Iggy Pop (born James Newell Osterberg, Jr.; April 21, 1947) is an American … Read Full Bio ↴Iggy Pop (born James Newell Osterberg, Jr.; April 21, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though widely known as an innovator and "godfather" of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, hard rock, jazz and blues. Pop became known as 'Iggy' in high school, during which time he served as drummer for local blues band The Iguanas. He is vocalist of influential proto-punk band The Stooges (Pop and the other surviving members of the group reunited in 2003), having become known, since the late 1960s, for his outrageous and unpredictable stage antics.

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".

Cry For Love
Iggy Pop Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Status seekers, I never cared
Once I found out they never dared
To seize the world and shake it upside down
And every stinking bum should wear a crown

Saying I cry for love
'Til all the plates are broken
Cry for love

Until my eyes are soaking, yeah
Cry for love
On every sammy morning, yeah
I cry for love
'Cause imitation's boring
Cry for love
Cry for love
Cry for love

Bad TV that insults me freely
Still I know what I'm dying to see
In searching for a meaningful embrace
Sometimes my self-respect took second place
And I cried for love
I did what my heart told me

Cried for love
Can't stand it when they scold me, yeah
I cried for love
On every sammy morning, yeah
I cry for love
'Cause imitation's boring
Cry for love
Cry for love
Cry for love
Cry for love

Surfers ride for love
And wipe out when it hits 'em
Soldiers kill for love
And nobody admits it
If you're crying for love
Well, that's okay, don't sweat it
If you're crying for love
Then there's still a chance you'll get it
Cry for love
Cry for love
Cry for love
Cry for love

Cry for love

Overall Meaning

In "Cry for Love," Iggy Pop talks about how he has never cared about status seekers and those who try to conform to society’s norms. Instead, he desires those who are brave enough to challenge the norm and change the world’s perspective. He feels that every person should be treated like they have a crown, regardless of their status.

However, the theme of the song changes when he talks about his desire for love. He becomes vulnerable, admitting that his search for love has sometimes made him forget his self-respect. He has cried for love, and he will continue to cry for love until his heart is satiated. The chorus emphasizes this, as he repeats the phrase “cry for love” multiple times.

The use of repetition in the chorus emphasizes the desperation Iggy Pop feels for love, while also creating a sense of urgency in the listener. The contrast between the first and second part of the song shows Iggy’s vulnerability and personal struggles, while the final lines remind the listener that the search for love is a universal experience.

Line by Line Meaning

Status seekers, I never cared
I have never been interested in people who seek social status.

Once I found out they never dared
After I realized they were not daring enough to challenge and change the world.

To seize the world and shake it upside down
To take control of the world and revolutionize it completely.

And every stinking bum should wear a crown
Everyone, even those who are considered lowly, should be treated like royalty and with respect.

Sayin' I cry for love
Admitting that I want love.

Till all the plates are broken
I will keep crying for love until everything around me is shattered and disordered.

Cry for love
Expressing one's emotional and heartfelt desire for love.

Until my eyes are soakin', yeah
Crying so much that my eyes are fully soaked with tears.

On every salmon morning, yeah I
Every morning feels new and hopeful, like witnessing the miracle of salmon swimming upstream to spawn.

Cause imitation's boring
Copying others is dull and uninteresting.

Bad tv that insults me freely
Television that offends and disregards my feelings.

Still, I know what I'm dyin' to see
I am determined to find something meaningful and fulfilling.

In searching for a meaningful embrace
Looking for a real and genuine connection with another person.

Sometimes my self-respect took second place
Sometimes I have put my self-respect to the side to pursue love.

Can't stand it when they scold me, yeah I
I cannot tolerate being scolded or talked down to by others.

Surfers ride for love and wipe out when it hits 'em
Surfers are passionate about their love of the sport, but sometimes it leads to disappointment and failure.

Soldiers kill for love and nobody admits it
Soldiers may fight and kill for something they believe in, but no one wants to acknowledge that it may be for love.

If you're cryin' for love, well, that's okay don't sweat it
It is okay to cry for love, don't worry too much about it.

If you're cryin' for love then there's still a chance you'll get it
If you truly desire and cry for love, there may still be hope for you to find it.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Iggy Pop, Steve Jones

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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