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.
It's Never Too Late
Steppenwolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As though you were a man possessed
From deep inside comes rushing forth
All the anguish you suppressed
Upon your wall hangs your degree
Your parents craved so much for you
And though you're trained to make your mark
You still don't quite know what to do
It's never to late to start all over again
To love the people you caused the pain
And help them learn your name
Oh, no, not too late
It's never too late to start all over again
Well, it's much too late to start again
To try and find a little bliss
So on your woman and your child
You release your bitterness
You drift apart some more each day
You feel the guilt and loneliness
And the God of your childhood you can't find
To save you from your emptiness
It's never too late to start all over again
To love the people you caused the pain
And help them learn your name
Oh, no, not too late
It's never too late to start all over again
You say you've only got one life to live
And when you're dead you're gone
Your family comes to your grave
And with tears in their eyes
They tell you, you did something wrong
"You left us alone"
Tell me who's to say after all is done
And you're finally gone, you won't be back again
You can find a way to change today
You don't have to wait 'til then
It's never too late to start all over again
To love the people you caused the pain
And help them learn your name
Oh, no, not too late
It's never too late to start all over again
The Steppenwolf's song "It's Never Too Late" is all about the idea of starting over, even when it seems like it's too late. The opening lines indicate that the person is overwhelmed by emotion and is struggling to cope with the weight of their past choices. The second verse suggests that the person has tried to find happiness by starting over with their partner and child, but they cannot shake off the guilt and loneliness that plagues them.
The chorus, however, provides the central message of the song: it's never too late to start all over again. This is a message of hope and redemption for anyone who feels like their past mistakes have ruined their life. The suggestion is that you can always make a change, even if it seems like you've missed your chance.
The final verse brings the message home by pointing out that life is short, and we don't know what happens after we die. Therefore, we should take the chance to make things right while we can. The line "you can find a way to change today, you don't have to wait 'til then" is a powerful message that encourages listeners to take control of their lives and make the most of the time they have.
Overall, the song is a call to action and a reminder that it's never too late to start over and make a positive impact on the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Your eyes are moist, you scream and shout
As though you were a man possessed
From deep inside comes rushing forth
All the anguish you suppressed
You're emotional, your feelings are overwhelming, and you're finally acknowledging all the pain you've been holding inside
Upon your wall hangs your degree
Your parents craved so much for you
And though you're trained to make your mark
You still don't quite know what to do
You have achieved success according to society's standards but are still feeling lost and unsure of your purpose
It's never to late to start all over again
To love the people you caused the pain
And help them learn your name
Oh, no, not too late
It's never too late to start all over again
No matter how lost you feel, it's never too late to start over and make amends. You can still change your life and make a positive impact on others.
Well, it's much too late to start again
To try and find a little bliss
So on your woman and your child
You release your bitterness
You drift apart some more each day
You feel the guilt and loneliness
And the God of your childhood you can't find
To save you from your emptiness
You've become bitter and have pushed away those who matter most. You are filled with guilt and loneliness, and finding solace in religion is not helping.
You say you've only got one life to live
And when you're dead you're gone
Your family comes to your grave
And with tears in their eyes
They tell you, you did something wrong
"You left us alone"
You're aware of the impermanence of life and the consequences of neglecting the people who love you. Your family will always remember the pain you caused them.
Tell me who's to say after all is done
And you're finally gone, you won't be back again
You can find a way to change today
You don't have to wait 'til then
Nobody knows what happens after death, so don't wait until it's too late to make changes in your life. You still have the chance to do better today.
Lyrics Ā© Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN KAY, NICK ST. NICHOLAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
Yet another great Steppenwolf song.
@lucianolovito7283
Your eyes are moist, you scream and shout
As though you were a man possessed
From deep inside comes rushing forth
All the anguish you suppressed
Upon your wall hangs your degree
Your parents craved so much for you
And though you're trained to make your mark
You still don't quite know what to do
It's never to late to start all over again
To love the people you caused the pain
And help them learn your name
Oh, no, not too late
It's never too late to start all over again
Well, it's much too late to start again
To try and find a little bliss
So on your woman and your child
You release your bitterness
You drift apart some more each day
You feel the guilt and loneliness
And the God of your childhood you can't find
To save you from your emptiness
It's never too late to start all over again
To love the people you caused the pain
And help them learn your name
Oh, no, not too late
It's never too late to start all over again
You say you've only got one life to live
And when you're dead you're gone
Your family comes to your grave
And with tears in their eyes
They tell you, you did something wrong
"You left us alone"
Tell me who's to say after all is done
And you're finally gone, you won't be back again
You can find a way to change today
You don't have to wait 'til then
It's never too late to start all over again
To love the people you caused the pain
And help them learn your name
Oh, no, not too late
It's never too late to start all over again
At Your Birthday Party album.
@coloradomark2159
Finally an old video that isn't all blurry. Steppenwolf is the real deal!
@miker252
I don't think they they were lip-syncing. It is a shame that the audio recording mix and encoding was so badly done.
@onusgumboot5565
@@miker252It looks like one of those shows where the singer sings along with the song. Both the live and recorded vocals are there. Sounds like crap.
@ronnietoots6797
John Kay (not his birth name) has been married to one woman since 1966..... much respect Mr.
@hootinouts
There is so much I love and respect about John. When you hear him tell of his early years growing up in Germany behind the Iron Curtain and having been born with poor eye sight then he and his mother escaping to the free world and immigrating to Canada. All that and he is IMO a rock music legend.
@josefelipeguimaraessilva9574
MY RESPECT HIM HAS TOO!!!
@scottbaxendale323
I built a guitar for him back in the 80ās and he was a super nice guy.
@davelouis4004
Steppenwolf / John Kay definitely great !
@stephencalder8357
If that ain't Rock n Roll, I don't know what is.