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JohnnyRingo

(20,332 posts)
Mon Dec 1, 2025, 09:26 AM 16 hrs ago

The words behind the Steppenwolf's "Monster" are more relevant now....

...than they were in 1969. Chilling:

Once the religious, the hunted and weary
Chasing the promise of freedom and hope
Came to this country to build a new vision
Far from the reaches of kingdom and pope

Like good Christians, some would burn the witches
Later some got slaves to gather riches
But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

And once the ties with the crown had been broken
Westward in saddle and wagon it went
And 'til the railroad linked ocean to ocean
Many the lives which had come to an end
While we bullied, stole and bought our homeland
We began the slaughter of the red man

But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

The blue and grey they stomped it
They kicked it just like a dog
And when the war over
They stuffed it just like a hog

And though the past has it's share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But it's protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it's a monster and will not obey

The spirit was freedom and justice
And it's keepers seem generous and kind
It's leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind
'Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
And now their vote is a meaningless joke
They babble about law and order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been told

Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watchin'

Our cities have turned into jungles
And corruption is stranglin' 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 worlds got to be just like us

Now we are fighting a war over there
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

America where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster

Source: https://lyrics.lyricfind.com/
Songwriters: Jerry Edmonton / John Kay
Monster lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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The words behind the Steppenwolf's "Monster" are more relevant now.... (Original Post) JohnnyRingo 16 hrs ago OP
Reminding... Mike Nelson 15 hrs ago #1
At first I thought you were referring to the novel Steppenwolf Redleg 15 hrs ago #2
They named the band from the Hermann Hesse novel. Norbert 12 hrs ago #6
America Kid Berwyn 13 hrs ago #3
Thank you for posting these lyrics and music - very appropriate for these times. erronis 13 hrs ago #4
Those are some lyrics KT2000 13 hrs ago #5
I remember this one. Sigh. TY. electric_blue68 10 hrs ago #7
wow. Back when there were lyrics librechik 10 hrs ago #8
John Kay wrote that song Trailrider1951 9 hrs ago #9

Trailrider1951

(3,550 posts)
9. John Kay wrote that song
Mon Dec 1, 2025, 04:20 PM
9 hrs ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kay_(musician)

Those words are more true today than in 1969. I listened to that album all through high school and beyond.
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