Corruption
Iggy Pop Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

From the drip drip drip of the teardrops
To the chink chink chink of the cash
To the end end end of the friendships
To the wack wack wack of the bash
Corruption corruption corruption
Rules my soul
Corruption corruption corruption
Rules my soul

From the tick tick tick of your time's up
To the yes yes yes of 'I'll sell'
From the fact fact fact of the soulless
To the pact pact pact with hell
Corruption corruption corruption
Rules my soul
Corruption corruption corruption
Chills my bones
Corruption corruption corruption
Rules my soul
Corruption corruption corruption
Chills my bones

From the scream scream scream of the babies
To the retch retch retch of the youth
From the lie lie lie of the righteous
To the lost lost lost way I feel
Corruption corruption corruption
Rules my bones
Corruption corruption corruption
Chills my bones
Corruption corruption corruption
Rules my soul
Corruption corruption corruption
Rules my soul
Corruption
Corruption

Order in the court
Decision to abort
The monkey wants to speak
So speak, monkey speak
Speak monkey, speak
Speak monkey, speak
Speak monkey, speak

Everything leads to corruption




Everything leads to corruption
Corruption

Overall Meaning

Iggy Pop's song "Corruption" talks about the pervasive and destructive nature of corruption. The lyrics showcase different sounds that symbolize corruption's detrimental effects on different aspects of life. The song starts with the drip drip drip of teardrops, representing emotional corruption, and then moves to the chink chink chink of the cash, which refers to financial corruption. Iggy sings about the end end end of friendships and the wack wack wack of the bash, which signify the social impact of corruption. Overall, the song's message is that corruption permeates every aspect of life, and it rules the soul and chills the bones.


The song culminates with Iggy Pop's famous spoken word interlude, which adds to the track's overall impact. In the spoken word section, he talks about the monkey who wants to speak, representing the voiceless victims of corruption who seek justice. The line "everything leads to corruption" emphasizes the inescapable nature of corruption, and how it ultimately impacts all spheres of life.


The song is a commentary on the pervasive nature of corruption in society, as well as on the social, emotional, and financial downfall it causes. It is a call for accountability and justice, particularly for the marginalized and the oppressed.


Line by Line Meaning

From the drip drip drip of the teardrops
From the never-ending sadness and misery


To the chink chink chink of the cash
To the constant sound of money exchanging hands


To the end end end of the friendships
To the destruction of once-strong bonds of friendship


To the wack wack wack of the bash
To the sound of violence that often accompanies corrupt behavior


Corruption corruption corruption
This is a repeating theme throughout the song; the destructive force that rules the artist's world


Rules my soul
The control that corruption has over the singer's very being


From the tick tick tick of your time's up
From the sound of an approaching end


To the yes yes yes of 'I'll sell'
To the temptation to sell out one's principles for personal gain


From the fact fact fact of the soulless
From the realization that some have no morals or ethics


To the pact pact pact with hell
To making a deal with the proverbial devil in order to get ahead


Chills my bones
The fear that corruption instills in the singer


From the scream scream scream of the babies
From the sound of innocence being lost


To the retch retch retch of the youth
To the sound of disgust and hopelessness among the younger generation


From the lie lie lie of the righteous
From the hypocrisy of those who claim to be morally superior


To the lost lost lost way I feel
To feeling directionless and alone in a world consumed by corruption


Rules my bones
The all-encompassing nature of corruption and its physical effect on the artist


Order in the court
A call for justice and fairness


Decision to abort
The choice to end something before it is too late


The monkey wants to speak
A symbolic reference to how those with little or no power try to have their voices heard


So speak, monkey speak
An urging for those without power to speak up and be heard


Everything leads to corruption
A declaration that even the best intentions can be corrupted in a world ruled by greed and power




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: HAL CRAGIN, IGGY POP, JAMES OSTERBERG, WHITEY KIRST

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Noel Stafford

Unfortunately, I never did get to see Iggy play Corruption, but I am very content with what I have seen. I first saw him in '97 on that huge corporate tour that was actually quite amazing. Tons of cool bands all day, and then Iggy Pop under the night sky... at a racetrack in Upstate New York. He played Raw Power and Search and Destroy and 1969 and No Fun, but also I Wanna Live and Heart Is Saved and Home, which was a lotta fun. For the encore he looked at the moon and crooned a bit of Somewhere Over the Rainbow to her before ripping into Sixteen.

I didn't see him again for almost ten years, but then I got to see the MutherFugging Stooges! a couple of times. And... what can I say? I'm not religious, but I am blessed. And in fact, the 2007 show was in a former church in Harlem, so I guess it fits somehow lol. ... Those shows were amazing, and of course I was a dancer both nights. When Iggy screams at you to get your (various unprintables) ass up here now you (more unprintables), you do it. And I finally got my I Got a Right... in a small bar in the center of Rotterdam. ...That 2008 show was just before Ron died. Twice I got to stand right in front of him - and his brother, and Watt the Madman - and jam out like a fucking fool... ... Rest in peace, my man... both of you brothers, who affected me so much... ... Shout out to Dirt, two crushing Skull Rings, I'm Fried, and Search and Destroy - and especially that I Got A Right! - but I could just as well just post the setlists.

Then, after another ten years, I saw Iggy solo on an Easter Sunday, with Obituary - of all bands - opening. They weren't really opening for Iggy per se; it was a festival in Brabant, in the south of the Netherlands - of all places - where they're known to be quite Catholic. I was taken back by the open-mindedness. Anyway, the stage in Iggy's tent was way too high to climb up there, so no dancers that night. But I did see a lot of families there with young teens, innocent fresh-faced families at an Iggy Pop concert taking in Mass Production and Some Weird Sin and Repo Man. It was so surreal. Awww! He ended the set with - of all songs - The Jean Genie, which was about him, of course. He nailed it. Nice gift ...

But then I saw him solo again just a couple months ago, with the horns! Awesome show in an intimate theater in Utrecht. Jeez, that show was full of the elderly, the original fans, right up front, and, yes, grannies got smashed when the mosh erupted. And, yes, they smashed back! What a show. I heard that we were the first big mosh of the tour, so that's why he came out for a second encore and said something like, "Just a little more jam because we fucking love you," and then ripped into Down on the Street> Fun House, with that outstanding transition that just warped my mind. Iggy might've looked like Quasimodo up there - god bless his spine - but he sounded great, performed just like I'd like, like him. After looking at the tour setlists, I see we got the long first encore as well. James Bond... lol. ... That Five Foot One opener was just right and Sister Midnight. Those horns! That bass! Loves Missing and Endless Sea were stunning. The triplet of Run Like a Villain> I'm Sick of You> Hero, by Neu!, was sick. I hope that's not the last time. Long live Iggy Pop!

Overall, I am a lucky motherfugger. I guess I had to get that out. Thanks for listening 😄



Noel Stafford

I guess I should start. I first saw him in '97 on that huge corporate tour that was actually amazing. Tons of cool bands all day, and then Iggy Pop under the night sky... at a racetrack in Upstate New York. He played Raw Power and Search and Destroy and 1969 and No Fun, but also I Wanna Live and Heart Is Saved and Home, which was a lotta fun. For the encore he looked at the moon and crooned a bit of Somewhere Over the Rainbow to her before ripping into Sixteen.

I didn't see him again for almost ten years, but then I got to see the MutherFugging Stooges! a couple of times. And... what can I say? I'm not religious, but I am blessed. And in fact, the 2007 show was in a former church in Harlem, so I guess it fits somehow lol. ... Those shows were amazing, and of course I was a dancer both nights. When Iggy screams at you to get your (various unprintables) ass up here now you (more unprintables), you do it. And I finally got my I Got a Right... in a small bar in the center of Rotterdam. ...That 2008 show was just before Ron died. Twice I got to stand right in front of him - and his brother, and Watt the Madman - and jam out like a fucking fool... ... Rest in peace, my man... both of you brothers, who affected me so much... ... Shout out to Dirt, two crushing Skull Rings, I'm Fried, and Search and Destroy - and especially that I Got A Right! - but I could just as well just post the setlists.

Then, after another ten years, I saw Iggy solo on an Easter Sunday, with Obituary - of all bands - opening. They weren't really opening for Iggy per se; it was a festival in Brabant, in the south of the Netherlands - of all places - where they're known to be quite Catholic. I was taken back by the open-mindedness. Anyway, the stage in Iggy's tent was way too high to climb up there, so no dancers that night. But I did see a lot of families there with young teens, innocent fresh-faced families at an Iggy Pop concert taking in Mass Production and Some Weird Sin and Repo Man. It was so surreal. Awww! He ended the set with - of all songs - The Jean Genie, which was about him, of course. He nailed it. Nice gift ...

But then I saw him solo again just a couple months ago, with the horns! Awesome show in an intimate theater in Utrecht. Jeez, that show was full of the elderly, the original fans, right up front, and, yes, grannies got smashed when the mosh erupted. And, yes, they smashed back! What a show. I heard that we were the first big mosh of the tour, so that's why he came out for a second encore and said something like, "Just a little more jam because we fucking love you," and then ripped into Down on the Street> Fun House, with that outstanding transition that just warped my mind. Iggy might've looked like Quasimodo up there - god bless his spine - but he sounded great, performed just like I'd like, like him. After looking at the tour setlists, I see we got the long first encore as well. James Bond... lol. ... That Five Foot One opener was just right. Those horns! That bass! Loves Missing and Endless Sea were stunning. The triplet of Run Like a Villain> I'm Sick of You> Hero, by Neu!, was sick.

Overall, I am a lucky motherfugger. I guess I had to get that out. Thanks for listening 😄



All comments from YouTube:

13 Videos

"Music is life and life is not a business." - Iggy Pop Shine on Iggy.

MultiMediaMan

in fact life is a business ... for everyone but not we

M Moses

I saw Iggy live in '98 on Pearl Jam's Yield Tour. I never heard of him & was very disappointed to see him(I wanted to see Chris Cornell). Ironically, 23 years later, I'm very grateful that I saw Iggy perform live. He's a legend.

Ralf Petersen

No, I did not know him at all, I was about twenty years old. Than, the first song I heard from him was Passenger, and I started to find out, if this man has more to say...and he had! Several times I said: "What, this is from Iggy, too?. So I recognized that I already knew many songs from, but did not notice that is was him. He is legendary!

Jesus Vargas

I watched him once. Today I think most important legend. Stooges and his first two albums are the best era but from 1995- 2000's albums are really good. Not really into the 80s era, sound weird for me

Noel Stafford

Unfortunately, I never did get to see Iggy play Corruption, but I am very content with what I have seen. I first saw him in '97 on that huge corporate tour that was actually quite amazing. Tons of cool bands all day, and then Iggy Pop under the night sky... at a racetrack in Upstate New York. He played Raw Power and Search and Destroy and 1969 and No Fun, but also I Wanna Live and Heart Is Saved and Home, which was a lotta fun. For the encore he looked at the moon and crooned a bit of Somewhere Over the Rainbow to her before ripping into Sixteen.

I didn't see him again for almost ten years, but then I got to see the MutherFugging Stooges! a couple of times. And... what can I say? I'm not religious, but I am blessed. And in fact, the 2007 show was in a former church in Harlem, so I guess it fits somehow lol. ... Those shows were amazing, and of course I was a dancer both nights. When Iggy screams at you to get your (various unprintables) ass up here now you (more unprintables), you do it. And I finally got my I Got a Right... in a small bar in the center of Rotterdam. ...That 2008 show was just before Ron died. Twice I got to stand right in front of him - and his brother, and Watt the Madman - and jam out like a fucking fool... ... Rest in peace, my man... both of you brothers, who affected me so much... ... Shout out to Dirt, two crushing Skull Rings, I'm Fried, and Search and Destroy - and especially that I Got A Right! - but I could just as well just post the setlists.

Then, after another ten years, I saw Iggy solo on an Easter Sunday, with Obituary - of all bands - opening. They weren't really opening for Iggy per se; it was a festival in Brabant, in the south of the Netherlands - of all places - where they're known to be quite Catholic. I was taken back by the open-mindedness. Anyway, the stage in Iggy's tent was way too high to climb up there, so no dancers that night. But I did see a lot of families there with young teens, innocent fresh-faced families at an Iggy Pop concert taking in Mass Production and Some Weird Sin and Repo Man. It was so surreal. Awww! He ended the set with - of all songs - The Jean Genie, which was about him, of course. He nailed it. Nice gift ...

But then I saw him solo again just a couple months ago, with the horns! Awesome show in an intimate theater in Utrecht. Jeez, that show was full of the elderly, the original fans, right up front, and, yes, grannies got smashed when the mosh erupted. And, yes, they smashed back! What a show. I heard that we were the first big mosh of the tour, so that's why he came out for a second encore and said something like, "Just a little more jam because we fucking love you," and then ripped into Down on the Street> Fun House, with that outstanding transition that just warped my mind. Iggy might've looked like Quasimodo up there - god bless his spine - but he sounded great, performed just like I'd like, like him. After looking at the tour setlists, I see we got the long first encore as well. James Bond... lol. ... That Five Foot One opener was just right and Sister Midnight. Those horns! That bass! Loves Missing and Endless Sea were stunning. The triplet of Run Like a Villain> I'm Sick of You> Hero, by Neu!, was sick. I hope that's not the last time. Long live Iggy Pop!

Overall, I am a lucky motherfugger. I guess I had to get that out. Thanks for listening 😄

Woolsey Allen

Iggy never fails to get kick ass musicians on his tracks!

Theodore Skreko

Instant classic much love for Iggy Pop

Mark Steiner

Avenue B is perhaps the greatest underrated Iggy album ever! Love it.

ED

Iggy is the man! You don't see music like his anymore.

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