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".
Don
Iggy Pop Lyrics
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They're making sorta crazy sounds
Don't look down no
Don't know who else came to kneel
On this empty battlefield
But when I hear that crazy sound
I don't look down
From Central Park to shanty town
From New York to Shanty Town
There's always something else
Don't look down...no
I went this morning to the cemetery
To see old Rudy Valentino buried
Lipstick traces on his name
He never looked down
'Cause they were making crazy sounds
From Central Park to Shanty Town
He always heard that crazy sound
There's always something else
Don't look down...no
When I see you standing there
I can't see the clothes you wear
I just hear that crazy sound
And I can't look down
I've always heard that crazy sound
From New York to Shanty Town
There's always something else
Don't look down...no
Don't look down
Don't look...don't look down
No I won't be bored I won't be there
Look at life it's no piece of cake
When I hear that crazy sound
I don't look down
From Central Park to Shanty town
I always hear that crazy sound
From New York to Shanty Town
There's always something else
There's always something else
Don't look down...no
Don't look down
Don't look...don't look down
"Don't Look Down" by Iggy Pop is an upbeat rock song that features lyrics that convey a message of positivity and optimism. The song is about tuning out the negative noises and proceedings of the world around us, and instead focusing on the positive aspects of life. The lyrics encourage the listener to not look down and to not let negativity drag them down.
In the first verse, the song seems to be about the artist hearing "sorta crazy sounds" but choosing to not let those sounds bring him down. While he doesn't know who else has had to persevere through the "empty battlefield", he refuses to look down when he hears the "crazy sounds". In the second verse, the artist seems to be reflecting on the legacy of Rudy Valentino, but again, the underlying message is that even when facing death, Rudy did not look down when faced with adversity. In the final verse, the song turns more personal as the artist sees someone who inspires them, who they can't see clearly because they are too focused on the positive sounds around them. The refrain of the song repeats the same message - don't look down, because there's always something else.
Overall, "Don't Look Down" by Iggy Pop is a song about maintaining a positive outlook on life, even when faced with tough times, and focusing on the good things in life rather than getting bogged down by negative sounds.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't look down
Don't focus on the negative or let fear hold you back
They're making sorta crazy sounds
There may be distractions or obstacles, but don't let them deter you
Don't know who else came to kneel
On this empty battlefield
Others may have tried and failed before you, but keep moving forward
But when I hear that crazy sound
I don't look down
When faced with challenges, stay focused and strong
From Central Park to shanty town
I always hear that crazy sound
From New York to Shanty Town
Regardless of location or circumstance, there will always be obstacles to overcome
There's always something else
Don't look down...no
Keep pushing forward, don't let the challenges get the best of you
I went this morning to the cemetery
To see old Rudy Valentino buried
Lipstick traces on his name
He never looked down
'Cause they were making crazy sounds
Even famous and accomplished people face obstacles and distractions, but they choose not to focus on them
When I see you standing there
I can't see the clothes you wear
I just hear that crazy sound
And I can't look down
When faced with a challenge, focus on the task at hand and don't let superficial distractions sway you
No I won't be bored I won't be there
Look at life it's no piece of cake
Life is full of challenges and obstacles, don't shy away from them
There's always something else
There will always be a new challenge or obstacle to face
Don't look down...no
Don't let fear or doubt hold you back
Don't look...don't look down
Stay focused and don't let distractions or obstacles deter you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ARISTAZABAL EMI CHEN HAWKES, FYFE DANGERFIELD HUTCHINS, GREG STEWART, RICARDO BOMBINE PIMENTEL
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.