A major major hit for them featured in the iconic Easy Rider when Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda are doing their drug deal and hiding their cash in their chopper gas tanks. Written by Hoyt Axton who wrote many great songs, his version of this is totally wild. Hoyt also played the father in Gremlins who buys " Gizmo " for his kids. John Kay and Steppenwolf are serious heavy rock legends forever. Their song Born to be Wild from 1968 had the line .." Heavy Metal Thunder "...
Having been a teenager when this came out, I can report that at the time, there was a somewhat powerful "counter cultural" _caution_ against heroin use, since so many people were dying from overdoses & Steppenwolf was one of those messengers. Neil Young also recorded *The Needle & The Damage Done* a few years later after one of his band mates died from a heroin overdose. Even among marijuana smokers, most would say "I'm not into chemicals" & stuck with organic substances (like Pot & Mushrooms). FYI...
It probably was in some places, especially maybe self-censoring on AM radio. FM was new and a little subversive then, and they had a lot more latitude and attitude. Plus, they didn't have a lot of advertisers they had to keep happy back then. I heard this playing on FM radio in LA when the song was still new.
Thanks for bringing back the memories!📻Most radio stations were 🚫not allowed to play this song. 📻Late at night we used to try to get a station in Montreal Canada that played "The Best" tunes 🎶entire albums and get "high". Wolfman Jack show was one we tried hard to get too, "The 70's show" basement scene, yeah that was me and my friends but we had a black light too.📻 ☯☮
Hoyt Axton was a singer/songwriter/actor who had a long career, and was well thought of in the music industry. His most famous on screen acting gig was as the Dad in the movie "Gremlins".
This song transports you back to the 60s and epitomized the psychedelic sound of that era perfectly. This song accompany the opening scenes in the soundtrack from the movie Easy Rider an iconic 1969 movie starring Peter Fonda (son of Henry), Dennis Hopper and a relatively unknown Jack Nicholson. You may want to watch this movie as it was one of the first counterculture movies in the new Hollywood style of film making.
This Steppenwolf song was released over 55 years ago; no autotune, no fireworks, just guys playing and singing Turn on the radio or streaming service today, and you'll never hear anything with feelings and meanings like this generation of musicians. And bands played a diversity of songs/sounds and styles. Every new album was a new experience. Thanks for all the hard work bringing the music back into the light - your commentary is always outstanding and greatly appreciated.
I think the live version of Monster is the best version-and Monster the best song Steppenwolf did- as relevant today-maybe more so, then when they wrote it
Hoyt Axton not only wrote Three Dog Night's Joy To The World, but he also wrote Never Been To Spain, another big hit for them. He also wrote Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel, Ringo Starr's "No No Song" and John Denver's Sweet Misery, to name a few.
Whenever I hear this song, like now, I am immediately reminded of the movie "Easy Rider", and the opening sequences this song plays over. The soundtrack to the movie was the very first LP I ever bought with my own money, I think I was 11 years old. When Jon Kaye sang "God Damn the Pusher" I sat up and took notice. Me and millions of other kids at the same time. And the fact that Kaye and Steppenwolf differentiated between a "Pusher" and a "Dealer", and it is an important difference. An important and excellent song from the late 1960's that had true meaning.
Three Dog Night. The band name alludes to a very cold night and extra blankets are not enough , thats when you invite the dogs in and cover all up with you sandwiched between.
Another great song that Hoyt Axton wrote and was covered by Steppenwolf is "Snowblind Friend". This is a song about the devastation that heavy drug use can have on your life and those around you.
Hi Jamel. This is John. You may know me as imadrummer. 8 watch a lot of your videos and have commented a lot. I just want to thank you for your wonderful content. I understand the sentiment in this song but I don't like the swearing. I had this song on 8 track in my first car and I was driving my Mother to get her hair done. My Mom flipped when she heard them taking the Lord's name in vain. I'm old school and I still believe that swearing is a crutch. Anyway, I had a stroke on April 11fh of this year and have been bedridden for the last 7.5 months. I watch your videos every night before I go to sleep --- that is why I appreciate your content soooi much !!! you are so intelligent and a breath of fresh air. Thank you for being you. I'm still paralyzed on my left side but hope to bounce back to play drums again. I miss it terribly! I just wanted to tell you how much that I appreciate what you do so much, and *m sure that I am not àlone. Keep the great content coming. I'll be watching !!!😅😅😅😅 10:12 😅😅😅
Okay, I have been watching your channel for some time, your Steppenwolf reactions made me a subscriber! Great job on these and how ironic that you would have pulled two Hoyt Axton songs back to back. ‘Wolf & Three Dog Night were label mates on ABC/Dunhill & I remember reading in John Kay’s autobiography (highly recommended!!) that these songs were perfect fits for the bands individual styles. Other astute fans have pointed out another great Axton song that ‘Wolf does is Snowblind Friend, a must listen. Next should be Born to be Wild, their greatest hit. You can’t go wrong with anything off the first album, “7” , and greatest hits. Monster is another great song. Thank you!
Steppenfetchitwolf was aboriginally a novel about a wolf that was also a steppenfetchit on the Steppes of the great open nothing, by Hermann Bernard I mean Hesse. Would that computers had erasers. Listen to Harry holler! Peace and love. -wndrs-
My brother was a DJ for an AM radio station when this song came out he played it and got a warning not to play it again and then he did they fired him but they hired him back a month later cuz he was so popular
Hoyt Axton also wrote this one, as he did your last one "Joy to The World". Two totally different vibes. Want to try a different vibe from Hoyt? Ringo Starr's "No No Son"|.
In high school in '73 I and 2 other guys did an anti drug video to this song. My favorite part was filming one of the guys while lyng on my back while he committed suicide jumping from a first story window. We got an A.
Interesting that you drop two Hoyt Axton songs in one day. As a next step, I'd suggest one that he sang himself. Della and the Dealer would be a great choice. (Hey, I figgered it bears repeating 🙃) For perspective on the Dealer and the Pusher, here's an oversimplified example: Dealer = person you go and buy various stuff from. Pusher = The fellow working streets or parties and actively trying to get people addicted to something such as heroin in order to have an addicted market to supply until they die...so he has to keep "pushing" to keep a market going.
Here is an EPIC Steppenwolf song that STILL APPLIES today... "Monster/Suicide/America". Every word of the lyrics can be said about today's society!! Sadly.
Thank you for listening to us commenters and not just playing songs from donaters like all the rest. This is what separates your channel from all the others
This was the second album I ever bought,great tune but my Dad didn’t seem to like it one night I I was ripping this real loud and he came into my room demanding to know why this guy was yelling Goddamn all the time.After that I bought headphones.
1967-1973; we had the best music. Period.
From the Allman Brothers to ZZ Top
A major major hit for them featured in the iconic Easy Rider when Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda are doing their drug deal and hiding their cash in their chopper gas tanks. Written by Hoyt Axton who wrote many great songs, his version of this is totally wild. Hoyt also played the father in Gremlins who buys " Gizmo " for his kids. John Kay and Steppenwolf are serious heavy rock legends forever. Their song Born to be Wild from 1968 had the line .." Heavy Metal Thunder "...
Yep, I also came here to mention his acting (Gremlins).
Having been a teenager when this came out, I can report that at the time, there was a somewhat powerful "counter cultural" _caution_ against heroin use, since so many people were dying from overdoses & Steppenwolf was one of those messengers. Neil Young also recorded *The Needle & The Damage Done* a few years later after one of his band mates died from a heroin overdose. Even among marijuana smokers, most would say "I'm not into chemicals" & stuck with organic substances (like Pot & Mushrooms). FYI...
The Needle & The Damage Done is one of my favorite songs by NY
Another hidden gem by them with a similar theme is Snowblind Friend. It’s a bit of tearjerker
Way back when this song was released it was "banned" from the radio..yet it was very popular..iconic!!
There is also a live version of this on youtube...it's even better!!. You can see how very tall John Kay is too..
It probably was in some places, especially maybe self-censoring on AM radio. FM was new and a little subversive then, and they had a lot more latitude and attitude. Plus, they didn't have a lot of advertisers they had to keep happy back then. I heard this playing on FM radio in LA when the song was still new.
It was "God Damn" that got the ban hammer action
Can't talk about Steppenwolf without including "Born To Be Wild", their biggest hit.
Thanks for bringing back the memories!📻Most radio stations were 🚫not allowed to play this song. 📻Late at night we used to try to get a station in Montreal Canada that played "The Best" tunes 🎶entire albums and get "high". Wolfman Jack show was one we tried hard to get too, "The 70's show" basement scene, yeah that was me and my friends but we had a black light too.📻 ☯☮
John Kay sang and played rhythm guitar but the screamin lead guitar is Michael Monarch. The groove and production are crushing.
If there was ever a song that sounded like the late 60's, this is it. Such a great band.
Hoyt Axton was a singer/songwriter/actor who had a long career, and was well thought of in the music industry. His most famous on screen acting gig was as the Dad in the movie "Gremlins".
This song transports you back to the 60s and epitomized the psychedelic sound of that era perfectly. This song accompany the opening scenes in the soundtrack from the movie Easy Rider an iconic 1969 movie starring Peter Fonda (son of Henry), Dennis Hopper and a relatively unknown Jack Nicholson. You may want to watch this movie as it was one of the first counterculture movies in the new Hollywood style of film making.
This Steppenwolf song was released over 55 years ago; no autotune, no fireworks, just guys playing and singing Turn on the radio or
streaming service today, and you'll never hear anything with feelings and meanings like this generation of musicians. And
bands played a diversity of songs/sounds and styles. Every new album was a new experience. Thanks for all the hard work bringing
the music back into the light - your commentary is always outstanding and greatly appreciated.
Love this song & group. Check out Monster, from the album of the same name. It’s another overlooked gem by Steppenwolf. ✌️❤️🎶
I think the live version of Monster is the best version-and Monster the best song Steppenwolf did- as relevant today-maybe more so, then when they wrote it
John's voice, that hard fuzz and Goldy's keyboards really set a mood. Proud of this track for many reasons
Hoyt Axton not only wrote Three Dog Night's Joy To The World, but he also wrote Never Been To Spain, another big hit for them. He also wrote Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel, Ringo Starr's "No No Song" and John Denver's Sweet Misery, to name a few.
Hoyt axton also wrote three dog nights song "mama told me to to come". He also recorded songs by himself as a country singer
Whenever I hear this song, like now, I am immediately reminded of the movie "Easy Rider", and the opening sequences this song plays over. The soundtrack to the movie was the very first LP I ever bought with my own money, I think I was 11 years old. When Jon Kaye sang "God Damn the Pusher" I sat up and took notice. Me and millions of other kids at the same time. And the fact that Kaye and Steppenwolf differentiated between a "Pusher" and a "Dealer", and it is an important difference. An important and excellent song from the late 1960's that had true meaning.
Great song by a really great band!
This song wasn’t banned on Dallas radio. I remember it well! Still love it.
Three Dog Night. The band name alludes to a very cold night and extra blankets are not enough , thats when you invite the dogs in and cover all up with you sandwiched between.
Hoyt's Snow Blind Friend is a must hear. For more Steppenwolf you should do Monster/America.
Another great song that Hoyt Axton wrote and was covered by Steppenwolf is "Snowblind Friend". This is a song about the devastation that heavy drug use can have on your life and those around you.
It was great with black lights, headphones, few friends, beers and a bong.
Hi Jamel. This is John. You may know me as imadrummer. 8 watch a lot of your videos and have commented a lot. I just want to thank you for your wonderful content. I understand the sentiment in this song but I don't like the swearing. I had this song on 8 track in my first car and I was driving my Mother to get her hair done. My Mom flipped when she heard them taking the Lord's name in vain. I'm old school and I still believe that swearing is a crutch. Anyway, I had a stroke on April 11fh of this year and have been bedridden for the last 7.5 months. I watch your videos every night before I go to sleep --- that is why I appreciate your content soooi much !!! you are so intelligent and a breath of fresh air. Thank you for being you. I'm still paralyzed on my left side but hope to bounce back to play drums again. I miss it terribly! I just wanted to tell you how much that I appreciate what you do so much, and *m sure that I am not àlone. Keep the great content coming. I'll be watching !!!😅😅😅😅 10:12 😅😅😅
This was a whole side of an album, this is the short version. It was recorded live by the way.
Okay, I have been watching your channel for some time, your Steppenwolf reactions made me a subscriber! Great job on these and how ironic that you would have pulled two Hoyt Axton songs back to back. ‘Wolf & Three Dog Night were label mates on ABC/Dunhill & I remember reading in John Kay’s autobiography (highly recommended!!) that these songs were perfect fits for the bands individual styles. Other astute fans have pointed out another great Axton song that ‘Wolf does is Snowblind Friend, a must listen. Next should be Born to be Wild, their greatest hit. You can’t go wrong with anything off the first album, “7” , and greatest hits. Monster is another great song. Thank you!
Steppenfetchitwolf was aboriginally a novel about a wolf that was also a steppenfetchit on the Steppes of the great open nothing, by Hermann Bernard I mean Hesse. Would that computers had erasers. Listen to Harry holler!
Peace and love. -wndrs-
My brother was a DJ for an AM radio station when this song came out he played it and got a warning not to play it again and then he did they fired him but they hired him back a month later cuz he was so popular
Born to be wild is probably their most famous song, You would've heard it in films etc
My favorite by them.
Hoyt allso wrote Snowblind Friend. Another good song by Steppenwolf, and Never been to Spain by Three Dog Night.
You need to do Sookie Sookie to hear another side of them.
Born to be wild❤
Dont step on the grass sam❤
Nice catalog 🤘❤️
Now you have to do "Pusherman" by Curtis Mayfield!..Also a great song!
Hoyt Axton also wrote this one, as he did your last one "Joy to The World". Two totally different vibes. Want to try a different vibe from Hoyt? Ringo Starr's "No No Son"|.
Hoyt Axton's mom wrote "Heartbreak Hotel!"
Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire is another heroin song by Joni Mitchell. Well worth a listen.
"Monster" is their best song...
On a somewhat similar theme, check out, "The Needle and the Damage Done," by Neil Young.
Born to be Wild is the other iconic Steppenwolf song.
I'm guessing that this song was the reason the gov't put weed on the same list as heroin. There was a difference between dealer and pusher back then.
Notice that the album you displayed was Born to be wild. That was their biggest hit. Check it out if you don't know it.
The album was self titled, the BTBW blurb was to advertise that the song was on this album after it took off on the charts
Sounded great in the movie Easy Rider.
In high school in '73 I and 2 other guys did an anti drug video to this song. My favorite part was filming one of the guys while lyng on my back while he committed suicide jumping from a first story window. We got an A.
Interesting that you drop two Hoyt Axton songs in one day. As a next step, I'd suggest one that he sang himself. Della and the Dealer would be a great choice. (Hey, I figgered it bears repeating 🙃) For perspective on the Dealer and the Pusher, here's an oversimplified example: Dealer = person you go and buy various stuff from. Pusher = The fellow working streets or parties and actively trying to get people addicted to something such as heroin in order to have an addicted market to supply until they die...so he has to keep "pushing" to keep a market going.
👍👍👍👍👍👍
Here is an EPIC Steppenwolf song that STILL APPLIES today... "Monster/Suicide/America". Every word of the lyrics can be said about today's society!! Sadly.
Thank you for listening to us commenters and not just playing songs from donaters like all the rest.
This is what separates your channel from all the others
Agree and he has picked a great cross selection, so much more to explore!!
It's Three DOG Night, no s in DOG.
This was the second album I ever bought,great tune but my Dad didn’t seem to like it one night I I was ripping this real loud and he came into my room demanding to know why this guy was yelling Goddamn all the time.After that I bought headphones.
The dealer was where you got your weed, and maybe some qualudes for the party. The pusher sold heroin to get you addicted.
I had this album and my mother hated it. She didn't like the GD reference. Peace ✌️
Our band played this. Went over real good at the church picnic
Oh no! Lol