Language matters: The brilliance of Wilson Pickett’s cover of ‘Born to be Wild’

Photo by Jonathan Bowers on Unsplash

‘Born to be Wild.’

You know the song.

Steppenwolf. 1968.

But, have you heard Wilson Pickett’s cover?

To receive maximum benefit from this lesson, I highly advise you to listen to Steppenwolf’s version, and then to Wilson’s.

I’ll wait …

I adore covers. I love hearing what other artists bring to a track. I particularly love listening to soul and R&B artists covering rock songs, and rock artists covering soul tracks.

And that’s what we have here: one of the rawest voices in soul positively transforming ‘Born to be Wild.’ I find this to be an entirely different song when Wilson sings it. I don’t particularly care for Steppenwolf’s take, but I adore Wilson’s interpretation.

Here’s why - I believe Wilson in a way I’ve never believed Steppenwolf, for two reasons:

1. That voice. That grit. That passion. That rawness. That soul.

   Wilson sells it. That primal scream will not be denied.

2. And … Wilson’s subtle lyric changes.

   While Steppenwolf tells us, “We can climb so high,” Wilson says, “We gonna climb so high.”

   And when Steppenwolf says, “I never want to die,” Wilson tells us, “We’re never gonna die.”

   Language matters.

   Wilson tells us we’re going to, not what we can do. He also tells us what is going to happen, not want he wants to happen.

   Language matters.

How often do you try to tell yourself something that you don’t actually believe?

• “It’s going to be fine.”

• “I can do this.”

• “I’m worthy.”

But it doesn’t work, does it? No. Absolutely not.

If you don't believe it, you can't suddently trick yourself into knowing it's true.

Because your brain knows you’re “just trying to tell yourself” something. Your brain knows you don’t actually believe it to be true.

You need to conjure Wilson Pickett.

You’ve got it sell it, baby! You must use language, phrases, or mantras you actually believe, rather than trying to convince yourself of what you think you should believe.

Reach down to your toes and bring up that primal scream.

And, realize the power of being able to shift how you feel with the way you think.

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