groups, including The Stone Roses, (see also best songs 979 and 253) and Oasis (see also best songs 1006-758 and 15.) In 1990 Paul McCartney told the British music magazine ‘New Musical Express,’ ‘I saw the Happy Mondays on TV, and they reminded me of the Beatles in their Strawberry Fields phase.’

The discography of the Happy Mondays includes five studio Albums released between 1987-2007, and 20 singles released between 1986-2015, there are also four extended plays, six official compilation Albums, and two live Albums available. In the UK, six of their singles have reached the top 40, with both ‘Step On,’ (1990) and ‘Kinky Afro,’ (1990) both peaking the highest at Number 5. The Happy Mondays failed to breakthrough commercially in America, with only ‘Step On’ making the Billboard Hot 100, when reaching Number 57, although ‘Kinky Afro’ made Number 1 on the ‘Billboard Alternative Airplay’ chart, and ‘Stinkin’ Thinkin” (1992) reached Number 1 on the ‘Billboard Dance Club’ chart.

‘Step On’ was the first of four singles released from the Happy Mondays third studio Album ‘Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches,’ from November 1990, the song was co-written by John Kongos, and Christos Demetriou, with the production being by Paul Oakenfold, and Steve Osborne, who also produced the Album. ‘Step On’ is a cover version of the 1971 UK Number 4 hit single ‘He’s Gonna Step on You Again,’ by John Kongos, the Happy Mondays incorporate a short sample of three guitar notes from the original, as well as the groups lead singer Shawn Ryder ad-libbing phrases such as ‘You’re twistin’ my melon man,’ and ‘Call the cops.’ The former was a catchphrase of a ‘Haçienda’ nightclub patron, while the latter was taken from a line of dialogue in ‘Man on the Edge,’ a documentary about the actor Steve McQueen.

John Theodore Kongos was born on August 6th, 1945, in Johannesburg, South Africa. After having had success in South Africa in the early 1960’s with his band ‘Johnny and the G-Men,’ as well as also having had success as a solo artist, he left to pursue a musical career in the UK in 1966. His first UK based group was ‘Floribunda Rose,’ which were formed in April 1967, and comprised of five members, including this songs co-writer Chris Demetriou, who had been born in Cyprus. After 18 months of gigging in Britain and Europe, Kongos released his first solo Album, ‘Confusions About a Goldfish,’ in 1969, on the ‘Dawn’ record label. In 1971, and now signed to ‘Fly Records,’ he achieved two hit singles in the UK, with ‘He’s Gonna Step on You Again,’ reaching Number 4, and ‘Tokoloshe Man,’ also making Number 4. ‘He’s Gonna Step on You Again’ is cited in the ‘Guinness Book of Records’ as being the first song to ever use a sample. However, according to the sleeve note of the CD reissue of the ‘Kongos’ Album, it is actually a tape loop of African drumming.

Prior to the Happy Mondays covering ‘He’s Gonna Step on You Again,’ the song had been a hit twice for two Australian bands. The Australian ‘supergroup’ ‘The Party Boys’ took their version to Number 1 in Australia in 1987 for two weeks, and the Australian Pop group the ‘Chantoozies,’ took their recording to Number 36, also in 1987. The original version by John Kongos was written as a protest song against the white man’s appropriation of native territory in Africa.

‘Gonna stamp out your fire, he can change your desire, don’t you know he can make you forget you’re a man. Gonna stamp out your fire, he can change your desire, don’t you know he can make you forget you’re the man, you’re a man. You’re twistin’ my melon man, you speak so hip.’