Born to Be Wild
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"Born to Be Wild" is a song written by Mars Bonfire and first released as a single by Steppenwolf. Although the lyrics do not specifically mention motorcycles, the song is often invoked in both popular and counterculture to denote a biker appearance or attitude since being featured in the 1969 film Easy Rider. Sometimes, "Born to Be Wild" is described as the first heavy metal song, and the second-verse lyric "heavy metal thunder" marks the first use of this term in rock music (although not as a description of a musical style, but rather a motorcycle).[1][2]
Music and lyrics
Mars Bonfire wrote "Born to Be Wild" as a ballad.[3] Bonfire was previously a member of the Sparrows, the predecessor band to Steppenwolf, and his brother was Steppenwolf's drummer. Although he initially offered the song to other bands — The Human Expression, for one[4] — "Born to Be Wild" was first recorded by Steppenwolf in a sped-up and rearranged version that AllMusic's Hal Horowitz described as "a roaring anthem of turbo-charged riff rock" and "a timeless radio classic as well as a slice of '60s revolt that at once defines Steppenwolf's sound and provided them with their shot at AM immortality".[3]
According to Classic Rock Magazine, the track was the first in history to incorporate the word "heavy metal" into its lyrics.[5]
Release and commercial performance
"Born to Be Wild" was Steppenwolf's third single off their self-titled debut album, and became their signature song, reaching number two on the [[Billboard Hot 100|Billboard HotTemplate:Nbsp100]] singles charts. It was kept from the number-one spot by "People Got to Be Free" by the Rascals.[6]
Reception and legacy
In 2004, Rolling Stone placed "Born to Be Wild" at numberTemplate:Nbsp129 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.[7] Also in 2004, it finished at numberTemplate:Nbsp29 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. In 2009, it was named the 53rd-best hard rock song of all time by VH1 (It had ranked 40th in the 100 Greatest Songs of Rock and Roll by VH1 nine years earlier.).[8] In 2018, the song was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a new category for singles.[9]
In 2021, staff writers at Classic Rock Magazine expressed the belief that "Born to Be Wild" is "probably the first real metal track."[10]
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
| Chart (1968) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada (RPM Top Singles)[14] | 14 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[15] | 31 |
| Chart (1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] | 47 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] | 57 |
Certifications
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Cover versions
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In 1985, the song was covered by Australian band Rose Tattoo. Their version peaked at number 25 in Australia.[18] In 2002, it was covered by Kim Wilde and released as a nonalbum single. Her cover reached number 84 in Germany[19] and number 71 in Switzerland.[20] Belgian singer Tanja Dexters also covered the song in 2002. Her version peaked at number 21 in Belgium.[21]
Other artists who covered this song include Hinder,[22] Etta James,[23] Link Wray,[23] Slade,[24] The Cult,[25] INXS,[23] Ozzy Osbourne with Miss Piggy,[26] Bruce Springsteen,[23] Slayer,[27] Blue Öyster Cult,[23] Status Quo,[23] Fanfare Ciocărlia,[28] Krokus,[29] Wilson Pickett,[23] and La Renga.[30]
Charts
Rose Tattoo version
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[18] | 25 |
Kim Wilde version
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Tanja Dexters version
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See also
References
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