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1969 song by Steppenwolf

"Rock Me" is a song by the Canadian-American hard rock band Steppenwolf. It was released on their 1969 album At Your Birthday Party. It was written by the band`s lead singer John Kay, and was the band`s fifth American single release. The song was produced by Gabriel Mekler and released as a single in 1969, originally as the B-side to "Jupiter Child", but the sides were later flipped.[3] It peaked at #10 on the Hot 100 on April 19, 1969[4] and #6 on both WLS[5] and WCFL.[6] It was both Billboard`s[7] and Cashbox`s[8] top debut the week of March 1, 1969. The song is considered the highlight of the album[9][10] though it had been released for the soundtrack well ahead of the album.[11] The song followed on the heels of the band`s two 1968 hits,[12] "Born to Be Wild" which peaked at #2 and "Magic Carpet Ride" which peaked at #3. Cash Box particularly praised the "pulverizing vocal performance."[3]

Dave Grusin used the song when he scored the 1968 psychedelic sex farce movie Candy, in which it is the culmination to the soundtrack.[13] Steppenwolf performed the song on the January 5, 1969, episode of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and on the German Beat-Club.[14] The song later appeared in the band`s live albums Live at 25 released in 1995 and Live in Louisville released in 2004 as well as all of the band`s compilation albums.

Way Back Attack ranks it #31 on its list of the Top 100 Psychedelic Hits of 1966–1969.[15]

In his book Die at the Right Time!: A Subjective Cultural History of the American Sixties, Erik v. d. Luft noted the surprising theme from the all-male band, fronted by John Kay`s gruff voice "complaining that a woman was being objectified for sex."[9]

Cash Box described the original A-side, "Jupiter Child" as sounding "steel-hard on the sole basis of the distinctive lead vocal and smouldering instrumentation" despite a relatively slow tempo.[16]

Chart history