Frontman John Kay's mother escaped with him at age 4 from Soviet occupied East Germany, an event recounted in the song "Renegade" on the album Steppenwolf Seven. His family resettled in Hannover, West Germany, before moving to Canada in 1958. Kay is partially blind, hence the use of dark glasses
In 1968, Nick St. Nicholas replaced Moreve as bass player.
Steppenwolf had its origins in the Toronto blues band Sparrow, which was formed in 1964 and played coffeehouses in Yorkville. By 1967 they had settled in San Francisco.
Steppenwolf rocketed to fame after their third single, "Born to Be Wild" was used in the movie Easy Rider, as well as "The Pusher". The former song may have coined the term "heavy metal". This was followed by several more hits, including "Magic Carpet Ride" from Steppenwolf the Second, and "Rock Me" from At Your Birthday Party. Many fans consider their double album Steppenwolf Live [an extended single album in the UK] the best of Steppenwolf's releases. Monster and For Ladies Only were the band's most political albums, and are still fondly remembered by fans as two of the best rock & roll snapshots of the attitudes of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The band broke up in 1971, and Kay pursued a solo career. Steppenwolf reformed in 1974 with the album Slow Flux, and disbanded in 1976. Afterwards, several versions of the band toured North America until Kay reformed the official version of the group in 1980.
John Kay released a solo album in 2001.
A Girl I Knew
Steppenwolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the end of her night was an endless flight
While her head, it was lost in the laughter.
A girl I knew
Someone I used to talk to
When we'd meet in the middle of a room
A girl I knew
Someone I used to talk to.
She used to sing in the night while her ring
It would sparkle like burgundy wine
And the people stopped and stared but pretend she's not there.
She used to dance when she had the chance and the time it didn't matter
At the end of her night was an endless flight
While her head, it was lost in the laughter.
The lyrics to Steppenwolf's A Girl I Knew paints the picture of a girl who used to dance and sing when she had the chance, disregarding time and enjoying the moment. She was carefree, lost in laughter, and wore a shade of blue. The song suggests that the girl was probably misunderstood or ignored by others, as people stopped and stared but pretended she wasn't there during her performances. Despite this, the singer remembers her fondly and thinks of her as someone he used to talk to when they met in the middle of a room.
One interpretation of the song is that the girl represents the fleeting moments of joy in life that are often ignored or forgotten. She used to enjoy the moment and live life to the fullest, even if others didn't understand her. The song suggests that the singer feels a sense of nostalgia, regret, and a longing for the simple pleasures he used to share with her. The phrase "endless flight" suggests that the girl's carefree spirit was like a bird taking off into the sky, free and unencumbered.
Overall, the song A Girl I Knew is a reflection of how people come and go in our lives, leaving an imprint on our memories. It's a reminder to cherish the moments of joy and to not let the pressures of time and society inhibit our ability to enjoy life.
Line by Line Meaning
She used to dance when she had the chance and the time it didn't matter
She would dance without a care in the world.
At the end of her night was an endless flight
She would leave at the end of each night with an endless sense of hope and excitement.
While her head, it was lost in the laughter
While she was laughing, she forgot all of her troubles and worries.
A girl I knew
The song is about a girl the artist once knew.
Someone I used to talk to
The artist used to have conversations with the girl.
When we'd meet in the middle of a room
When they would run into each other, they would stand in the middle of the room and talk.
A girl I knew
The song is still about the girl the singer used to know.
Who wore a shade of blue
The girl would usually wear something blue.
Someone I used to talk to
The song reiterates that the artist and the girl used to have conversations.
She used to sing in the night while her ring / It would sparkle like burgundy wine
She would sing at night while her burgundy ring sparkled.
And the people stopped and stared but pretend she's not there
People would stare at her, but she pretended like she didn't notice.
She used to dance when she had the chance and the time it didn't matter
The song reiterates that she used to dance without a care in the world.
At the end of her night was an endless flight
She would leave each night with boundless energy and hope.
While her head, it was lost in the laughter
That laughter and joy made her forget all of her troubles and worries.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN KAY, MORGAN ANDERSON CAVETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Move Over
A really great song.
Philip Kassabian
on It's Never Too Late
Yet another great Steppenwolf song.
Philip Kassabian
on Jupiter's Child
Wow what an excellent song.
Philip Kassabian
on Born to Be Wild
Wow a great song love it.
Scott
on Happy Birthday
It is I hope you read your story book NOT WRECK YOUR STORY BOOK.