Snowblind Friend
Steppenwolf Lyrics


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You say it was this morning when you last saw your good friend
Lyin' on the pavement with a misery on his brain
Stoned on some new potion he found upon the wall
Of some unholy bathroom in some ungodly hall
He only had a dollar to live on 'til next Monday
But he spent it on some comfort for his mind
Did you say you think he's blind?
Someone should call his parents, a sister or a brother
And they'll come to take him back home on a bus
But he'll always be a problem to his poor and puzzled mother
Yeah he'll always be another one of us
He said he wanted Heaven but prayin' was too slow
So he bought a one way ticket on an airline made of snow
Did you say you saw your good friend flyin' low?




Flyin' low
Dyin' slow

Overall Meaning

The song "Snowblind Friend" by Steppenwolf speaks about a friend who is lost in a world of drugs and addiction. The lyrics describe the friend lying on the pavement, stoned on some new potion he found in an ungodly hall. The friend has spent his last dollar on some comfort for his mind and seems to have lost all hope. The singer suggests that someone should call his family but deep down knows that he will always be a problem to his mother. The friend is looking for a way out but finds prayer too slow and ends up buying a one-way ticket to heaven on an airline made of snow.


The song is a commentary on the drug culture of the 1960s and early 70s, which was prevalent in California where Steppenwolf was based. The song's title, "Snowblind Friend," is a reference to cocaine, which was known as "snow" back then. The singer is warning the listeners of the perils of drug addiction and how it can affect not only the addict but also those around them. The song is a cautionary tale of how easy it is to get lost in the world of drugs and how hard it is to get out.


Line by Line Meaning

You say it was this morning when you last saw your good friend
You tell me that this morning you witnessed your friend in a bad state


Lyin' on the pavement with a misery on his brain
Your friend was sprawled on the ground, looking very sad and depressed


Stoned on some new potion he found upon the wall
He was under the influence of a new drug he experimented with, which he found at a sketchy location


Of some unholy bathroom in some ungodly hall
The drug was found in a dirty bathroom in some shady place


He only had a dollar to live on 'til next Monday
He was running out of money, and only had a dollar left to spend until next week


But he spent it on some comfort for his mind
He chose to spend his last dollar on something that would help him feel better mentally


Did you say you think he's blind?
Are you suggesting that his drug consumption may have caused him to go blind?


Someone should call his parents, a sister or a brother
It would be appropriate to reach out to his family members and inform them of his current situation


And they'll come to take him back home on a bus
His family members will probably arrange to pick him up and transport him back home


But he'll always be a problem to his poor and puzzled mother
Despite his family's efforts, his struggles and challenges will continue to pose difficulties for his worried mother


Yeah he'll always be another one of us
Unfortunately, he is not alone and part of a larger group of individuals facing similar issues


He said he wanted Heaven but prayin' was too slow
Your friend expressed his desire to attain a state of euphoria, but felt that praying was not an effective method for achieving it


So he bought a one way ticket on an airline made of snow
Instead, he chose to experiment with drugs, taking a dangerous and unpredictable path to get to the same destination


Did you say you saw your good friend flyin' low?
Are you saying that you witnessed your friend in a state of decline or free-fall?


Flyin' low
Descending rapidly


Dyin' slow
Slowly deteriorating towards death




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HOYT WAYNE AXTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@tamaraposton4270

No one makes music like this. Glad I grew up listening to these guys and bands equally as talented! We are a lucky breed of people! I am 63 years old and remember this album very well. Anyone agree?

@user-zh1xj7my1h

Hell, I remember laying on the pavement.

@Gerald-fi2yw

Yes, I am also 63 and I grew up on this kind of music I love it, brings back. Awesome memories

@ksr9t

@user-zh1xj7my1h  you're one of the unusual ones. Most who laid on the pavement don't remember that part.

@user-zh1xj7my1h

@@ksr9t
Bunch of people above me yelling "how many fingers am I holding up!". Me: Go away, please, I'm resting. Or at least all of you need to agree on how many fingers!

@TimVanWagnor-lk9kg

I'm the little kid that found you lyin on the pavement, they didn't have 911.. sorry about your dumbass luck!!

1 More Replies...

@dreamsicleblues

Snowbound Friend captures the heartache of drug addiction through the understated observations of a friend. There is a raw power in the lyric's simplicity that was never recognized, unfortunately. I rarely heard it on the radio.

@Steve-qz2nv

Yes those times were free and easy not a care in the world let's just go for it man it's all we got.

@nickk8416

I loved Steppenwolf as a kid. Still do. This is easily a top 5 or so song for them. John Kay has a way of singing it that really brings it home. I'm not much of a lyric guy but these lyrics are so heartfelt.

@johncraft6603

This should have got the air time “Born to be Wild” got. This song really displayed the soul and talent this band had.

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