Though his popularity has fluctuated through the years, many of Pop's songs have become well-known, including "Lust for Life", "The Passenger", "Real Wild Child", "Candy" (a duet with Kate Pierson of The B-52's), "China Girl", "Nightclubbing", "Search and Destroy" and "I Wanna Be Your Dog".
In 2010, The Stooges were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Pop was the lead singer of The Stooges, a late 1960s/early 1970s band that featured brothers Ron and Scott Asheton and Dave Alexander and was highly influential in the development of hard rock. The debut album was produced by the Velvet Underground's John Cale. The band's "I Wanna Be Your Dog" is a garage punk standard.
Raw Power was first released in1973, perhaps the first record that could truly be called punk. It was the confluence of The Stooges ages, hormones, creativity, ability, experience, tastes, lack of supervision, contempt for authority and ambition that has made Raw Power one of the most influential albums of all time.
The Stooges were infamous for performances in which Pop leapt off the stage (hence, the "stage dive"), smeared raw meat or peanut butter over his chest and cut himself with broken bottles. A glimpse of the vibrating intensity of Iggy live can be seen in the Ramones movie "End of the Century." Guitarist James Williamson became a key collaborator, a partnership documented on the 1978 album Kill City.
In 25 years as a solo artist, Pop's best-known songs have included the thumping Lust for Life, to be heard on the soundtrack of the find-a-vein, shoot-it-up movie Trainspotting, I'm Bored and The Passenger (the latter based on a poem written by Jim Morrison). David Bowie played a key role in reinvigorating Pop's post-Stooges career and was a collaborator on the albums Lust for Life and The Idiot. Iggy may be under-rated as a songwriter. Bowie and Tina Turner covered his "Tonight". Bowie also put out his own version of "China Girl," while Grace Jones covered the icey "Nightclubbing".
Ambition
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want that whole wide world
Nothing more nothing less
I don't want second best
Ah but my associates
Why they're no more than opiates
Always dragging me down
But they must be kidding
Or wishful thinking
Adding fuel to the fire
Of my ambition
I'll make a date
Oh no I won't be late
And why of course he'll be there
He'll promise he'll swear
But all I ever find
Been spun that same old line
It's happened time and time again before
But these things and more
Widen the score
And it's one up for ambition
I really have a go
You know you've got to hand it to me
I've got a heart of gold
But I'm a wolf in mutton's clothes
Someday my time will come
I'll feel I can't go on
I may not care or even know it's there
But then I'll have my fun
So 'till then just press on
Don't lose your grip
Don't lose ambition
The song "Ambition" by Iggy Pop is a clear statement of the artist's drive and determination despite obstacles and detractors. Iggy, with his signature rasp, sings about being "the kind of girl" who wants nothing more, nothing less than "that whole wide world." She doesn't want "second best," and makes it clear that she possesses ambition something that seems to be lacking in Iggy's "associates." He describes them as "no more than opiates" who "always drag me down" and "dash my hopes to the ground." But even in the face of that, Iggy sings "adding fuel to the fire of my ambition."
The singer in the song doesn't let her ambition waver, even when it comes to love. She sets a date and promises herself that she won't be late, and that her lover will be there. Despite repeatedly being taken in by the same promises, she remains undeterred. However, the song also acknowledges that ambition can be a double-edged sword, warning that someday her time will come when she'll feel like she "can't go on." The song ends with a rallying cry to "just press on" and not lose ambition, making it clear that for Iggy, ambition is a key characteristic to his success.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the kind of girl
I am a person who aspires to greatness
I want that whole wide world
I desire to conquer the world and achieve success on a grand scale
Nothing more nothing less
I am uncompromising and will settle for nothing less than my full potential
I don't want second best
I refuse to accept anything less than the best of what life has to offer
Ah but my associates
However, the people I associate with
Why they're no more than opiates
are nothing but drugs, hindering my progress and clouding my judgment
Always dragging me down
Their negative influence is constantly holding me back from achieving my goals
Dash my hopes to the ground
Their actions often cause my dreams to be shattered into tiny pieces
But they must be kidding
However, I believe they are joking or not serious
Or wishful thinking
Perhaps they are simply hoping for a different outcome
Adding fuel to the fire
Their words and actions are actually motivating me to work harder
Of my ambition
To achieve greatness and fulfill my potential
I'll make a date
I'll make an appointment or commitment
Oh no I won't be late
I'll be punctual and reliable
And why of course he'll be there
I expect the person I'm meeting to show up as promised
He'll promise he'll swear
He'll give me his word and assure me of his commitment
But all I ever find
In reality, everything I encounter
Been spun that same old line
Is repetitive and unoriginal
It's happened time and time again before
I've experienced this disappointment many times in the past
But these things and more
However, these setbacks and challenges
Widen the score
Actually intensify my drive and determination to succeed
And it's one up for ambition
My ambition prevails despite these obstacles
I really have a go
I give it my all
You know you've got to hand it to me
I deserve recognition and respect for my dedication to success
I've got a heart of gold
I am a kind and compassionate person
But I'm a wolf in mutton's clothes
However, I am also a fierce competitor who will stop at nothing to achieve my goals
Someday my time will come
One day, I will achieve the success that I have been working towards
I'll feel I can't go on
At times, the journey may be difficult, and I may feel like giving up
I may not care or even know it's there
I might not be aware of my potential success or even care about it at that moment
But then I'll have my fun
However, I will eventually enjoy the fruits of my labor and celebrate my success
So 'till then just press on
Therefore, I must continue to work hard and stay motivated
Don't lose your grip
I must remain focused and determined
Don't lose ambition
I should never give up on my dreams of achieving greatness
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANIELLE DE PICCIOTTO, GUDRUN GUT, JOHNNY KLIMEK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
R Robinson
on Livin' On The Edge Of The Night (edit)
Here are corrections to incorrect lyrics - outrageously, stupidly incorrect: The first line is, "ILL WIND off the river". (And that's ill, not I'll.) The second line is, "smoke stacks fade to BLACK". Second verse: "I've made my bed but I can't REST my head". And "so much COULD be misunderstood". Bridge: "WELL maybe it's just my life". An artist crafts his work meticulously , then this is what happens to it. Disgusting.