Blues, rock, protest songs all have come from his pen as a writer, and his solo albums reflect his eclectic musical influences such as Patrick Sky.
The Pusher
John Kay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
O'Lord, I've popped a lot of pills
But I mever touched nothin'
That my spirit could kill
You know, I've seen a lot of people walkin' 'round
With tombstones in their eyes
But th pusher don't care
Ah, if you live or if you die.
God damn, the pusher
God damn, I say the pusher
I said God damn, God damn the pusher man.
You know the dealer, the dealer is a man
With the love grass in his hand
Oh but the pusher is a monster
Good God, he's not a natural man
The dealer for a nickel
Lord, will sell you lots of sweet dreams
Ah, but the pusher ruin your body
Lord, he'll leave your, he'll leave your mind to scream.
God damn, the pusher
God damn, I say the pusher
I said God damn, God damn the pusher man.
Well, now if I were president of ths land
You know, I'd declare total war on the pusher man
I'd cut if he stands,
And I'd shoot him if he'd run
Yes, I'd kill him with my Bible
And my razor and my gun.
God damn, the pusher
God damn, the pusher
I said God damn, God damn the pusher man.
The lyrics of John Kay's "The Pusher" speaks about the dangers of drug addiction and the role that drug dealers and pushers play in destroying peopleโs lives. The first stanza of the song touches on the singer's own experience with drug use as he admits to smoking a lot of grass and popping a lot of pills. However, he never touched anything that would harm his spirit. The second stanza, in contrast, focuses on the pusher who doesnโt care about the wellbeing of his customers. He is portrayed as a monster who ruins peopleโs lives.
The chorus of the song, which repeats and emphasizes the line "God damn the pusher man", expresses the anger and frustration that the singer feels towards the pusher who has caused so much harm. This sentiment is further amplified in the last stanza where the singer practically declares war on the pusher, promising to kill him with his razor and gun as well as his Bible.
Overall, "The Pusher" is a powerful warning against the dangers of drug addiction and the reckless disregard that pushers have for the lives they ruin.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I've smoked a lot of grass
I have indulged in marijuana many times in my life
O'Lord, I've popped a lot of pills
I have also consumed numerous pills
But I mever touched nothin'
Despite my usage habits, I have never taken anything that could harm my soul
That my spirit could kill
I've avoided drugs that could permanently damage my psyche
You know, I've seen a lot of people walkin' 'round
During my life, I've encountered many individuals who appear to have given up on themselves
With tombstones in their eyes
Their eyes convey a sense of hopelessness and despair
But th pusher don't care
The drug dealer responsible for their plight doesn't care about their well-being
Ah, if you live or if you die.
Whether you live or die isn't his concern
God damn, the pusher
The drug dealer is a reprehensible human being and deserves condemnation
God damn, I say the pusher
I repeat my condemnation of the drug dealer
I said God damn, God damn the pusher man.
Once again, I express my disgust with the individual responsible for spreading addiction and misery
You know the dealer, the dealer is a man
The drug dealer is a human being
With the love grass in his hand
He possesses marijuana
Oh but the pusher is a monster
However, the drug dealer responsible for harder drugs is a truly monstrous individual
Good God, he's not a natural man
He is an unnatural and evil presence in society
The dealer for a nickel
The marijuana dealer charges a small price
Lord, will sell you lots of sweet dreams
He offers an escape from reality in the form of pleasant highs
Ah, but the pusher ruin your body
The drug dealer responsible for harder drugs can destroy your physical health
Lord, he'll leave your, he'll leave your mind to scream.
Additionally, the dealer of hard drugs can cause permanent psychological damage
Well, now if I were president of ths land
If I held the highest office in the nation
You know, I'd declare total war on the pusher man
I would launch an all-out attack on drug dealers
I'd cut if he stands,
I would cripple his operations
And I'd shoot him if he'd run
I would pursue him relentlessly and take him down violently if necessary
Yes, I'd kill him with my Bible
I would use both scripture and brute force to defeat him
And my razor and my gun.
I would use whatever means necessary to eradicate the drug trade
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HOYT WAYNE AXTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pete Irie
When we were kids,.
we counted how many times he sings "g-damn"... lol
i think it was 2o or 3o times...
These guys have a plethora of great, lesser known tunes -
"Draft Resistor"
"Don't step on the Grass, Sam"
"Snowblind Friend"
these come to mind,
although there are dozens more...
Thanks to OP
Tim Robbins
John Kay and Steppenwolf should be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
Japcrap 2
That is shocking that they are not in it.
Trinitarian
No! Please not the Hall of Shame.
Guitarist & Bum
I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a fucking joke. Lots of truly great rock bands have been snubbed, while they induct rappers and other shit.
StZky
The Rock and Roll hall of Fame is a joke.
Eric Walters
@StZky if I was Weird Al Yankovic & they wanted to induct me I'd reply with, "no thanks, I have to much self respect"
Neci Henz
John Kay is a legend...and Steppenwolf is completely underrated
Taking care of business
Love ๐ John Kay. He hasn't lost anything with age. Still just as cool as ever. Seen him 3 times โค๏ธ him every time.
hazzymusic1
Perhaps the most underrated rock singer ever! John Kay's voice is absoluterly incredible!
Joe Mystery
One of the great, great rock voices of all time. John Kay. Enough said.