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.
Out Of Focus
Blue Cheer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A cold, cold darkness
And past confusion
Is quickly calling
Yeah, all of my illusions
Now won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Tell me what's wrong with me.
From within
Said Lord, I could feel deep in my heart
A little bit of gladness
Now won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Tell me what's wrong with me.
Won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Cause Lord, I been searchin'
Searchin' so long
Oh, won't somebody
Oh, won't somebody
Tell me what's wrong with me.
Alright!
Won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Cause Lord, I been searchin'
Whoa so goddamn long
Oh, won't somebody
Oh, won't somebody
Tell me what's wrong with me.
And then from out
Of a mystic dream
There came an angel (What a baby, oh yeah)
She spread her wings (Spread 'em babe, Spread it all).
Now don't nobody tell me what's wrong
Tell me what's wrong with me.
The lyrics of Blue Cheer's song Out Of Focus seem to express the confusion and inner turmoil of the singer who is desperately seeking answers to his problems. The first verse sets the tone by describing a "cold, cold darkness" that is calling the singer's name, suggesting that he might be going through a period of depression or experiencing some kind of emotional distress. He then calls out to someone to tell him what is wrong, indicating his frustration and confusion with the situation.
In the second verse, the singer mentions a "magic madness" that he can feel deep in his heart, which might be a reference to a spark of hope or positivity that he is trying to hold onto in spite of the darkness he is experiencing. He once again pleads for someone to help him understand what is happening to him.
The final verse introduces an angelic figure that appears to the singer, but he refuses to allow her to give him any answers. This could suggest that the singer is either unwilling to accept help or is more comfortable in his state of confusion than facing the difficult truth.
Overall, the song has a heavy and raw sound that reflects the weightiness of the lyrics. The repeated plea for someone to tell him what is wrong underscores the sense of helplessness and desperation that the singer is feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
A cold, cold darkness
The singer is feeling a cold, empty feeling.
And past confusion
The singer is no longer confused about something that happened in the past.
Is quickly calling
The feeling is calling the singer's attention abruptly.
Yeah, all of my illusions
The artist is realizing that all of their beliefs and opinions were wrong.
Now won't somebody tell me what's wrong
The artist is asking for someone to help them understand their feelings.
Tell me what's wrong with me.
The singer wants to know why they are feeling a certain way.
From within
The realization occurred from the singer's inner self.
The magic madness
The artist is calling the feeling a sort of magic madness.
Said Lord, I could feel deep in my heart
The artist felt their realization deeply in their heart, as it was an intense feeling.
A little bit of gladness
The realization brought them a bit of happiness in the midst of all their confusion and negative emotions.
Won't somebody tell me what's wrong
The singer is still asking for someone to help them understand their feelings.
Cause Lord, I been searchin'
The artist has been searching for answers for a long time.
Searchin' so long
The singer has been searching for answers for a significant amount of time.
Oh, won't somebody
The singer is pleading for someone to help them.
Tell me what's wrong with me.
The singer wants to know why they are feeling a certain way.
And then from out
Suddenly, out of nowhere,
Of a mystic dream
The artist is describing this event as if it were a dream, almost magical.
There came an angel (What a baby, oh yeah)
Someone or something that brought them comfort and happiness, like an angel.
She spread her wings (Spread 'em babe, Spread it all).
The angel spread its wings, as if to embrace the singer.
Now don't nobody tell me what's wrong
The artist no longer needs someone else to explain their feelings to them because they found the answer themselves.
Tell me what's wrong with me.
The artist has found the answer to their question and no longer needs someone to explain it to them.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DICKIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Us and Them
Alright!
A cold, cold darkness
And past confusion
Is quickly calling
Yeah, all of my illusions
Now won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Tell me what's wrong with me.
From within
The magic madness
Said Lord, I could feel deep in my heart
A little bit of gladness
Now won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Tell me what's wrong with me.
Won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Cause Lord, I been searchin'
Searchin' so long
Oh, won't somebody
Oh, won't somebody
Tell me what's wrong with me.
Alright!
Won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Cause Lord, I been searchin'
Whoa so goddamn long
Oh, won't somebody
Oh, won't somebody
Tell me what's wrong with me.
And then from out
Of a mystic dream
There came an angel (What a baby, oh yeah)
She spread her wings (Spread 'em babe, Spread it all).
Now don't nobody tell me what's wrong
Tell me what's wrong with me.
DrStrangeSpock
The OTHER AMAZING SONG on the Vinyl I bought in '68. Summertime Blues Cover of course. Lyrics:
"Alright! A cold, cold darkness and confusion.Quickly calling all of my illusions. Now don't somebody tell me what's wrong.Tell me what's wrong with me.From within the magic madness.I could feel deep in my heart. A little bit of gladness.Now don't somebody tell me what's wrong.Tell me what's wrong with me. Won't somebody tell me what's wrong.'Cause Lord, I been searchin', searchin' so long
Oh, won't somebody, oh, won't somebody.Tell me what's wrong with me.Alright!
Won't somebody tell me what's wrong
'Cause Lord, I been searchin' searchin' long
Oh, won't somebody oh, won't somebody
Tell me what's wrong with me
And from out of a mystic dream
There came an angel
She spread her wings
Now don't nobody tell me what's wrong
Tell me what's wrong with me"
Rekti Yoewono
Alright!
A cold, cold darkness
And past confusion
Is quickly calling
Yeah, all of my illusions
Now won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Tell me what's wrong with me.
From within
The magic madness
Said Lord, I could feel deep in my heart
A little bit of gladness
Now won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Tell me what's wrong with me.
Won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Cause Lord, I been searchin'
Searchin' so long
Oh, won't somebody
Oh, won't somebody
Tell me what's wrong with me.
Alright!
Won't somebody tell me what's wrong
Cause Lord, I been searchin'
Whoa so goddamn long
Oh, won't…
TSM
I bought this album with money from working as a dishwasher, in 1968. I made a whopping .75 cents an hour worked 20 hours over the weekend. The best $3.59 plus tax I ever spent.
Travis Hammar
Federal Minimum wage in '68 was 1.60. I call bullshit
Ryan foghat
@Travis Hammar not if you worked under the table they can pay you whatever they want
Rod Mcdonough
This song was the flip side of "Summertime Blues"- one of my all time favorites- on Blue Cheers Phillips 45 RPM that came out in the spring of 1968. I bought the 45 for Summertime Blues but grew to love Out of Focus as well. Blue Cheer was one of the very first "Heavy" or "Hard Rock" sounding bands before it
was even a thing
Ken Rex
Still heavy after 50 years.
Angel Dust
I've listened to this so many times i ended up learning it by ear. This is my favourite album.
I really dig this simple riff and Peterson's angry vocals.
Jeff Albers
The very first heavy metal!
Ray Howard
Dickie Peterson's masterpiece is one of the greatest LOUD songs of the 60s! Unique heavy riff, superb angst lyrics with a happy ending. Should have been saved as an A side follow up to Summertime Blues, rather than the B side.
BERGO '45
Not too sure about the happy ending, but excellent comment........... - Devon / Bergo '45
Ray Howard
Thanks Bergo. Well, listen to it... "there came an angel, she spread her wings". Once he got laid, his angst was solved: "Now don't nobody... tell me what's wrong with me.".