As a child he sang in a church choir, several school choruses, and Baldwin HS Concert Choir. He also was selected for the All State Chorus by singing Henry Purcell's "Strike the Viol". [2] He developed a habit of dressing differently from his peers and a strong desire to become a singer in a makeup band.
In 1975 Snider changed several rock bands, and in early 1976 he joined the recently formed Twisted Sister and became the only song writer of the band thereafter.
On MTV in the 80's before Headbanger's Ball, the first Heavy Metal show to feature all metal videos was called Heavy Metal Mania. The first show aired in June of 1985. Metal mania was hosted by Dee Snider and featured metal news, interviews with metal artists, in studio co-hosts, etc..
In the late 1980s, after Twisted Sister was disbanded, he formed Desperado, a band featuring ex-Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr, ex-Gillan guitarist Bernie Torme, and bassist Marc Russel. The group's only album Ace has never been officially released but was heavily bootlegged on CD (under the title Bloodied But Unbowed).
In 1985, a Senate hearing was instigated by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), who wanted to introduce a parental warning system that would label all albums containing offensive material. The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (i.e. O for occult themes, S for sex, D for drugs, V for violence, etc). Dee Snider, John Denver, and Frank Zappa all testified against censorship and the proposed warning system. Such a system was never implemented, but the result of the trial brought about what is now the generic "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" label.
In the 1990s, he formed Widowmaker, with Joe Franco (good friend to Twisted Sister, and drummed on the Love Is For Suckers album), Al Pitrelli, and Marc Russel. They recorded two albums with limited underground success, titled Blood and Bullets, and Standby For Pain.
In the late 1990s, he toured with a "self-tribute" band called Dee Snider's SMFs (Sick Mother Fuckers), sometimes featuring ex-Twisted Sister drummer A.J. Pero. The usual line up included Dee Snider, Derek Tailer, Charlie Mills, Keith Alexander, and Spike.
In 1998, he wrote and starred in the horror film Strangeland. He has also penned the script to a sequel which has the working title of Strangeland 2: Cult of Personality. As of October 2006, it has yet to receive a greenlight by any major studio. The project remains a top priority of Snider's.
From June 1999 to August 2002, he hosted a morning radio show on a Hartford, Connecticut Clear Channel station, Radio 104 (104.1 FM WMRQ), called Dee Snider Radio. His show returned to the air at night in August 2004 on 93.3 WMMR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until June 2005. He fondly referred to his listeners as his "Peeps", and "DEE" euro stickers, printed by the station, could be seen on the bumpers of his fans' cars throughout Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. Other members of the morning show included Nick Lentino, Beth Lockwood, "Psycho Dan" Williams, Sean Robbins, and "Darkside Dave" Wallace. He frequently featured high-profile guests, including his friend and KISS singer/bassist Gene Simmons.
In 2001 he was the voice of Gol Acheron, the main villain for the PlayStation 2 videogame Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy.
In 2002 he re-joined with the reunited Twisted Sister, and played himself in the 2002 TV-movie Warning: Parental Advisory.
In 2003 he appeared with actor Arnold Schwarznegger, during his drive to recall incumbent California Governor Gray Davis. Snider sang the Twisted Sister hit, "We're Not Gonna Take It," which was adopted by the Schwarzenegger campaign.
In 2004 and 2005 he was the narrator for a live show known as Van Helsing's Curse which tours the US around Halloween giving a mix of famous music with dark overtones and an occasional part of a storytelling to accompany the music. The concert has also been released on CD.
As of 2005 Snider is the host of the nationally syndicated House of Hair radio show. He currently lives part-time in East Setauket, New York.
Snider is also a narrator for many shows and specials on VH1.
Snider was featured as the 'voice' in the bumpers for MSNBC's 2001/2002 "Fiercely Independent" branding campaign.
Snider returned to radio in June 2006 with Fangoria Radio on Sirius Satellite Radio.
Snider has been married to his wife Suzette since 1981. They have 4 children. They are Jesse, Shane, Cody, and Cheyenne.
Desperado
Dee Snider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The people that you tried to save
They don't even wanna talk to you
And when you see just what you are
A desecrated fallen star
A bad man with something to prove
Better stop, don't you realize
And it's gonna take more than a lot
To give good as you got
CHORUS:
Desperado, how will the wind blow
You've got the fire, it's time to make a stand
Desperado, where did your love go?
Filled with desire, it's time to tip your hand
As you look back at the lies
How your love was pushed aside
You were beaten 'til you broke in two
Now as you climb out of your tomb
Your broken heart is filled with gloom
Do they know just what you're gonna do?
Better stop before you make a move
Think what you stand to lose
I know you're mad because you were burned
But is there something that you've learned?
REPEAT CHORUS
Wooh
Solo - Dan
REPEAT CHORUS
Desperado, how will the wind blow
You've got the fire, time to make a stand
Desperado, where did your love go?
Filled with desire, it's time to tip your hand
Desperado
Desperado
Desperado
Desperado
The lyrics of Dee Snider's song Desperado describe the struggle of a once-beloved hero who attempts to save people, only to be left with nothing in return. The first stanza illustrates how his good intentions have led to a deep sense of betrayal and isolation. The singer is left feeling like a discarded, low-life criminal; someone who has sunk to rock-bottom, with a bad reputation to boot. Dee then states clearly and boldly in the following stanza that the singer needs to stop sacrificing himself and start thinking logically. His uncompromising nature has not only caused him heartbreak but has also put his life in danger. He has been consumed by his desire for revenge, fueled by his anger and resentment, and must now consider that his actions could result in his own downfall.
The Chorus highlights the changes that have occurred in the singer's life. He asks some painful and probing questions about his present circumstances. ‘Desperado, how will the wind blow?’ suggests a sense of uncertainty or concern about what his future might hold. ‘Where did your love go?’ implies that he once had a love that he has lost or abandoned. He is beginning to realize that his priorities may have been misplaced, and it's time for a change. The term ‘Desperado' is used as a metaphor for someone who is reaching a point of no return, someone who is on the brink of catastrophe but can still save themselves if they make the right choice.
Line by Line Meaning
Now just look how much you gave
Reflect on all the effort and sacrifice that you put in
The people that you tried to save
Those you helped and rescued from their troubles
They don't even wanna talk to you
They avoid and ignore you
And when you see just what you are
Once you understand your current situation
A desecrated fallen star
A once-celebrated, now ruined individual
A bad man with something to prove
Someone with a damaged reputation who needs to redeem themselves
Better stop, don't you realize
Pause and recognize the current situation
It's yourself you compromise
You put yourself in a difficult position
And it's gonna take more than a lot
It will require significant effort to correct things
To give good as you got
To restore the positive impact and success you had
Desperado, how will the wind blow
Uncertainty about how fate will treat you
You've got the fire, it's time to make a stand
You have the spirit and confidence to take action
Desperado, where did your love go?
Questioning the loss of affection or passion
Filled with desire, it's time to tip your hand
Overwhelmed with the urge to express oneself
As you look back at the lies
Reflecting on the deception or dishonesty in your past
How your love was pushed aside
How affection or passion was disregarded or neglected
You were beaten 'til you broke in two
You were hurt and traumatized until you couldn't cope anymore
Now as you climb out of your tomb
As you escape the negative situation or mindset
Your broken heart is filled with gloom
You are deeply saddened and affected by emotional pain
Do they know just what you're gonna do?
Do others anticipate your upcoming actions?
Better stop before you make a move
Think carefully before you act
Think what you stand to lose
Consider the potential consequences of your actions
I know you're mad because you were burned
I understand you're upset because you were deceived or hurt
But is there something that you've learned?
Did you gain any valuable insight or experience?
Desperado
An individual who is struggling or fighting against tough circumstances
Desperado
A person who needs to prove their worth or redeem their reputation
Desperado
Someone who is willing to take risks to achieve their goals
Desperado
A reminder of the struggles and obstacles one must endure in life
Contributed by Katherine L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.