You may not know the song exactly, but you’ve probably heard the refrain at some point: “BORNNNNNNNNN TO BEEE WILLLLLLLLLLLLLD!” It’s Steppenwolf and it’s the anthem for many a counterculture group, like motorcycle gangs. These are people who beat to their own drums and this song fits them perfectly. This short clip of the group performing the song shows that rebelliousness right up close.
As far as this clip goes, I have to say that I admire the Afro that the keyboardist has. That is one impressive hairstyle. This was at the tail end of the 1960’s, and the fashion tended to border on the zany side. I like that style though, even though I personally could NOT get away with the outfits that some of the men wore. More power to them, though. John Kay was as cool as ever, wearing shades in the studio.
Most people will remember this song from the movie “Easy Rider”, a movie about two bikers. The song wasn’t even originally supposed to be used, since Peter Fonda had his heart set on Crosby, Stills and Nash doing the soundtrack. He then realized that the song fit perfectly, and he kept it in, and the rest is history.
Steppenwolf is still performing now, though they only do a limited number of shows per year and the band has been drastically reduced from its early days. Kay is still headlining the group, and that’s all that really matters, since his voice is what helped make the band so popular. They have loyal fans who love to see them perform. This is a group that was born to be wild for their whole lives.
What’s your favorite Steppenwolf tune? Have you seen them in concert? Tell us about your favorite show that you saw in the comments. Also, it’d be great if you “Like” us on Facebook.