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".
Endless Sea
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the service of the bourgeoisie
Where can my believers be
I want to jump into the endless sea
Oh, oh the endless sea
Oh, oh the endless sea
I want to jump into the endless sea
Above us is a dirty sky
Full of youths and liquors
A little girl, a little guy
This air can't get much thicker
Oh, oh the endless sea
Oh, oh the endless sea
Oh, oh the endless sea
Let it wash all over me
And when you're tight for the rent
You think you're gonna break
But you know it's no damn good
Just one more phony on the take
You better go home, buddy
I really think,
You better go home, buddy
You better go home, buddy
The endless sea
In Iggy Pop’s song “Endless Sea”, the singer describes a sense of despair and longing for escape from the monotony of everyday life. He speaks of being in “the service of the bourgeoisie”, suggesting a feeling of being trapped in a life of serving the upper class. Pop expresses his desire to jump into the endless sea, a metaphor for a place of freedom where he can be himself and escape the constraints of society.
The first verse mentions Pop’s “believers”, who are presumably his fans. He wonders where they are and expresses his need for their support. In the chorus, he repeats the phrase “endless sea” several times, emphasizing his longing for escape. He wants the sea to wash over him, presumably to cleanse him of the world’s troubles and allow him to start anew.
In the second verse, Pop describes the world around him as dirty and thick with the smell of alcohol. He expresses a sense of being lost and hopeless, feeling as though he can’t escape the cycle of poverty and struggle. He suggests that others in his position might try to get ahead through dishonest means, but ultimately it will lead them nowhere. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, reinforcing the idea that Pop desires a place of freedom and escape.
Overall, “Endless Sea” captures a sense of disillusionment and dissatisfaction with the world. Pop longs for a place of freedom and escape, where he can be himself without the constraints of society. It’s a poignant message that speaks to the struggles many people face in their daily lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh baby, what a place to be
Expressing disdain towards bourgeoisie society
In the service of the bourgeoisie
Being trapped in a system that benefits the wealthy and powerful
Where can my believers be
Yearning for like-minded individuals who share the same sentiment
I want to jump into the endless sea
Craving an escape from the suffocating societal norms
Oh, oh the endless sea
Repeating the desire for escape
Let it wash all over me
Embracing the idea of being cleansed by the endless sea's freedom
Above us is a dirty sky
Commenting on the polluted environment and corrupted society
Full of youths and liquors
Symbolising the frivolous and hedonistic behavior of people
A little girl, a little guy
Highlighting innocence amidst the chaos of the world
This air can't get much thicker
Describing how the situation feels more suffocating and stifling
And when you're tight for the rent
Alluding to financial struggles and hardships
You think you're gonna break
Feeling overwhelmed and hopeless in the face of obstacles
But you know it's no damn good
Realizing that indulging in escape fantasies won't solve problems
Just one more phony on the take
Criticizing those who contribute to the oppressive societal system
You better go home, buddy
Suggesting that facing problems head-on is the only way to solve them
I really think,
Emphasizing the seriousness of the suggestion to face problems head-on
The endless sea
Reiterating the appeal of the endless sea as an escape from society
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Iggy Pop
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gandolph Gander
This might be an option für my funeral song
Oh baby, what a place to be
In the service of the bourgeoisie
Where can my believers be
I wanna jump into the endless sea
Oh oh the endless sea
Oh oh the endless sea
I wanna jump into the endless sea
Let it wash all over me
Above us is a dirty sky
Full of fuels and liquids
A little girl, a little guy
This air can't bear it much thicker
Oh oh the endless sea
Oh oh the endless sea
Oh, oh the endless sea
Let it wash all over me
And when you're tight for the rent
You think you're gonna break
But you know it's no damn good
Just one more phony on the take
You better go home, buddy
I really think,
You better go home, buddy
You better go home, buddy
And then I go home, buddy,
to the endless sea...
Rob Jones
+Walter Check out "Kill City" for sheer desperation.
He was a homeless junkie who had been committed
to a psychiatric unit. Bowie was his only visitor.
"No Sense Of Crime" is utterly heartbreaking.
Few people have come back from such a terrible place,
to go on to make money and have their own radio
show. Actually, there isn't anybody....
BurningCityStudios
I've been listening to Iggy for a long, long time. But I just realized that if any record should have put him in his rightful place in rock'n'roll history as a solo artist, New Values should have done it. It's a god-damned shame it didn't.
And this song is the gold hidden away in the attic.
Iggy, the King.
Scott Munsey
I'm in absolute agreement with your whole point of view. Including this song. What an amazing track. every instrument Played sounds unreal. PInk Floyd never came close to sounding this good and that seems to have been their niche, lol
Jason Jianuzzi
I will only add to the pile and say...Aye. So say all of us.
saint james
BurningCityStudios agree 100%
Norm Appleton
It did
Scott Briggs
Endlassssss
Breakfast Plan
No one ever talks about how awesomely well the drums are mic'd because iggy likes R&B grooves. Check out his interview he did when he released this album in 1979. I swear, The 70's were seriously the last known good era of recorded music.
krycklund
I love the way this song just slowly emerges with every instrument taking a few bars to appear one by one.
M
He played this song last night and it's been in my head ever since......such a good show
Peter Moran
Still a staggering track.....utter genius....