Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox song
"Born to Be Wild" is a song written by Mars Bonfire and first released as a single by Steppenwolf. Although the lyrics do not specifically mention motorcycles, the song is often invoked in both popular and counterculture to denote a biker appearance or attitude since being featured in the 1969 film Easy Rider. Sometimes, "Born to Be Wild" is described as the first heavy metal song, and the second-verse lyric "heavy metal thunder" marks the first use of this term in rock music (although not as a description of a musical style, but rather a motorcycle).<ref name="Grdn">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
CompositionEdit
Mars Bonfire wrote "Born to Be Wild" as a ballad.<ref name="AM">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bonfire was previously a member of the Sparrows, the predecessor band to Steppenwolf, and his brother was Steppenwolf's drummer. Although he initially offered the song to other bands — The Human Expression, for one<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> — "Born to Be Wild" was first recorded by Steppenwolf in a sped-up and rearranged version that AllMusic's Hal Horowitz described as "a roaring anthem of turbo-charged riff rock" and "a timeless radio classic as well as a slice of '60s revolt that at once defines Steppenwolf's sound and provided them with their shot at AM immortality".<ref name="AM"/>
Release and receptionEdit
"Born to Be Wild" was Steppenwolf's third single off their self-titled debut album, and became their signature song, reaching number two on the [[Billboard Hot 100|Billboard HotTemplate:Nbsp100]] singles charts. It was kept from the number-one spot by "People Got to Be Free" by the Rascals.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2004, Rolling Stone placed "Born to Be Wild" at numberTemplate:Nbsp129 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Also in 2004, it finished at numberTemplate:Nbsp29 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. In 2009, it was named the 53rd-best hard rock song of all time by VH1 (It had ranked 40th in the 100 Greatest Songs of Rock and Roll by VH1 nine years earlier.).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2018, the song was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a new category for singles.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
ChartsEdit
Weekly chartsEdit
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chart| Chart (1968–1969) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand (Listener)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
13 |
| US Billboard Hot 100<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
2 |
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|
| Chart (1990–1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 79 |
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|
Year-end chartsEdit
| Chart (1968) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (RPM Top Singles)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 14 | |
| citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
31 |
| Chart (1990) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
47 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
57 |
CertificationsEdit
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Cover versionsEdit
In 1985, the song was covered by Australian band Rose Tattoo. Their version peaked at number 25 in Australia.<ref name="AUS"/> In 2002, it was covered by Kim Wilde and released as a nonalbum single. Her cover reached number 84 in Germany<ref name="GER"/> and number 71 in Switzerland.<ref name="SWI"/> Belgian singer Tanja Dexters also covered the song in 2002. Her version peaked at number 21 in Belgium.<ref name="BEL"/>
Other artists who covered this song include Hinder,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Etta James,<ref name="Cover"/> Link Wray,<ref name="Cover">Template:Cite book</ref> Slade,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Cult,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> INXS,<ref name="Cover"/> Ozzy Osbourne with Miss Piggy,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bruce Springsteen,<ref name="Cover"/> Slayer,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Blue Öyster Cult,<ref name="Cover"/> Status Quo,<ref name="Cover"/> Fanfare Ciocărlia,<ref name="Borat">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Krokus,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Wilson Pickett,<ref name="Cover"/> and La Renga.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ChartsEdit
Rose Tattoo versionEdit
| Chart (1985) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="AUS">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
25 |
Kim Wilde versionEdit
Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chart| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|
Tanja Dexters versionEdit
Template:Single chart| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
Template:Steppenwolf Template:Hinder Template:Kim Wilde Template:2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Template:Authority control