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.
Magic
Steppenwolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Right between the sound machine
On a cloud of sound I drift in the night
Any place it goes is right
Goes far, flies near
To the stars away from here
Well, you don't know what
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride
Well, you don't know what
We can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me
Fantasy will set you free
Close your eyes now
Look inside now
Let the sound
Take you away
Last night I hold Aladdin's lamp
So I wished that I could stay
Before the thing could answer me
Well, someone came and took the lamp away
I looked
Around
A lousy candle's all I found
Well, you don't know what
We can find
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride
Well, you don't know what
We can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me
Fantasy will set you free
Close your eyes now
Look inside now
Let the sound
Take you away
The song "Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf was released in 1968 and became a hit in the United States, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The lyrics describe a dream-like state of mind, where the singer is transported by the sound of the music to a place where anything is possible. The opening lines "I like to dream, yes, yes, right between the sound machine" suggest that the singer likes to lose themselves in the music, letting it take them to a different mental space.
The following lines "On a cloud of sound I drift in the night, any place it goes is right" reinforce this idea of escaping from reality and letting the music take over. The chorus implores listeners to join the singer on this journey, promising that "you don't know what we can find" and "you don't know what we can see." This is an invitation to dream and imagine, to let go of inhibitions and embrace the unknown.
The second verse introduces a reference to Aladdin's lamp, a symbol of the power of wishes and the illusion of control. The singer wishes to stay in this dream-like state but is reminded that everything is temporary and beyond our grasp. The final lines of the song encourage listeners to close their eyes and let the sound take them away, embracing the power of music to transport us beyond our physical surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
I like to dream, yes, yes
I enjoy imagining things and creating new experiences in my mind
Right between the sound machine
I'm lost in thought, in a place where reality and imagination meet, perhaps influenced by the sounds around me
On a cloud of sound I drift in the night
My imagination takes me on a journey, carried by the sounds that guide me
Any place it goes is right
The destination of my journey doesn't matter because it's all about the experience and enjoyment of the ride
Goes far, flies near
The journey is vast and limitless, and yet it feels so close and tangible
To the stars away from here
My imagination takes me far away from my current reality and transports me to a magical and distant universe
Well, you don't know what
There are possibilities and experiences that you are not aware of
We can find
We can discover and explore together
Why don't you come with me little girl
Join me on this journey, let's explore and have fun together
On a magic carpet ride
Let our imagination carry us away, like riding a magic carpet
Why don't you tell your dreams to me
Share your thoughts and hopes with me
Fantasy will set you free
It's liberating to let our minds wander and create our own dreams and fantasies
Close your eyes now
Block out the distractions of the outside world and focus on your own thoughts and feelings
Look inside now
Explore your innermost thoughts and emotions
Let the sound
Allow the music to guide you and influence your imagination
Take you away
Let your mind take you on a journey, away from reality
Last night I hold Aladdin's lamp
In my dream, I found Aladdin's lamp and held onto it
So I wished that I could stay
I wanted to stay in my dream and not return to reality
Before the thing could answer me
Before I could make a wish or get a response from the lamp
Well, someone came and took the lamp away
Something or someone interrupted my dream and it ended abruptly and disappointingly
I looked
I searched for something to replace the magic of my dream
Around
In my surroundings, both inner and outer
A lousy candle's all I found
I only found something insignificant and disappointing, not nearly as magical as my previous dream
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: JOHN KAY, RUSHTON JOHN MOREVE
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.