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.
God Fearing Man
Steppenwolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brings people down to what he call his own
Believes in himself but nobody else
Does he trust and try to understand
How they feel, can he see?
Not so good
Yes, he does all that he can
To try and understand
What's wrong with his fellow men?
What's wrong, what's wrong?
He looks at me, what does he see?
Blood, flesh and bones and my rib
Love is gone and hate has come
But don't blame yourself
If you can't find somebody else
He's a God fearing man
Yes, he does all that he can
To try and understand
What's wrong with his fellow men?
What's wrong, what's wrong?
What's wrong with his fellow men?
What's wrong, what's wrong?
What's wrong with his fellow men?
What's wrong, what's wrong?
What drives a man to do all that he can
Brings people down to what he call his own
Believes in himself but nobody else
Does he trust and try to understand
How they feel, can he see?
Not so good
He's a God fearing man
Yes, he does all that he can
To try and understand
What's wrong with his fellow men?
What's wrong, what's wrong?
What's wrong with him?
What's wrong, what's wrong?
What's wrong, what's wrong?
The song God Fearing Man by Steppenwolf reflects on the idea of what drives a man to do what he does, and how he perceives those around him. The lyrics suggest that there may be a disconnection between a person's actions and their understanding of how others feel. The song also explores the idea of faith and how that affects an individual's interactions with others.
The phrase "God fearing man" typically suggests that the person is deeply religious and follows a set of moral codes. However, in this song, it seems that the term is being used more as a reference to someone who is trying to understand their place in the world and the actions of those around them. The lyrics suggest that this person is self-centered and trusts only in themselves. They try to understand others but may struggle to truly empathize with them.
The chorus repeatedly asks, "what's wrong with his fellow men?" The focus on this question suggests that the singer is struggling to understand why people act the way they do. They are introspective but may not fully comprehend the motivations of others. Overall, the song touches on themes of self-awareness, faith, and empathy.
Line by Line Meaning
What drives a man to do all that he can
What motivates a man to exert maximum effort
Brings people down to what he call his own
Lowers others to satisfy his own desires
Believes in himself but nobody else
Has confidence in his own abilities, but no one else trusts him
Does he trust and try to understand
Does he rely on faith and attempt to comprehend others
How they feel, can he see?
Can he truly empathize with them and understand their emotions
He's a God fearing man
He is righteous, guided by his faith
Yes, he does all that he can
He gives his utmost effort
To try and understand
To attempt to comprehend
What's wrong with his fellow men?
What are the issues that ail his fellow humans?
What's wrong, what's wrong?
What's the matter, what's the matter?
He looks at me, what does he see?
What do his eyes perceive when he gazes upon me
Blood, flesh and bones and my rib
My physical form, made of tissue and bone
Love is gone and hate has come
Affection has faded away, and detestation has taken its place
But don't blame yourself
Don't hold yourself accountable
If you can't find somebody else
If you cannot locate another partner
What's wrong with him?
What are the issues afflicting him?
What's wrong, what's wrong?
What's the matter, what's the matter?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL MONARCH
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.