On This Day in 1969, ‘Easy Rider’ Hit Theaters, Introducing Countless Moviegoers to Its Groundbreaking Soundtrack

On this day (July 14) in 1969, Easy Rider premiered in theaters across the United States. For many moviegoers, it was their first look at the country’s growing counterculture movement. The film, starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda, featured music from the likes of the Band, the Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, and more. However, the band most strongly connected to the movie was Steppenwolf with their song “Born to Be Wild.”

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[RELATED: “Heavy Metal Thunder”: 5 Classic Steppenwolf Songs in Honor of Frontman John Kay]

Hopper directed the film and co-wrote it with Fonda and Terry Southern. It was one of the first films to be made outside the longstanding Hollywood studio system. As a result, the team behind it had more creative freedom. At the same time, it meant that the film had a limited budget. The budget was between $350,000 and $400,000. Licensing for the film’s soundtrack reportedly cost them roughly $1 million.

Easy Rider wasn’t the first movie to use contemporary music instead of an instrumental score. However, it was the first to use songs to add another layer to the narrative of the movie. “This was brand new. Easy Rider opened that whole conception of thinking that a song really needs to be placed for its narrative value, as well as its playability in a scene–that is, its contribution,” editor Donn Cambern told the Los Angeles Times.

How Easy Rider Got Its Iconic Soundtrack

Much of the runtime of Easy Rider is filled by long motorcycle rides across the United States. As a result, editor Donn Cambern listened to records from his personal collection. Then, he temporarily added fitting songs to many of the scenes.

“We kept listening and culling, and listening and culling, and finally getting to the point where we had really worked out, over a long period of time, the music that we felt would be appropriate,” he explained.

Songs like “The Pusher” and “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf became forever connected to the film. The film also contains a pair of songs penned by Bob Dylan. Roger McGuinn recorded a cover of “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding).” The pair also co-wrote “The Ballad of Easy Rider,” which plays as the credits roll at the end of the movie.

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