Listen to the Song
Song DNA
Genre
Rock
Era
60s
Mood
Aggressive
Tempo
Fast
Key
Blues
Texture
Full Band
Sound
Guitar-driven
Feel
Straight
Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf (1968)
Mars Bonfire
Steppenwolf's 1968 hit 'Born to Be Wild' became the definitive soundtrack for freedom and motorcycle culture following its use in the film Easy Rider. It bridged the gap between hard rock and the birth of heavy metal with its iconic riff and gritty vocal delivery.
Born to Be Wild is a foundational text for heavy metal harmony. It eschews functional V-I resolutions in favor of bIII-IV-I and bVII-I movements. By using chords derived from the E minor pentatonic/Dorian scale over an E major tonal center, it creates the 'hea…
Written by Mars Bonfire (Dennis Edmonton), a former member of The Sparrows with John Kay. After leaving the band, Bonfire offered the song to several other groups, including The Human Expression, who rejected it. He eventually showed it to his brother Jerry Ed…
“The song was originally released as the B-side to 'Sookie Sookie' before radio DJs flipped the record.”
Born to Be Wild is a foundational text for heavy metal harmony. It eschews functional V-I resolutions in favor of bIII-IV-I and bVII-I movements. By using chords derived from the E minor pentatonic/Dorian scale over an E major tonal center, it creates the 'heavy' grit that defined the biker-rock sound. The simplicity of the I-bIII-IV progression allows the driving rhythm and aggressive organ/guitar textures to dominate.
Written by Mars Bonfire (Dennis Edmonton), a former member of The Sparrows with John Kay. After leaving the band, Bonfire offered the song to several other groups, including The Human Expression, who rejected it. He eventually showed it to his brother Jerry Edmonton (Steppenwolf's drummer) and John Kay, who initially viewed it as a mid-tempo ballad before the band transformed it into a hard-driving rock anthem.
Steppenwolf's 1968 hit 'Born to Be Wild' became the definitive soundtrack for freedom and motorcycle culture following its use in the film Easy Rider. It bridged the gap between hard rock and the birth of heavy metal with its iconic riff and gritty vocal delivery.
Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.
Genre
Rock
Era
60s
Mood
Aggressive
Tempo
Fast
Key
Blues
Texture
Full Band
Sound
Guitar-driven
Feel
Straight
5.9M
Plays
1.0M
Listeners
201K
Genius Views
16
Annotations
100%
Popularity
3:29
Duration
4/4
Time
From the album Steppenwolf
Harmony Born to Be Wild is a foundational text for heavy metal harmony. It eschews functional V-I resolutions in favor of bIII-IV-I and bVII-I movements. By using chords derived from the E minor pentatonic/Dorian scale over an E major tonal center, it creates the 'heavy' grit that defined the biker-rock sound. The simplicity of the I-bIII-IV progression allows the driving rhythm and aggressive organ/guitar textures to dominate. Deep Analysis Available Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song. Request Full Analysis
No musician information available for this song yet.
Composition Written by Mars Bonfire (Dennis Edmonton), a former member of The Sparrows with John Kay. After leaving the band, Bonfire offered the song to several other groups, including The Human Expression, who rejected it. He eventually showed it to his brother Jerry Edmonton (Steppenwolf's drummer) and John Kay, who initially viewed it as a mid-tempo ballad before the band transformed it into a hard-driving rock anthem. Inspiration: The inspiration came from a billboard Bonfire saw while walking down Hollywood Boulevard which featured a motorcycle and the caption 'Born to Ride.' He also cited a store window display of a car bursting out of the earth as a visual catalyst for the 'wild' and explosive imagery in the lyrics. Recording Studio: American Recording Co. Producer: Gabriel Mekler The song was originally released as the B-side to 'Sookie Sookie' before radio DJs flipped the record. John Kay's vocals were recorded in just a few takes to maintain a raw, gritty edge. The distinct drum fill intro was improvised by Jerry Edmonton during the session.
Chord Sheet Chords Used Hide functions E5 I T G5 bIII T A5 IV P D5 bVII D Progression by Section Bridge E5 I T D5 bVII T E5 I T Chorus E5 I T G5 bIII T A5 IV P E5 I T Verse E5 I T G5 bIII T A5 IV P Chord Fingerings E5 Standard G5 Standard A5 Standard D5 Standard Harmony Analysis Born to Be Wild is a foundational text for heavy metal harmony. It eschews functional V-I resolutions in favor of bIII-IV-I and bVII-I movements. By using chords derived from the E minor pentatonic/Dorian scale over an E major tonal center, it creates the 'heavy' grit that defined the biker-rock sound. The simplicity of the I-bIII-IV progression allows the driving rhythm and aggressive organ/guitar textures to dominate. Find Tabs & Chords Songsterr Interactive tabs Ultimate Guitar Chords & tabs Cifra Club Chords
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