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.
Rage
Steppenwolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The story of your life
You got your bruises livin'
In the battle zone
And now you're flyin' blind
Searching for a savior, to help you survive
But empty promises are cold comport
When all your creams are gone
Life's been dealin'
From the bottom of the deck
Your blood is boiling over
Fuse is getting short
Here comes trouble on the double
As you explode into a
Rage and rant against the world again
Ain't nobody listening to you
Scream and shout into the wind in vain
Standin' alone, holdin' back your burden
You're slowly turnin' numb
Where are the friends
That you always knew were good as gold
You're on your own
Tryin' to stop the hurtin'
Still the worst is yet to come
You swallow hard and you cling to
What the dawn may hold
But the light you've been watching at
The end of the tunnel turns out to be a hoax
It was a freight train comin' at you
To knock you down again
Just for a joke, so you explode into a
Rage and rant against the world again
Ain't nobody listening to you
Scream and shout into the wind in vain
Oh you're not alone
For I've been down that road before
And I understand it you can't
Take this war no more
Always wishin' hopin' waitin' prayin' for
A night to end i know just what it's like
So let me be your long lost friend
And like crusaders we will
Rage and rant against the world insane
We'll make somebody listen to us
Scream and shout into the wind in again
Like demons on a rampage we will
Rage and rant against the world insane
Does anybody still care out there
Scream and shout into the wind again
The lyrics to Steppenwolf's song "Rage" speak to the frustration and anger that can arise from feeling alone and unsupported in a world that seems against you. The opening lines paint a picture of someone who has been through a lot of difficulties and has come out with scratches and bruises, but no real way to deal with the pain. They are looking for help from somewhere, but are finding that promises are just empty words that don't bring any relief. The frustration builds, the fuse gets shorter, and suddenly there is an explosion of anger and rage against the world.
The second verse continues the theme of isolation, but adds the element of false hope. The person is holding onto a light at the end of the tunnel, but it turns out to be a false promise that only brings more pain. They feel alone and burdened, with no friends or support to help them through the tough times. It is only when they realize that they are not alone, that others have gone through the same struggles, that they can begin to find a way forward. The song encourages people to come together and make their voices heard, to rage and rant against the world until someone listens.
Overall, the song is a powerful anthem for those who have felt unsupported and alone in their struggles. It acknowledges the pain and frustration that can come from feeling like no one is listening, but also encourages a sense of community and shared experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Runnin' wild, trouble round the corner
Life is perilous and unpredictable
The story of your life
Your life has been challenging
You got your bruises livin' in the battle zone
You have endured injuries and traumas in your life
And now you're flyin' blind
You feel lost and directionless
Searching for a savior, to help you survive
You seek someone to rescue you from your struggles
But empty promises are cold comport
You have been let down by promises that weren't kept
When all your creams are gone
When all your hopes and dreams have vanished
You slowly get the feelin' life's been dealin'
You start to believe that life has been unfair to you
From the bottom of the deck
You feel like you have been cheated
Your blood is boiling over, fuse is getting short
You are becoming increasingly angry and frustrated
Here comes trouble on the double, as you explode into a
You are about to unleash your rage
Rage and rant against the world again
You are venting your frustration with the world
Ain't nobody listening to you
You feel unheard and ignored
Scream and shout into the wind in vain
You are yelling and cursing without any effect
Standin' alone, holdin' back your burden
You are carrying the weight of the world by yourself
You're slowly turnin' numb
You are becoming desensitized to your pain and suffering
Where are the friends, that you always knew were good as gold
Your trusted friends have abandoned you in your time of need
You're on your own, tryin' to stop the hurtin'
You are attempting to heal yourself without support
Still the worst is yet to come
Your problems are not yet over
You swallow hard and you cling to what the dawn may hold
You hold onto hope for a brighter future
But the light you've been watching at the end of the tunnel
The hope you have been holding onto turns out to be a false promise
Turns out to be a hoax
Your hope is shattered
It was a freight train comin' at you, to knock you down again
Your hope was replaced by a new struggle or obstacle
Just for a joke, so you explode into a
You are overwhelmed with frustration and anger
Oh you're not alone, for I've been down that road before
You are not the only one who has gone through this
And I understand it you can't take this war no more
The person speaking empathizes with your struggles
Always wishin' hopin' waitin' prayin' for a night to end
You are praying for an end to your struggles
I know just what it's like, so let me be your long lost friend
The artist can relate to your struggles and wants to support you
And like crusaders we will
Together, we will fight for our cause
Rage and rant against the world insane
We will not be silent in the face of injustice
We'll make somebody listen to us
We will demand to be heard
Scream and shout into the wind in again
We will voice our frustration, even if it seems futile
Like demons on a rampage we will
We will fight with fierce determination
Does anybody still care out there
We wonder if anyone is paying attention to our struggle
Scream and shout into the wind again
We will continue to voice our anger and frustration, whether anyone listens or not
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lars Christensen
Should have been added to their live-set
steve screws
John kay at his best great vocal skills song with a powerful.message.greatest band and lead singer that knows how to rock and roll
Jeff Wylie
Absolutely love this! Thanks John Kay and Steppenwolf! I needed this!
Pray2Jah
My girlfriend dies of cancer at 62 ...Charles Manson is still alive at 82....please listen to this song when you've been kicked in the balls by life..it will help you make sense of the madness