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.
I'm The Light
Blue Cheer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you turn your back on me
You'll just be looking in the shadows
I'm the light, I'm the light
I'm the only one you'll see.
Speak to you through illusions, babe
You must tune yourself to me
I'm the light, I'm the light
And this is just one of my dreams.
It's one foot in the astral world
Other one in the grave
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
It's one hand for all mankind
While the other holds the flame
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light.
I play the master game
I hold the key to time
Do you see my light, baby
You have the greatest scene
Ten thousand times.
It's one foot in the astral world
Other one in the breeze
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
It's one hand for all mankind
While the other holds the flame
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light.
I'm the light
I'm the light
I'm the only one you'll see
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
I'm the light
I'm the light
I'm the only one you'll see.
The lyrics to Blue Cheer's song "I'm The Light" are about a powerful entity, claiming to be the only light that the listener will see. The being explains that it is not a devil that the listener conjures when they turn their back, but rather it is just shadows that they will see. It speaks to the listener through illusions and dreams, urging them to tune themselves in to its power. The being claims to hold the key to time and play the master game, asserting that the listener must see its light ten thousand times before truly understanding it. The song suggests that the entity is the only one who can bring light to mankind, while simultaneously holding the flame that lights the way.
The lyrics of "I'm The Light" by Blue Cheer are certainly open to interpretation, but the theme of the song seems to be one of power and control. The being in the song claims to have mastery over time and the ability to speak to the listener through illusions and dreams, indicating that it has a supernatural or otherworldly nature. The idea of one foot in the astral world and one foot in the grave also suggests a dual nature or an ability to straddle worlds that are normally considered separate. The song seems to be a message to the listener that they should look to this being as a source of truth and guidance, rather than wasting their time with other distractions.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not the Devil that you conjure
When you turn your back on me
You'll just be looking in the shadows
I'm the light, I'm the light
I'm the only one you'll see.
Don't mistake me for evil when you ignore me because I am your illumination, shining amidst darkness with no one else to guide you
Speak to you through illusions, babe
You must tune yourself to me
You mustn't waste your time with all you've seen
I'm the light, I'm the light
And this is just one of my dreams.
I communicate with you through visions, but you need to open yourself to my messages and not be distracted by things that distract you from my light
It's one foot in the astral world
Other one in the grave
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
It's one hand for all mankind
While the other holds the flame
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light.
I exist between life and death, between the physical and spiritual plane, and my hand is outstretched to help all of humanity; but this can only happen when you fully embrace my light
I play the master game
I hold the key to time
Do you see my light, baby
You have the greatest scene
Ten thousand times.
I control the ultimate power of time and space, and my light gives you a glimpse of the greatest discovery imaginable, one that can be repeated ten thousand times over
It's one foot in the astral world
Other one in the breeze
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
It's one hand for all mankind
While the other holds the flame
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light.
My presence is as fragile as the wind and as all-encompassing as the spiritual realm, and I offer my help for all of humanity with one hand to guide you to my light and the other hand to protect the flame
I'm the light
I'm the light
I'm the only one you'll see
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
'Till you see my light
I'm the light
I'm the light
I'm the only one you'll see.
I am the only illumination you need, and once you see the power of my light, you will never turn away from it again
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MAYELL HOUSMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@v.l.971
It's not the Devil that you conjure
When you turn your back on me
You'll just be looking in the shadows
I'm the light, I'm the light
I'm the only one you'll see
Speak to you through illusions, babe
You must tune yourself to me
You mustn't waste your time with all you've seen
I'm the light, I'm the light
And this is just one of my dreams
It's one foot in the astral world
Other one in the breeze
Can't you see my light
Can't you see my light
It's one hand for all mankind
While the other holds the flame
Can't you see my light
Can't you see my light
Can't you see my light
I play the master game
I hold the key to time
Do you see my light, baby
You have the greatest scene
Ten thousand times
@rs5801
first heard this on AFN in 'Nam 1971 but had forgotten who it was. "One foot in the afterworld, the other in the grave..." Thanks for posting. RIP Dickie Peterson
@berylman
This song makes me cry to behold the beauty
@v.l.971
It's not the Devil that you conjure
When you turn your back on me
You'll just be looking in the shadows
I'm the light, I'm the light
I'm the only one you'll see
Speak to you through illusions, babe
You must tune yourself to me
You mustn't waste your time with all you've seen
I'm the light, I'm the light
And this is just one of my dreams
It's one foot in the astral world
Other one in the breeze
Can't you see my light
Can't you see my light
It's one hand for all mankind
While the other holds the flame
Can't you see my light
Can't you see my light
Can't you see my light
I play the master game
I hold the key to time
Do you see my light, baby
You have the greatest scene
Ten thousand times
@hasinakhyear644
I am listening this in 2020 for the first time. Good music truly has no expire date! <3
@LizzieLouiza
September 2021!
@nextlevelstart
no but you do
@bibsma3401
2022
@danielcruz8347
Beggars Banquet & Winds of Change were blowing true for Street fighting Man...thank you for sharing
@musicisbrilliant
Its real, reverent, sacred, deeply spiritual, hopeful and so supremely bad ass. And its our little secret. ;) What more could you ever ask for in music?
@exappleman
Epic tune. I am 65+ and still have the vinyl I bought 40+ years ago!