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".
American Valhalla
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The mind is not the carefree set
I'm looking for American Valhalla
So if it passes by, give me a holler
Please
I've shot my gun, I've used my knife
This hasn't been an easy life
But if I have outlived my use
Please drink my juice
Innocence
It's so hard to figure it out
Innocence
It's so hard to figure it out
I don't know
I don't know
I don't know
I don't know
It's so hard to figure it out
I don't know
I don't know
I don't know
I don't know
Where is American Valhalla?
Death is the pill that's tough to swallow
Is there anybody in there?
Who do I have to kill?
I'm not the man with everything
I've nothing but my name
Lowly, lowly deeds
That no one sees
Lowly, lowly deeds
That no one sees
Where is American Valhalla?
Death is the pill that's hard to swallow
Is anybody in there?
And can I bring a friend?
I'm not the man with everything
I've nothing but my name
I've nothing but my name
I've nothing but my name
I've nothing but my name
I've nothing but my name
The song American Valhalla by Iggy Pop tells the story of a man who is searching for something more, something bigger than himself. The first stanza sets the stage for his search, as he declares that he has no plans or debts, implying that he is free and unencumbered in his pursuit of his goal. However, he acknowledges that his mind is not at ease, and he is looking for something he calls "American Valhalla," which he wants to be alerted to if it passes by.
In the second stanza, the man's desperation is more evident. He declares that he has used his gun and knife and that life has not been easy for him. He still seeks American Valhalla but seems to accept that his usefulness might have ended, and he asks that someone drinks his juice if he has outlived his use. The repetition of "I don't know" in the bridge is symbolic of his confusion and lack of certainty on what American Valhalla is and where to find it.
The last stanza is where the man's desperation becomes more apparent as he asks, "Where is American Valhalla?" and declares that death is a tough pill to swallow. He wonders if anyone is there and asks who he needs to kill to find it. He recognizes that he is not a wealthy man and has nothing but his name, but he is willing to bring a friend if American Valhalla can be found.
Overall, American Valhalla is a powerful and introspective song that explores themes of past mistakes, fatigue, and desperation in the search for something more significant. It is a song that resonates with anyone who has ever felt lost or confused about the path they are on.
Line by Line Meaning
I have no plans, I have no debts
I don't have any future plans or financial obligations
The mind is not the carefree set
I am not carefree, my mind is not at ease
I'm looking for American Valhalla
I am searching for a place like heaven on earth, an idealized America
So if it passes by, give me a holler
If you come across this ideal America, let me know
I've shot my gun, I've used my knife
I have lived a hard and violent life
This hasn't been an easy life
I have faced many hardships in life
I'm hoping for American Valhalla
I hope to find a better life in America
But if I have outlived my use
If I am no longer useful
Please drink my juice
Please dispose of my body, like juice
Innocence
It is difficult to be innocent
It's so hard to figure it out
It's tough to know what innocence really means
I don't know
I have no clue
It's so hard to figure it out
It's difficult to grasp the meaning of innocence
I don't know
I still have no idea
Where is American Valhalla?
I wonder where that ideal America is
Death is the pill that's tough to swallow
Death is a difficult thing to accept
Is there anybody in there?
Is there anyone who has found that ideal America?
Who do I have to kill?
Do I have to become more violent to achieve that ideal?
I'm not the man with everything
I don't have everything I need to find that ideal America
I've nothing but my name
All I have is my identity
Lowly, lowly deeds
All the small and unnoticed actions
That no one sees
That go unnoticed by others
And can I bring a friend?
Can I share that ideal place with someone else?
I've nothing but my name
I don't have much to offer, just myself
I've nothing but my name
At the end of the day, all I have is myself and my identity
I've nothing but my name
All I can offer is my identity, nothing more
I've nothing but my name
I am not defined by my material possessions
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Joshua Homme, James Osterberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dazed Confused
I have no plans I have no debts
The mind is not the carefree set
I'm looking for American Valhalla so if it passes by give me a holler ...please...
I've shot my gun I've used my knife
This hasn't been an easy life
I'm hoping for American Valhalla but if I have outlived my use please drink my juice
Innocence it's so hard to figure it out innocence it's so hard to figure it out ...I don't know x 4
It's so hard to figure it out I don't know x4
Where is American Valhalla
Death is the pill that's tough to swallow
Is there anybody in there?
Who do I have to kill?
I'm not the man with everything
I've nothing, but my nameLowly, lowly deeds
That no one seesLowly, lowly deeds
That no one seesWhere is American Valhalla
Death is the pill that's hard to swallow
Is anybody in there?
And can I bring a friend?
I'm not the man with everything
I've nothing, but my name x4
John S
Lyrics
"American Valhalla"
I have no plans, I have no debts
The mind is not the carefree set
I'm looking for American Valhalla
So if it passes by give me a holler
Please
I've shot my gun, I've used my knife
This hasn't been an easy life
I'm hoping for American Valhalla
But if I have outlived my use
Please drink my juice
Innocence
It's so hard to figure it out
Innocence
It's so hard to figure it out
I don't know
I don't know
I don't know
I don't know
It's so hard to figure it out
I don't know
I don't know
I don't know
I don't know
Where is American Valhalla
Death is the pill that's tough to swallow
Is there anybody in there?
Who do I have to kill?
I'm not the man with everything
I've nothing, but my name
Lowly, lowly deeds
That no one sees
Lowly, lowly deeds
That no one sees
Where is American Valhalla
Death is the pill that's hard to swallow
Is anybody in there?
And can I bring a friend?
I'm not the man with everything
I've nothing, but my name
I've nothing, but my name
I've nothing, but my name
I've nothing, but my name
I've nothing, but my name
Abdulaziz F.A.
This album is going to be something special in my life
tootallification
You can thank josh homme for that
Shaun Lawton
The album is a masterpiece \m/
John S
Your performance on post pop depression was a phenomenal experience. It and your new album has made me appreciate you and your music even more! Thank you for the 48+ years of great cutting edge music!!!
thevoid99
i've heard the album already and man, this is definitely one of iggy's best work and if this is his last album. it's a fucking way to go out. it goes up there with his work with the stooges, the albums he did with david bowie, as well as albums like "new values", "brick by brick", and "american caesar".
chiki briki
This whole album STILL sounds new and bold! Joshua and Iggy did amazing work
Strickland Propane
people saying the Bowie is strong here and such should probably watch a good documentary on Iggy to realize it's Iggy who is strong here. They might have a similar voice, yes, but Iggy is not a copy cat
UberTheRandom Randomizer
Its funny though, cuz they were best buds. Bowie used to sneak drugs in to Iggy when he was committed.
Benjamin Kenon
Bowie and Iggy were massive influences on each other. You cannot separate the two IMO
Tommy O
@Opinunate ted Yes, that is absolutely correct. If not for Bowie, Iggy might have died early, faded out by the mid-1970s, and would have been no more memorable than the MC5 or The Legendary Stardust Cowboy. Bowie made sure Iggy had his place in the world of rock music, and he did it out of genuine appreciation - and that appreciation improved Bowie as an artist, himself. I wish I had a friend in life like David was to Jim. Bowie even took time out of his own career to support Jim as just a keyboard player and producer for The Idiot. Look up on YT Iggy and David on the Dinah Shore Show. Or pick up the album TV Eye. That was Bowie on keys and doing backup vocals, staying in the background. "Funtime" was one of my all-time favorite Iggy Pop tracks, most particularly the live version you hear on TV Eye and which you will hear on that Dinah Shore Show appearance. David got Jim on there for having a successful appearance previously - who the hell would have thought Iggy Pop being suitable for America's housewives on daytime TV in the mid-1970s? Dude, that's friendship - and influence! DB probably remade "China Girl" for Jim to make sure he had a steady paycheck - neither The Idiot, New Values or any Stooges or Iggy Pop albums sold nearly as well as they could have at the time Bowie remade "China Girl". Bets, anyone?