Born to Be Wild

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Written by: Mars Bonfire
Produced by: Gabriel Mekler
Released: Jan. '68 on Dunhill
Charts: 13 weeks
Top spot: No. 2

The first two singles from Steppenwolf's debut stiffed; the third was "Born to Be Wild." It hit Number Two in the summer of '68, a year before Dennis Hopper used it in a rough cut of Easy Rider, where it was originally just a place holder -- Peter Fonda had asked Crosby, Stills and Nash to do the soundtrack. But "Born to Be Wild" stayed. "Every generation thinks they're born to be wild," said frontman John Kay, "and they can identify with that song as their anthem." The line "Heavy-metal thunder" would help give a new genre its name.

Appears on: Steppenwolf (MCA)

Next: Maggie May

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