*** Welcome to piglix ***

The Pusher

"The Pusher"
The Pusher.png
Single by Steppenwolf
from the album Steppenwolf
B-side "Your Wall's Too High"
Released 1968
Format 7-inch single
Recorded
Genre Blues rock, psychedelic rock
Length 5:43
Label ABC Dunhill
Writer(s) Hoyt Axton
Producer(s) Gabriel Mekler
Steppenwolf singles chronology
"Born to Be Wild"
(1968)
"The Pusher"
(1968)
"Magic Carpet Ride"
(1968)

"The Pusher" is a rock song written by Hoyt Axton, made popular by the 1969 movie Easy Rider which used Steppenwolf's version to accompany the opening scenes showing drug trafficking.

The lyrics of the song distinguish between a dealer in drugs such as marijuana—who "will sell you lots of sweet dreams"—and a pusher of hard drugs such as heroin—a "monster" who doesn't care "if you live or if you die".

The song was made popular when rock band Steppenwolf released the song on their 1968 album Steppenwolf.

Organist Goldy McJohn, who recorded the original Steppenwolf version, said the version that appears on Early Steppenwolf performed by "Sparrow" (pre-Steppenwolf moniker) in 1967 at the Matrix came about when singer John Kay and Jerry Edmonton were late for a performance:


...
Wikipedia

...