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Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild - Guitar Lesson

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Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild - Guitar Lesson

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Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild guitar lesson video
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Steppenwolf album cover
Steppenwolf
1968 3:31
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Steppenwolf Rock 1968 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

Born to Be Wild

"Steppenwolf" by Born to Be Wild is a song written by Mars Bonfire and made famous by the band Steppenwolf. Featured prominently in the 1969 film Easy Rider, it became an anthem of counterculture and biker culture. Often cited as one of the first heavy metal songs, its raw, distortion-driven riffs make it a rewarding and historically significant piece to learn on electric guitar.

  • The lyrics contain the phrase 'heavy metal thunder,' considered the first use of 'heavy metal' as a term in rock music.
  • The song was written by Mars Bonfire, not a member of Steppenwolf, making it one of rock's most notable outside compositions.
  • Despite its strong biker association, the lyrics never explicitly mention motorcycles, the imagery comes largely from its Easy Rider placement.
Fender Stratocaster
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Fender Stratocaster

Michael Monarch's Fender Stratocaster delivered the bright, cutting tone essential to Steppenwolf's hard rock rhythm work, with single-coil pickups providing articulation that cut through the band's dense mix. Paired with his Marshall amp pushed into natural saturation, the Strat's inherent snap made riffs punch without needing additional effects.

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