Album: Steppenwolf (1968)

License This Song 

• You know I've smoked a lot of grass
  O' Lord, I've popped a lot of pills
  But I've never touched nothin'
  That my spirit could kill
  You know, I've seen a lot of people walkin' 'round
  With tombstones in their eyes
  But the pusher don't care
  Ah, if you live or if you die
  
  God damn, The Pusher
  God damn, I say The Pusher
  I said God damn, God damn The Pusher man
  
  You know the dealer, the dealer is a man
  With the love grass in his hand
  Oh but the pusher is a monster
  Good God, he's not a natural man
  The dealer for a nickel
  Lord, he'll sell you lots of sweet dreams
  Ah, but the pusher ruin your body
  Lord, he'll leave your, he'll leave your mind to scream
  
  God damn, The Pusher
  God damn, God damn the Pusher
  I said God damn, God, God damn The Pusher man
  
  Well, now if I were the president of this land
  You know, I'd declare total war on The Pusher man
  I'd cut him if he stands, and I'd shoot him if he'd run
  Yes I'd kill him with my Bible and my razor and my gun
  
  God damn The Pusher
  God damn The Pusher
  I said God damn, God damn The Pusher man Writer/s: Hoyt Wayne Axton
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 16

• Ric from Qingdao, ChinaGod bless "the Pusher" song. May all pushers, especially of fentanyl rot in hell.
• AnonymousDoes anybody know what song was on the flip side of Stephen Wolf 45 The Pusher
• Bobby Bird from Cedar Hills, UtI remember listening to the B side of a Steppemwolf 45 that begins with a great drum lick. Can't find it. Can you help me find it?
• Billy D from Tennessee Hoyt hit the lyrics, but Steppenwolf made the song sing. God bless Hoyt and the Vietnam Veterans who, like me, had these lyrics go though your head. Thanks, Steppenwolf
• P.sinclair from Spring Hill, Fl@Johnny: If he never touched nothin' that his spirit could kill, doesn't that mean he's never touched less-addictive drugs? Not trying to be a wise-ass, I've just always wondered what this lyric means. Following the direction of his lyrics, it seems like it would make more sense to say "I never touched nothin' that my spirit COULDN'T kill.
• Randy from Fayettevile, Ar"The Pusher" is a powerful & controversial song from Steppenwolf's first album. I bought it in '68 when I heard "Born To Be Wild" on radio and it became the talk of the rock world. I remember all the "fuss" about Steppenwolf back then in '68 and a lot of rock music magazines wrote much about the band and John Kay. Then when both songs were in the soundtrack of "Easy Rider"it just boosted the songs & the band's popularity. Now s ome of you may remember 1968 & some probably weren't born for a long time yet, but 1968 was a year of change & turmoil in the USA. Leaders were assassinated. The Vietnam War nearly tore this country apart politically. And the rock music world was expanding with so much creativity from The Beatles, The Doors, Steppenwolf, and more. Acid rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, country rock, & more were popular & growing. FM underground radio was growing in the late 60s and early 70s. I remember many such stations were all across the USA. I loved the FM underground radio in Kansas City for playing allnight music that was wild, rocking, bizarre, raunchy, strange, dirty, and sonic. They often played lots of Steppenwolf, including "The Pusher" in the wee hours. A lot of listeners were probably well stoned. Loved by the hippy communes around KC back then. They played one album by The Sparrow which had terrible sound of a live performance. I had bought the same album a few months earlier in '70 and the cover said it was "early Steppenwolf." Actually, it wasn't. It was the early Sparrow, way before they morphed into Steppenwolf, but "The Pusher" was on the album.....barely audible! Disappointment. But when Steppenwolf put it on their debut album & it was in "Easy Rider" too, it became a rock & a youth anthem. It brought a lot of attention to Steppenwolf. It's one powerful and raw song that's for sure, but it ain't a satire! No one back in the late Sixties ever regarded it less than a classic.
• Ern from Fresno, CaThis song ain't no SATIRE!???? It's down on Smack(Heroin) and up on M.J.) Don't step on the grass Sam). Simple, You probably read tons of Crap into Floyd songs,Huh?
• Ern from Fresno, CaAnd then Sparrow morphed into Steppenwolf.
• Charles from Glenside, PaThe 'pusher' in this case could be any sort of predator, exploiting people's weaknesses (and intensifying them as well) to assure his own greater gain, no matter what harm might befall his prey.
• Linda from Omaha, Nedon't forget Jack Nickleson. He also starred in Easy Rider
• Warrinder from A Town, CanadaThe actual name of the band was Jack London and the Sparrows. John Kay replaced Jack London and they became known as Sparrow.
• Johnny from Los Angeles, CaThe Pusher sells hardcore drugs like Cocaine and Heroin. The Dealer sells less-addictive drugs, like pot and LSD: "You know I smoked a lot of grass. Oh Lord! I popped a lot of pills.But I've never touched nothin'That my spirit could kill."
• Snake from Catasauqua, PaIMHO, the song contrasts the Pusher, who will sell you drugs that leave your mind to scream and who doesn't care if you live or if you die; with the dealer, the man with the love grass in his hand who for a nickel will sell you lots of sweet dreams.
  
  Rather than being a one dimensional screed against all drugs, i think the song points out that there are drugs that consume one's soul and drugs that lend themselves to enhancing life. Steppenwolf was pro marijuana legalization as in their song "don't step on the grass, Sam".
• Joe from Bethlahem, PaSteppenwolf is really underrate, the Pusher is their best song.
• Mike from Hamilton, CanadaI'm pretty sure the song is a satire. "I'd kill him with my bible, and my razor and my gun...." From the beards and their other lyrics (The Monster), I doubt that the guys owned any. Also, they contrast the "Dealer" and the "Pusher". The Dealer sells "sweet dreams" and "love grass" (not a "lump of grass" as in the lyrics here). The Pusher "is a Monster", is "not a natural man", and he "don't care if you live -- or if you die". Might the Pusher be a preacher?
• Tony from Westbury, NyActually, The Sparrow was the original name of the band that would morph into Steppenwolf after a few personnel changes. John Kay was the lead vocalists of both incarnations. The Dunhill album "Early Steppenwolf" includes a side-long 17+ minute version of The Sparrow take on "The Pusher"

More Songfacts:

The CaveMumford & Sons

"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons is based on the philosophy of Plato and his work called "Allegory of the Cave."

ShoutThe Isley Brothers

Otis Day And The Knights, the fictional band created to perform "Shout" in the movie Animal House, became a real band, performing the song at colleges and other venues.

Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'Journey

Journey lead singer Steve Perry wrote the rather dramatic "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" with the opening lyrics, "You make me weep, I wanna die," after seeing his girlfriend kissing another man.

Why Should I Love You?Kate Bush

The Kate Bush song "Why Should I Love You?" is a collaboration with Prince. He completely re-worked her demo, so Bush spent a lot of time piecing it back together to keep her imprint.

Forever Your GirlPaula Abdul

Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" was written by Oliver Leiber, who despite being the son of Jerry Leiber from Leiber & Stoller, was an unknown songwriter.

Everything ZenBush

References to David Bowie, Tom Waits and Allan Ginsburg are peppered into the Bush song "Everything Zen."

Editor's Picks

Colbie CaillatSongwriter Interviews

Since emerging from MySpace with her hit "Bubbly," Colbie has become a top songwriter, even crafting a hit with Taylor Swift.

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?