“Born To Be Wild”
by Sky Saxon with SS-20
1986 song
Sky Saxon covered the Steppenwolf song "Born To Be Wild" occasionally in his career, officially releasing two different recordings. One of his frequent collaborators, especially in the 1980s, was the author of that song, keyboardist Mars Bonfire (born Dennis Edmonton), which was likely the reason for choosing this 1960s nugget.
The first version of "Born To Be Wild" that Sky Saxon released was as a guest of the band SS-20; Sky and Mars join the band on this song (and one other, an original called "Paradise") on a 1986 7-inch EP on Voxx Records.
This same version of "Born To Be Wild" was released the next year on a white-vinyl LP in Germany called Takes & Glories, which used a different mix. Notice, for example, how the barking dog effects after the first verse are more prominent on the LP; there is also a slightly longer ending, with psychedelic guitar feedback lasting several more seconds than on the Voxx EP.
Sky Saxon recorded another version of the song, calling it "Born To Be Wild/I Want To Love You", on his 1990 CD Breakin' Through The Doors with his band Dragonslayers (again featuring Mars Bonfire’s organ merrily grooving along). This version is somewhat similar to the earlier 1986 version, but the band is a little punchier, and Tom Azevedo provides some guitar soloing flash.
In addition to these studio versions, Sky Saxon would occasionally perform "Born To Be Wild" live with various bands over the years, including Vibravoid.
Appears on
SS-20 version
Voxx EP-3304 (1986 7″ EP), as by “Sky Saxon with SS-20”
Takes & Glories (1987 LP), as by “Sky Sunlight Saxon and The Original Seeds” [different mix]
Dragonslayers version
Breakin' Through The Doors (1990 CD), by Sunlight Sky Saxon and The Dragonslayers
