Steppenwolf MONSTER 2008

[scotto2008]

Run time: 07:05 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3L1uZ3Chtg   Posted on YouTube: May 24, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: May 25, 2008 By DU Member: scotto2008 Views on DU: 1888

 
The more things change, the more they stay INSANE.

Steppenwolf released this song in 1969, but the lyrics could have been written yesterday:

Our cities have turned into jungles
Corruption is strangling 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 world’s got to be just like us
Now we are fighting a war over there
And 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

I could have just slapped a slideshow on the original Steppenwolf track, but as a musician, I have so much emotional history with this song that I wanted to play every instrument and sing every lyric. I knew I could never achieve the raw brilliance of the original, but I hope that some of that brilliance shines through in my own performance to some degree.

Comments, good bad or ugly are much appreciated.

Scott Pettersen

"America where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and daughters?
And don't you know, we need you now
We can't fight alone against The Monster"

[newamericanpatriot]

1. Dayum!

If you did the singing and played all the instruments, then holy f%$k my hat is tipped to you!

Sounds just like Steppenwolf to me! (And I'm a musician too!)

Damned impressive, brother. Keep the faith.

respect,
Eric
Tokyo

[scotto2008]

8. Monster in Tokyo

Thanks Eric,

I was going to PM you but I don't have enough posts yet. I'll be in Japan most of this summer -- the "morning garage" FM show may have me on to play my "Tsuyu Blues" (rainy season blues.) Check out the video if you like. Gaijin seem to get a kick out of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPXZS3YuX8g

Are you playing music in Japan?

Scott

[annabanana]

2. VERY good!

THIS song is the one that I put on in the car, open the windows and BLAST around the region when I drive on a sunny day.

THIS song is the one that the "oldies" stations won't play.

THIS song has not aged or lost one scintilla of meaning over the past 40 years.

You have done it credit. Congratulations.

And a hearty welcome to DU! Welcome home brother.

[scotto2008]

16. the more things change, the more they stay insane

>>THIS song has not aged or lost one scintilla of meaning over the past 40 years.<<

I guess that means nothing's changed, unfortunately. Is the monster winning?

[theFrankFactor]

3. Wow! I Didn't Lnow!

I honestly haven't heard this since I was a kid and at that time I had no grasp of the issues. What a revelation! Thanks.

[annabanana]

5. It is WAY past due for a revival.. . . n/t

[scotto2008]

7. My band played it in jr. high school

but I didn't have a clue what it was about either. When I heard it by chance 35 years later, I thought, holy sh*t! Was this guy a prophet?

[phiddle]

4. Good job!

From another musician, I do think that you honor the spirit of the original, and I'm grateful for the remembrance. Thanks!

[scotto2008]

6. humbled and grateful

Wow -- such kind comments from my musician peers. Thank you -- it really means a lot.

Fight the Monster!!

[angstlessk]

9. a hearty K & R, though I am no longer a music lover as I was back then

I appreciate this re-introduction of this very prescient song!

[annabanana]

10. kicking for one more rec. . . .n/t

[scotto2008]

12. John Kay introduction

Here's a live version by Steppenwolf. The quality is terrible, but John Kay gives a little speech before launching into the song that is very cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tbiFBBd7lQ&feature=related

[Stardust]

11. I never really appreciated that song, either. Thanks

for enlightening me. There was so much good protest music coming out then, seems it was hard to keep up. Great job.

[scotto2008]

13. Protest songs and syrup commercials

This one never quite made mainstream -- I guess it was too long. Others did:

"Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
"War" -- War (?)
"Woodstock" -- Joni Mitchell
"Revolution" -- The Beatles
"Give Peace a Chance" -- John Lennon

You could almost argue that the syrupy pop stuff did more to change mainstream American thinking:

"What the world needs now is Love"
"Abraham, Martin and John"
"I'd like to teach the world to sing" (coke commercial -- literally syrupy)

drawing a blank now...

[fight4my3sons]

14. If you are a Ron Paul supporter why are you here?

just wondering...

[scotto2008]

15. I'm a uniter, not a divider

But seriously...

I've always been a bit politically schizophrenic. And as Harry Browne (?) said, "I'm a libertarian, which puts me to the left of Ted Kennedy and the right of Ronald Reagan."

I sympathize with many of the concerns of the left, though I rarely agree with their solutions, which invariably involve more government.

As for the big "d" Democratic Party, if I had to choose, I would vote for their candidate over the "straight BS McCain," who I loathe.

That's the long answer. The short answer is that I thought people might like my video and enjoy my musical performance.