After relocating to Britain to follow a musical career, his first album, "Confusions About a Goldfish" (1970), was unsuccessful. The next year he had two hit singles – "He's Gonna Step On You Again" (UK #4; U.S. #70) and "Tokoloshe Man" (UK #4). His second album "Kongos" made the Top 40 of the UK Albums Chart, but subsequent singles, "Great White Lady" (1972), "Ride the Lightning" (1973) and "Higher than God's Hat" (1975), failed to chart.
Kongos continued to work in the music industry as a record producer, sound engineer, TV jingle and theme music composer and songwriter, as well as handling the programming of the Fairlight CMI synthesizer on Def Leppard's 1983 album Pyromania.
"He's Gonna Step On You Again" is cited in the Guinness Book of Records as being the first song to use a sample.
His two biggest hits "He's Gonna Step On You Again" & "Tokoloshe Man", were later succesfully covered by the Happy Mondays.
He's Gonna Step on You Again
John Kongos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From that man you know
He's gonna take away your promised land
Hey good lady
He just want what you got
You know he'll never stop
Gonna stamp out your fire
He can change your desire
Don't you know that he can make
You forget you're a man
Gonna stamp out your fire
He can change your desire
Don't you know that he can make
You forget you're a man
You're a man
He's a man
He's gonna step on you again
He's gonna step on you again
He's gonna step on you again
He's gonna step on you again
Hey rainmaker he got golden plans
I tell you he make you
A stranger in your land
Hey good lady
He got God on his side
He got a double tongue
You never think that he lie
Gonna stamp out
Hey rainmaker come away
From that man you know
He's gonna take away your promised land
Hey good lady
He got God on his side
He got a double tongue
You never think that he lie
The song "He's gonna step on you again" by John Kongos is a warning against a man who will do anything to take what he wants, including destroying the dreams and aspirations of those who stand in his way. The lyrics "Hey rainmaker come away, from that man you know. He's gonna take away your promised land" suggests that the rainmaker is someone who has the power to make things happen, and this man is going to take that power away from her. Similarly, the lyrics "Hey good lady, he just want what you got. You know he'll never stop, until he's taken the lot" imply that this man will stop at nothing to get what he wants from this lady.
The repetition of the phrase "He's gonna step on you again" adds a foreboding feeling to the song, suggesting that this man has done this before and will do it again to anyone who stands in his way. The lines "Gonna stamp out your fire, he can change your desire" portray the man as someone who can take away the very essence of a person, their passions and desires.
Overall, the song is a warning against people who are power-hungry and will do anything to get what they want, even if it means destroying the dreams and aspirations of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey rainmaker come away
Addressing the person who thinks that they have the power to control the natural events, urging them to leave the situation they're in and not get involved.
From that man you know
Directly addressing a particular person who is known to take things away from others.
He's gonna take away your promised land
Warning to the person addressed that the man in question is going to take away what they've been promised.
Hey good lady
Addressing a woman in a respectful way, while acknowledging her to be clever and intelligent.
He just want what you got
Pointing out that the man in question only wants what the woman has.
You know he'll never stop
Doubting the possibility of stopping the man from taking things which he desires.
Until he's taken the lot
Until the man acquires everything he wants.
Gonna stamp out your fire
The man is going to destroy the ambition and enthusiasm of the person or group he is dealing with.
He can change your desire
The man has the ability to change what people truly want.
Don't you know that he can make
Telling the person being addressed to not underestimate the power that the man possesses.
You forget you're a man
The man will make the person forget their true identity or make them submissive to him.
He's a man
Pointing out the man in question as someone who has enough power to control lives.
He's gonna step on you again
The man is going to repeat his actions of taking things away and controlling people.
Hey rainmaker he got golden plans
Addressing the same person again and explaining how the man in question has plans which are attractive and alluring, but also potentially dangerous.
I tell you he make you
Conveying a warning about the man's abilities to manipulate or 'make' people.
A stranger in your land
The man can take the power and identity of others very easily and quickly.
He got God on his side
The man has the support of religious figures or beliefs, making him scarce to be opposed or questioned.
He got a double tongue
The man in question is both persuasive and deceitful.
You never think that he lie
Despite his double tongue, the man is so convincing that people don't believe he lies.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRIS DEMETRIOU, JOHN KONGOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrSirDrew
Lyrics
Hey rainmaker come away
From that man you know
He's gonna take away your promised land.
Hey good lady
He just want what you got
You know he'll never stop
Until he's taken the lot.
Gonna stamp out your fire
He can change your desire
Don't you know that he can make
You forget you're a man
Gonna stamp out your fire
He can change your desire
Don't you know that he can make
You forget you're a man
You're a man. He's a man.
He's gonna step on you again.
He's gonna step on you again.
He's gonna step on you again.
He's gonna step on you again.
Hey rainmaker he got golden plans
I tell you he make you
A stranger in your land.
Hey good lady
He got God on his side
He got a double tongue
You never think that he lie.
Gonna stamp out...
Hey rainmaker come away
From that man you know
He's gonna take away your promised land.
Hey good lady
He got God on his side
He got a double tongue
You never think that he lie
@mikmook4781
I heard this in a bar yesterday. "What's this Happy Mondays cover?" I said. It's pretty good. Yes yes. Looked it up. They did the cover. How did I not know that?
@davel9359
The Party Boys do a good version - Aussie band.
@multipipi1234
Who the hell are Happy Mondays. This is where its at man. Groovy.
@davidhubbert9445
In my opinion this is the best version of this song so ahead of it's time brilliant stuff.
@kenchristie9214
The sub-woofer and all bass setting absolutely destroys the dynamics of this song.
@oleggorky906
Yes! This and the Tokoloshe Man were great songs. Anyone else remember the Tokoloshe Man?
@samanthaurwin4377
@@oleggorky906 Happy Mondays covered them both for Elktra records 40 th anniversary in 1990
@oleggorky906
@@samanthaurwin4377 Yes, they did! I had this same conversation with someone else a few months ago.
@SundaeExpress
*its
@samanthashortman1852
Watching The Serpent and thinking I know this song..mind blown 🤯