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.
Hard Rock Road
Steppenwolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hard rockin' with rollin' on her mind
Scalpers lurking in the shadows
Double the price and have this ticket of mine
Thoughts of her are shakin'
After thirteen years of concentration
She's gonna breakout
Well the dressing room is lay rocks womb
"What's a nice girl like you doing here?"
She said my parents left me
And school's upset me
I've been bored for the last 12 years
Now give me some recognition
The worlds left me no position
I'm gonna breakout
On the hard rock road
She just wanted to belong, wanted to belong
Now it won't be long, 'till she belongs
Come on pretty peach, move it to the music
I love your dancin' and your platform feet
Come on pretty peach, don't you ever lose it
Your second nature is so hard to beat
You got your recognition
But the world ain't a better position
Just shake it loose
On the hard rock road
The song Hard Rock Road by Steppenwolf is a story about a girl who wants to join the rock and roll world, however, cannot get a ticket to a sold-out show but motives herself to succeed nonetheless. The lyrics describe how she wanted to fit in this world so much that she was willing to pay double the price to even be there. The song continues by portraying how she is stoked with thoughts and emotions and how she had been aiming for freedom and recognition for 13 years of her life. The verse in the second half of the song talks about how she made it backstage, and how she was questioned about why she was even there, to begin with. She said that she needed recognition and even though she had reached it, she was unsatisfied because there was still no position for her in the world. The song concludes by telling her to shake it all loose on the hard rock road.
Line by Line Meaning
Well you know it's sold out she couldn't get a ticket
The concert is sold out and she couldn't get a ticket
Hard rockin' with rollin' on her mind
She is thinking about hard rock music
Scalpers lurking in the shadows
Scalpers are waiting to overcharge for tickets
Double the price and have this ticket of mine
The scalpers are offering the ticket for double the price
Thoughts of her are shakin'
She is excited and nervous
After thirteen years of concentration
She has been focused on something for thirteen years
She's gonna breakout
She is going to break out of her current life
On the hard rock road
She is going to pursue a life in hard rock music
Well the dressing room is lay rocks womb
The dressing room is like a safe space for her
"What's a nice girl like you doing here?"
Someone is questioning why she is there
She said my parents left me
She explains why she is there
And school's upset me
School was not a good experience for her
I've been bored for the last 12 years
She has been bored for a long time
Now give me some recognition
She wants to be acknowledged
The worlds left me no position
She feels like the world has not given her any opportunities
I'm gonna breakout
She is determined to break out of her current life
On the hard rock road
She is going to pursue a life in hard rock music
She just wanted to belong, wanted to belong
She just wanted to fit in somewhere
Now it won't be long, 'till she belongs
She will soon find a place where she belongs
Come on pretty peach, move it to the music
Someone is encouraging her to dance
I love your dancin' and your platform feet
They appreciate her dancing and her platform shoes
Come on pretty peach, don't you ever lose it
They want her to continue dancing
Your second nature is so hard to beat
Dancing comes naturally to her
You got your recognition
She has finally been acknowledged
But the world ain't a better position
Even though she has been acknowledged things are not necessarily better
Just shake it loose
She should let loose and enjoy herself
On the hard rock road
She is going to pursue a life in hard rock music
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARVIN GAYE, MARVIN P KAYE
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.