Title: Steppenwolf MONSTER 2008 -- The more things change, the more they stay insane... Source:
you tube URL Source:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3L1uZ3Chtg Published:May 26, 2008 Author:John Kay Post Date:2008-05-26 13:51:36 by Ferret Mike Keywords:None Views:226 Comments:14
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Steppenwolf MONSTER 2008
Poster Comment:
Good You tube video of this great song that speaks about these times amazingly weel for as old as it is.
This video is the first Monster video that embeds Ron Paul as a ray of hope in the mess this country has turned into. Thought you might find that interesting. ;-)
Once the religious, the hunted and weary Chasing the promise of freedom and hope Came to this country to build a new vision Far from the reaches of kingdom and pope Like good Christians, some would burn the witches Later some got slaves to gather riches
But still from near and far to seek America They came by thousands to court the wild And she just patiently smiled and bore a child To be their spirit and guiding light
And once the ties with the crown had been broken Westward in saddle and wagon it went And 'til the railroad linked ocean to ocean Many the lives which had come to an end While we bullied, stole and bought our homeland We began the slaughter of the red man
But still from near and far to seek America They came by thousands to court the wild And she just patiently smiled and bore a child To be their spirit and guiding light
The blue and grey they stomped it They kicked it just like a dog And when the war over They stuffed it just like a hog
And though the past has it's share of injustice Kind was the spirit in many a way But it's protectors and friends have been sleeping Now it's a monster and will not obey
(Suicide) The spirit was freedom and justice And its keepers seem generous and kind It's leaders were supposed to serve the country But now they won't pay it no mind 'Cause the people grew fat and got lazy And now their vote is a meaningless joke They babble about law and order But it's all just an echo of what they've been told Yeah, there's a monster on the loose Its got our heads into a noose And it just sits there watchin'
Our cities have turned into jungles And corruption is stranglin' the land The police force is watching the people And the people just can't understand We don't know how to mind our own business 'Cause the whole worlds got to be just like us Now we are fighting a war over there No matter who's the winner We can't pay the cost 'Cause there's a monster on the loose It's got our heads into a noose And it just sits there watching
(America) America where are you now? Don't you care about your sons and daughters? Don't you know we need you now We can't fight alone against the monster
I am pleased, no, estatic John Kay is alive and well and sounding so good.
This came out on the album 'Monster' in 1969. It was born in a very troubling time. The song's full name is; 'Monster Suicide America.' Here is some history:
"Steppenwolf not only stepped on the pedestal, they frigging platformed as sardonically as anyone in rock history has ever done with their wistful protest album Monster.
It's enough that "Monster/Suicide/America" is one of the greatest rock epic songs ever conceived, but the fact that it serves as a full-fledged American history lesson with a biting edge just puts into a class of its own. Iron Maiden has "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," Yes has "Roundabout," but Steppenwolf's epic is the most thought-provoking nine-minute odyssey that rocks as much as it stirs up a hornet's nest in the midst of the Vietnam era.
The spirit of social unrest that existed in 1969 is captured in earnest on Monster, and though there's been no draft since Vietnam, there's still an endearment to "Draft Register," which Steppenwolf luxuriates with heavy percussion and xylophone to accent their support of the draft dodgers, citing them as heroes of a different cause, the cause of humanity.
Other songs like the hammering rock ode "Move Over" that was a bit of hit for them, and "Fag" allows John Kay and his band to spew venomously and indict American society that was caught up in the middle of a collective civil rights riot, be it racial equality, sex equality or just equality amongst our foreign brothers and sisters. Steppenwolf had the uncanny ability to be on the soldiers' side while at the same time, point out that the government was exploiting their loyalty for criminal goals. Does that ring familiar in 2007?
In that manner, Monster is a timeless album, because it gave warnings like a lot of sixties protest music, that unfortunately have gone unheeded in a modern society that is more lost now than it ever was."
In that manner, Monster is a timeless album, because it gave warnings like a lot of sixties protest music, that unfortunately have gone unheeded in a modern society that is more lost now than it ever was.
So many Boomers had the Monster in their sights back then (and even had it on the run), but then just let it go...
...because the Monster fought back with a vengence...
...and it didn't fight fair...
...it fought on the playground of their inner being...
...which further separated the rebels from the mainstream...
...and circumscribed their rebellion like a firewall...
...to limit its effect...
...so that the Monster lives on...
...and continues to prey...
...on all of us.
But they did see the Monster clearly then for what it was, as we see it clearly today. Will this generation succeed where the Boomers failed? Will we, having benefited from their hard experience, finally join together to overcome the Beast and destroy it?
Will this generation succeed where the Boomers failed? Will we, having benefited from their hard experience, finally join together to overcome the Beast and destroy it?
The monster will not easily be killed, or give up its control.