Fix what’s wrong, but don’t rewrite what the artist wrote. Stick to the official released version — album booklet, label site, verified lyric video, etc. If you’re guessing, pause and double-check.
Respect the structure
Songs have rhythm. Pages do too. Leave line breaks where they belong. Don’t smash things together or add extra empty space just for looks.
Punctuation counts (but vibe-editing doesn’t)
Correct typos? Yes. Re-punctuating a whole verse because it ‘looks better’? Probably not. Keep capitalization and punctuation close to the official source.
Don’t mix versions
If you’re editing the explicit version, keep it explicit. If it’s the clean version, keep it clean. No mashups.
Let the lyrics be lyrics
This isn’t the place for interpretations, memories, stories, or trivia — that’s what comments are for. Keep metadata, translations, and bracketed stage directions out unless they’re officially part of the song.
Edit lightly
If two lines are wrong… fix the two lines. No need to bulldoze the whole page. Think ‘surgical,’ not ‘remix.’
When in doubt, ask the crowd
Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.
In the Sixties, all the teenagers were in stitches when they saw that title. We thought it was the funniest name for a song ever. We wondered what the words were like, and were very disappointed when it turned out to be an instrumental. They showed a bunch of little men in the album cover art who looked like they were on the point of doing something gay, but they never quite got there. The band is Canadian, and I think fag means cigarette butt in that country. I always thought it was a veiled reference to Nixon, in the sense of "creep."
They're not in the R&R hall of fame because the idiots would rather take people that aren't even Rock at all over this. Like Madonna, or Grandmaster Flash. Overlook all the good stuff for stuff that isn't good at all.
Steppenwolf got me into Rock. I owe them my life. Second to God, of course.
Well, Mars Bonfire wrote this, so you better ask him. But I think he wants it to be a mystery. I would have loved to hear a Bowie cover of this. I don't know why, maybe he could have turned it into a rock opera, he and Freddy Mercury.
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
In the Sixties, all the teenagers were in stitches when they saw that title. We thought it was the funniest name for a song ever. We wondered what the words were like, and were very disappointed when it turned out to be an instrumental. They showed a bunch of little men in the album cover art who looked like they were on the point of doing something gay, but they never quite got there. The band is Canadian, and I think fag means cigarette butt in that country. I always thought it was a veiled reference to Nixon, in the sense of "creep."
Steppenwolf is awsome to name a song this. DID you know they ARN'T in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Fucked up huh.
They're not in the R&R hall of fame because the idiots would rather take people that aren't even Rock at all over this. Like Madonna, or Grandmaster Flash. Overlook all the good stuff for stuff that isn't good at all.
Steppenwolf got me into Rock. I owe them my life. Second to God, of course.
@Charlie the man - they'll never let Jethro Tull into their club either. The R&R hall of fame is a meaningless charade.
@Charlie the man - they'll never let Jethro Tull into their club either. The R&R hall of fame is a meaningless charade.
I've assumed that the song title 'Fag' referred to a cigarette -which was the common usage of the term in the early '70s/late '60s.
Who cares?
Hate to break it you guys, but Steppenwolf was very socially conscious at the time. So, if you think this is an anti-gay song, you're sadly mistaken.
@pauleky I think it was about Nixon, which would make sense.
@pauleky I think it was about Nixon, which would make sense.
@pauleky I think it was about Nixon, which would make sense.
@pauleky I think it was about Nixon, which would make sense.
I suspect that Fag was about Richard Nixon, whom the band found objectionable.
Well, Mars Bonfire wrote this, so you better ask him. But I think he wants it to be a mystery. I would have loved to hear a Bowie cover of this. I don't know why, maybe he could have turned it into a rock opera, he and Freddy Mercury.
Fag is a spent cigarette which is thrown away. This song is a throwaway. In otherwords 'filler'.
I LIKE MEN!!!!