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.
Pass It On
Steppenwolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
That's how it is with God's Love,
Once you've experienced it,
Your spread the love to everyone
You want to pass it on.
What a wonderous time is spring,
When all the tress are budding
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming;
That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it.
You want to sing, it's fresh like spring,
You want to pass it on.
I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
You can depend on God
It matters not where you're bound,
I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
The song Pass It On by Steppenwolf is an uplifting composition that reflects the beauty of God's love and the desire to share it with others. The lyrics state that it only takes a small spark to start a fire and that the warmth from this fire will soon spread to those around it. This analogy is then applied to God's love, stating that once you've experienced it, you want to share it with everyone else. The beauty of spring is used as another metaphor for the freshness and joy of God's love.
The song also speaks about the happiness and joy that the singer wishes for their friend. They state that this happiness is something that they've found in God and that it doesn't matter where their friend is going, they can depend on God. The chorus of the song is a proclamation of God's love and the desire to shout it from the mountaintops and let the entire world know about the Lord of love that has come to them.
Line by Line Meaning
It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
Just as a tiny spark can ignite a roaring fire, a small gesture of love can spread to warm the hearts of your loved ones.
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
As the fire grows, it radiates the warmth to everyone around it, similarly, spreading love makes everyone feel comforted and contented.
That's how it is with God's Love,
The song emphasizes that it's God's Love that we should spread, which will result in significant positive change in society.
Once you've experienced it,
After experiencing God's love, one becomes self-aware and recognizes the positive impact of spreading this love.
Your spread the love to everyone
After experiencing and understanding God's Love, one wants to make everyone feel the warmth and positivity that comes with it.
You want to pass it on.
The central idea of the song is that we should always pass on the love to everyone around us.
What a wonderous time is spring,
Spring is a time for renewal, regrowth, and rebirth. It represents a beautiful time of change in nature and the world.
When all the tress are budding
During spring, you notice the beautiful transformation of bare trees into luxuriant greenery with new buds forming on them.
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming;
It's a time when nature comes to life, adding beauty and joy in the ambiance. The birds chirp, and the flowers bloom - a symphony of beauty and freshness.
I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
The artist wishes to convey the joy he's felt and wishes his friend to experience a similar happiness.
You can depend on God
It matters not where you're bound,
The message is simple - wherever life takes you, know that God's love and care will stay with you, guiding and comforting you always.
I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
The artist is making it loud and clear that he's not shy about shouting his love for God and how he wants everyone to know how God's love has blessed him.
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
The artist is using his platform to advocate spreading love, especially God's love, and its necessity in the world. He wants the world to know that the love he's experienced should not be kept confined and must be shared with everyone.
Contributed by Layla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.