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.
My Sportin' Life
Steppenwolf Lyrics
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That I spend on the road to freedom
Don't let it throw you, I know of your strife
I know what it's like to roam
I sang 'em a glad song, played 'em a sad song
Sang 'em the whole night long
Just for a dollar or what they could offer
To somebody's ramblin' boy
When the fun was done, I would pack my bags and I was gone
Though the women were kind there was nothing to bind me to one
'Til somebody changed my rough and rowdy ways
Somebody changed my ole carousing days
Oh when I was a young boy I learned to survive
'Til somebody came and stayed my sportin' life
I lived in the barrooms the juke joints and gin mills
I worked any dive in town
Never to proud to pass my hat around
In every place I found
I'll sing you a glad song, play you a sad song
Sing 'em the whole night long
Just for a dollar or what you can offer
To somebody's ramblin' boy
There were times when lonely was the only feeling left in me
Or when the cold and the rain made it hard on a man to be free
'Till somebody changed my tough and hungry days
Somebody changed my rough and rowdy ways
Now I don't really care no more 'bout nickels and a dime
The one I love is all I need to help me spend my time
Somebody came and rolled away my stone
Somebody came, and she made me feel at home
Somebody changed my rough and rowdy ways
Somebody changed my ole carousing days
Oh when I was young boy I learned to stay alive
'Til somebody came and stayed my sportin' life
I'll sing you a glad song, play you a sad song
Sing 'em the whole night long
Just for a dollar or what you can offer
To somebody's ramblin' boy
The song "My Sportin' Life" by Steppenwolf tells the story of a man who spent many years of his life traveling and performing in bars and dive joints. He lived a rough and rowdy life, often feeling lonely and struggling through tough and hungry days. He sang "glad songs" and "sad songs" all night long, just for a dollar or whatever someone could offer. But eventually, he found someone who changed him and made him feel at home, someone who made him realize that he didn't need to keep living this sportin' life.
The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for a simpler time, before the rough and tumble lifestyle took its toll. The singer reflects on the women he met along the way, and how nothing ever bound him to one until someone came along and changed him. The lyrics also speak to the power of human connection and how it can change a person's entire outlook on life. The singer no longer cares about the money he used to scrape together, all he needs is the love of the person who stayed his sportin' life.
Overall, "My Sportin' Life" is a poignant reminder of the power of music and the transformative nature of love. It tells the story of a man who lived a wild and free life, but ultimately found that he needed something more. It's a classic tale of self-discovery and finding one's place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Though I can't show you the years of my life
I cannot show you how many years I have lived
That I spend on the road to freedom
The years I lived were spent on the road to freedom
Don't let it throw you, I know of your strife
Do not be overwhelmed; I also know your struggles
I know what it's like to roam
I understand the feeling of wandering with no direction
I sang 'em a glad song, played 'em a sad song
I sang happy and sad songs to entertain people
Sang 'em the whole night long
I continued singing throughout the entire night
Just for a dollar or what they could offer
I sang for whatever little money they could spare
To somebody's ramblin' boy
To someone like me who wanders aimlessly
When the fun was done, I would pack my bags and I was gone
After the fun was over, I would quickly leave
Though the women were kind there was nothing to bind me to one
Even though women were nice to me, I did not feel attached to any of them
'Til somebody changed my rough and rowdy ways
Until someone transformed me from being wild and reckless
Somebody changed my ole carousing days
Someone altered my old habit of heavy drinking and noisy partying
Oh when I was a young boy I learned to survive
I learned how to survive when I was a young boy
'Til somebody came and stayed my sportin' life
Until someone came and ended my wild and aimless lifestyle
I lived in the barrooms the juke joints and gin mills
I lived in bars, clubs, and liquor stores
I worked any dive in town
I worked in whatever place that would offer me a job
Never to proud to pass my hat around
I was not too proud to ask for financial assistance
In every place I found
Wherever I went, I would do the same thing
There were times when lonely was the only feeling left in me
There were times when I felt so alone that I had no other emotions
Or when the cold and the rain made it hard on a man to be free
When it was cold or raining, it made it difficult for me to be out and about
'Till somebody changed my tough and hungry days
Until someone changed my difficult and hungry lifestyle
Now I don't really care no more 'bout nickels and a dime
I don't care about small amounts of money anymore
The one I love is all I need to help me spend my time
All I need now is the person I love to spend my time with
Somebody came and rolled away my stone
Someone came and helped me overcome my problems
Somebody came, and she made me feel at home
Someone came and made me feel as if I was at home
I'll sing you a glad song, play you a sad song
I will sing happy and sad songs for you
Sing 'em the whole night long
I can sing non-stop for the entire night
Just for a dollar or what you can offer
Sing for any amount of money or whatever you can afford to give me
To somebody's ramblin' boy
To people like me who travel aimlessly
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KAY
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.