The group's sound was hard to categorize, but was definitely blues-based, psychedelic, and very loud. The band has been subsequently acclaimed as an influence on garage rock, punk rock, heavy metal, and grunge. Julian Cope has written, "In 1968, nothing but nothing in America and Britain sounded as brutal as Blue Cheer except for The Velvet Underground."
The group underwent several personnel changes after the 1968 release of Outsideinside, and then through yet more changes during and after 1969's New! Improved! Blue Cheer (different guitarists on side 1 and 2). After Leigh Stephens was replaced by Randy Holden, formerly of Los Angeles garage rock band The Other Half, in 1968, Blue Cheer's style changed to a more commercial hard rock sound à la Steppenwolf or Iron Butterfly. For the fourth album Blue Cheer, Holden, who had left during the third album, was subsequently replaced by Bruce Stephens. Stephens later quit and was replaced by Gary Lee Yoder, who helped complete the album.
The new line up of Peterson, Ralph Burns Kellogg, Norman Mayell, and Yoder in 1970 saw the release of The Original Human Being and then 1971's Oh! Pleasant Hope. When Oh! Pleasant Hope failed to dent the sales charts, Blue Cheer temporarily split up.
From 1988 to 1993, Blue Cheer toured mainly in Europe. During this time, they played with classic rock acts as well as then-up-and-coming bands: Mountain, Outlaws, Thunder, Groundhogs, Ten Years After, Yardbirds, Danzig, Mucky Pup, Biohazard and others.
On the Nibelung Records label they released several albums. 1989 saw the release of Blue Cheer's first official live album, Blitzkrieg over Nüremberg. This album was recorded on Blue Cheer's first European tour in decades. The drum chair was then taken by Dave Salce; bass by Dickie Peterson; guitar by Duck McDonald.
1990 saw the release of Highlights & Lowlives studio album, comprised of blues-based hard rock, sometimes reminiscent of Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones, and several ballads. The album was produced by notable grunge producer Jack Endino. The line-up was Peterson on bass and vocals, Paul Whaley on drums, and Duck McDonald on guitars.
Blue Cheer followed up "Highlights" with the much heavier Dining with the Sharks. McDonald was replaced by German ex-Monsters guitar player Dieter Saller. Peterson was on bass and vocals again, and Paul Whaley was again on drums. Also featured is a special guest appearance by Groundhogs guitarist Tony McPhee. The album was produced by Roland Hofmann.
In the early 1990s, Peterson and Whaley re-located to Germany. Whaley still lives there. Guitar work has been handled by Duck MacDonald since that time. Blue Cheer are still active as of 2009. Peterson reunited with Leigh Stephens and performed with drummer Prairie Prince at the Chet Helms Memorial Tribal Stomp in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park in Fall of 2005, and their lively performance drew old rockers like Paul Kantner and others from backstage to observe. They did some recordings in Virginia in Winter 2005 with Joe Hasselvander of Raven and Pentagram on drums. Paul Whaley has since returned to the band as drummer. The group's 2007 CD, "What Doesn't Kill You...", features contributions from both Whaley and Hasselvander. In 2009, Peterson died in Germany, leading to the cessation of Blue Cheer.
Blue Cheer's video for Summertime Blues made an appearance in 2005 documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, where Geddy Lee of Rush referred to the group as one of the first heavy metal bands.
The band have also been regarded as the godfathers of stoner rock bands like Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Nebula and Monster Magnet have cited their "heavy-fuzz rock" as a massive influence on them.
As Long as I Live
Blue Cheer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't make me walk the line
My life was meant to give
And I'll give as long as I live
Come on, go to any place
If I could just reach you
Relax, let yourself go through
Grooving is the only route
I say you go every time
Come on, go to any place
If I could just reach you
Relax and let yourself go through
All these emotions powder your mind
I need a world of trust
And I'm gonna give
As long as I live
Hey, I'm gonna give, give
As long as I live, yeah
Yeah, I'm gonna give
As long as I live, live
As long as I live
The lyrics to Blue Cheer's song, "As Long As I Live" seem to be about giving and letting go of control. The singer asks not to be strung out or made to walk the line, indicating they are looking for freedom and the ability to give without being constrained. The line, "My life was meant to give and I'll give as long as I live" seems to echo this sentiment, implying that the singer believes their purpose in life is to give and they will continue to do so for as long as they are alive.
The next stanza calls for the listener to go to any place, indicating a desire for exploration and discovery. The singer wants to reach the listener and implores them to relax and let themselves go through the experience. The line "grooving is the only route" suggests that the best way to achieve this freedom and connectedness is through music and movement, and that going with the flow is the only way to truly experience it.
The final stanza seems to be about trust and setting aside negative emotions. The singer wants a world of trust and promises to give as long as they live, indicating that they are trustworthy and reliable. The final repetition of "I'm gonna give as long as I live" emphasizes the message of the song - that giving and letting go are important components of a fulfilling life.
Overall, the lyrics of "As Long As I Live" seem to be about the importance of freedom, trust, and giving in order to experience true connection and fulfillment in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Please don't string me out
Don't keep me waiting or keep me in suspense
Don't make me walk the line
Don't make me follow rules or conform to expectations
My life was meant to give
I believe my purpose is to help and contribute to others
And I'll give as long as I live
I will continue to give my all for as long as I am alive
Come on, go to any place
Let's explore and experience all the world has to offer
If I could just reach you
If I could just connect with you on a deeper level
Relax, let yourself go through
Relax and allow yourself to fully experience and enjoy the moment
Grooving is the only route
The best way to enjoy life is through music and dancing
I say you go every time
I encourage you to always take the opportunity to enjoy life
All these emotions powder your mind
Strong emotions can cloud your judgment and perspective
I need a world of trust
I desire a world where people can rely on each other and be honest
And I'm gonna give
I am willing to do my part to make the world a better place
Hey, I'm gonna give, give
I am determined to continue giving my all
As long as I live, yeah
For the rest of my days on this earth
Yeah, I'm gonna give
I will always strive to contribute and help others
As long as I live, live
For the entirety of my life, I will give my all
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRUCE DICKIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind