I’ve been posting some garage band songs lately…the style of this one is close. Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart wrote this but intended it for Paul Revere And The Raiders. Boyce and Hart also wrote The Monkees hits “Last Train To Clarksville” and “Valleri.” The song peaked at #20 in the Billboard 100 in 1967. This was a B side to I’m A Believer.
The Monkees influenced many to pick up an instrument and want to be in a band. I am one of those people…I watched them in syndication and from them, I found The Beatles. They made it look fun and exciting…of course, they didn’t show the egos and the arguments but that is alright. Artists such as Michael Stipe and Andy Partridge have talked about how the Monkees influenced them.
The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame seems determined to keep them out which I think is wrong considering some of the bands that they have in there. The influence alone should get them in… Not to mention 20 songs in the Billboard 100, 6 top ten hits, and 3 number 1’s.
Here is a post by Blackwing on the subject.
From Songfacts
This is about a girl who walks all over a guy who decides he’s not going to take it any more.
Monkees drummer Micky Dolenz sang lead, and was the only Monkee to perform on the song. In their early years, The Monkees songs were usually recorded by top session musicians. The Monkees had a popular TV show where their songs (including this one) aired, which helped them climb the charts.
In their later years, The Sex Pistols performed this with Sid Vicious singing lead.
British group The Farm had their first hit with a 1990 remake of this called “Stepping Stone.”
Monkees keyboardist/bass guitarist Peter Tork on the song’s relevance: “The songs that we got [in the ’60s] were really songs of some vigor and substance. ‘(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone’ is not peaches and cream. It comes down hard on the subject, poor girl. And the weight of the song is indicated by the fact that the Sex Pistols covered it. Anybody trying to write ”60s songs’ now thinks that you have to write ’59th St. Bridge.’ [Sings] ‘Feeling groovy!’ Which is an okay song, but has not got a lot of guts. ‘Stepping Stone’ has guts.”
(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
I-I-I-I-I’m not your steppin’ stone
I-I-I-I-I’m not your steppin’ stone
You’re trying to make your mark in society
You’re using all the tricks that you used on me
You’re reading all them high-fashion magazines
The clothes you’re wearing, girl, they’re causing public scenes
I said, I-I-I-I-I’m not your steppin’ stone
I-I-I-I-I’m not your steppin’ stone
(No!)
Not your steppin’ stone
Not your steppin’ stone
When I first met you, girl, you didn’t have no shoes
But, now you’re walking around like you’re front-page news
You’ve been awful careful ’bout the friends you choose
But, you won’t find my name in your book of “who’s-who?”
I said, I-I-I-I-I’m not your steppin’ stone
(No, girl, not me!)
I-I-I-I-I’m not your steppin’ stone
(No!)
Not your steppin’ stone
I’m not your steppin’ stone
Not your steppin’ stone (step-step-steppin’ stone)
Not your steppin’ stone (step-step-steppin’ stone)
Not your steppin’ stone (step-step-steppin’ stone)
Not your steppin’ stone (step-step-steppin’ stone)
No, girl, I’m not your steppin’ stone
Not your steppin’ stone (step-step-steppin’ stone)
Not your steppin’ stone (step-step-steppin’ stone)
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
I loved this TV show – I also watched it when it was syndicated and shown after school. For some reason Mickey Dolenz’s quirky character appealed to me. He was pretty talented. Found out Michael Nesmith of The Monkees wrote some good songs which kick started The Stone Ponys’ and Linda Ronstadt’s career.
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I’ve played music since I was a teen and this show put the want in me to do it.
Yes he wrote “A Different Drum”… He wanted the Monkees to record it but the producers said no…
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Like you I knew of The Monkees- because of the television show before I discovered The Beatles…. and The Monkees did a better version of the song that The Sex Pistols with Sid singing.
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It was a step in learning…they opened the door for more. Oh I agree with your second statement.
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Would you believe that my name is actually listed in your book of who’s-who, after I paid them $50.
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lol… you mean the Marquis Who’s Who?
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Great pop band, good tune which is about the least characteristic of them (of the ones I’ve heard.) I vaguely remember the TV show… loved that car!
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Yes the Monkeemobile! They had some great pop hits of the 60s
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Think they’ re still overlooked a bit & not always taken seriously but like you said, they had a string of good hits
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I think the big thing about them is influence. Plus after a couple albums they were playing
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I thought the show was entertaining and the music pretty upbeat (except for the lyrics on this one!)
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Yea this one is an unusual Monkees song… Not as pop as the others. Yea the singer is angry in this one.
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I totally agree that they belong in the rock and roll hall of fame. They check a lot of the boxes. Innovative, songwriting, influence on other artists, long careers, Hendrix got his touring start as their opening act… I’m sure there are more reasons.
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If the Sex Pistols are in for one album and mainly their influence…the Monkees should be in no doubt.
All your reasons are right.
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Good comparison, from each end of the good boy-bad boy spectrum. Ironically, I watched a documentary on the Sex Pistols’ album just last night. I bought the album around 1981 I think, loved it, and still have it.
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I need to look for a documentary on them. I have never seen one before. I have read articles about what they did but that is about it
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I streamed this one on the Roku. It may have been on the free Roku channel. It’s not a recent documentary. Judging from how young John looked, it may be 20 years old. But it was very well done, as opposed to those things pieced together clips and photos and no input from the band. The band members, manager, producer and other associates did interviews for this. It might be on YouTube.
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I’ll look for it this weekend… thank you
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I love the session band musicians playing the background music – not so much the Monkees
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As they went along…. songs like Pleasant Valley Sunday they played on…It was odd because they became somewhat of a band. Nesmith and Tork were good. Yes their first two albums they had some great studio musicians…
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Should be in the HOF 100%. Great band with great influence. Wrote more songs and played more instruments than the Temptations and other Hall of Fame bands. We wrote a case for them here: https://thepopculturallists.com/2017/04/25/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-omissions/ #ripPetertork
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Thank you I’m checking it out now. The influence alone should get them in… The Sex Pistols…they got in on one album and influence…
The Monkees used some of the same session players the Byrds did… Jann Wenner I think has kept them out.
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