The Billboard Scorching 100 for the week of July 13, 1968 contained a brand new entry that may go on to grow to be an anthem to rebel, the final word biker tune, and one of the vital iconic rock songs of its period: Steppenwolf’s “Born To Be Wild.”
Taken from their self-titled debut album, it was the primary chart entry for the Canadian-American band, written by the splendidly-named Mars Bonfire. He was the songwriter from Ontario higher recognized to his household as Dennis McCrohan, later Dennis Edmonton. “Mars” was the brother of Steppenwolf’s drummer Jerry, and the group would file 5 different songs of his.
Debate will most likely all the time proceed about whether or not “Born To Be Wild,” produced by Gabriel Mekler, was the primary heavy metallic tune, However it’s actually up there among the many earliest and most influential. The observe made its US chart debut at No.70, the best of 11 new entries that additionally included Vanilla Fudge’s rocking cowl of the Supremes’ “(You Keep Me) Hangin’ On,” Booker T and the MGs’ “Soul Limbo,” and Otis Redding’s “Hard To Handle.”
“Born To Be Wild” spent the subsequent few weeks racing up the Scorching 100 and, by August 24, was sitting at No.2, apparently able to take the chart crown. However it was to take a seat in runner-up spot for 3 weeks behind the Rascals’ “People Got To Be Free.”
Thirty-one years to make UK High 20
The tune topped the Canadian chart and had some European success, however surprisingly ran out of fuel at No.30 within the UK. By the autumn of 1968, Steppenwolf have been on their approach to one other big US hit with “Magic Carpet Ride,” and have been within the High 10 once more the next yr with “Rock Me.” A lot later, in 1999, a reissue of “Born To Be Wild” took it into the High 20 there for the primary time, at No.18.
The legend of “Born To Be Wild” was enhanced enormously in 1969, when it was chosen for the soundtrack of the counter-culture movie basic Straightforward Rider, starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. It’s been in dozens of flicks since, and went on to be inducted into each the Grammy and Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame.
Purchase or stream “Born To Be Wild” on the album Steppenwolf.
