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".
Highway
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What it means I dunno
I been walkin' down the highway
With the bad food flyin by me
I' m an ordinary man
With a time bomb in my hand
It keeps tickin' an I keep runnin
Tryin to find out where I come from
Nothin' gonna take this road away
Nothin' gonna take this road outta my heart
Nothin' gonna take this pain outta my heart
I wake up sweatin in the night
Every town is only lights
I 'm addicted to the highway
'cause I just can' t do things their way
And there ain' t nothin gonna take this road away
Nothin gonna take that road away
Nothin gonna take that road outta my heart
highway I'm doin fine
You help me draw the line
No use in bein alive
If I'm just rentin
I undersand the circus well
I've played the clown when down he fell
But bein' down ain' t bein' loser
So just look out here comes a bruiser
And there ain 't nothin gonna take my road away
Nothin' gonna take my road away
Nothin' gonna take my road outta my heart
In Iggy Pop's song "Highway," the singer shares his experience of walking down a road or a highway, trying to find out where he comes from. He feels like he's an ordinary man, but with a time bomb in his hand, and it keeps ticking. He tries to run and escape it, but it's still there. He is addicted to the highway because he can't do things the way others want him to. He wakes up sweating at night, and all he sees is the lights of every town he passes. He understands the circus of life and has played the clown when he fell down, but he doesn't see being down as being a loser. He believes that he's a bruiser and nothing is going to take his road away from him.
The lyrics suggest that Iggy Pop may be talking about his personal struggles and journey in life, trying to find out who he really is and where he comes from. The time bomb in his hand may represent his anxieties, and the highway is his escape. He chooses to live life on his own terms, even if it means facing challenges along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
I been walkin' down the road
I have been journeying through life, but I am unsure of my purpose or destination.
What it means I dunno
I am uncertain of the meaning behind my journey.
I been walkin' down the highway
I am travelling down a long and winding path, filled with danger and adventure.
With the bad food flyin by me
As I journey along the highway, I am bombarded by countless temptations and distractions that threaten to pull me off course.
I'm an ordinary man
I am just an average person, with flaws and weaknesses like anyone else.
With a time bomb in my hand
Despite my seeming normalcy, I am actually carrying a dangerous secret that could explode at any moment, harming myself or those around me.
It keeps tickin' an I keep runnin
I am constantly trying to escape the looming threat of my own personal demons, which seem to be closing in on me at all times.
Tryin to find out where I come from
I am searching for answers about my own identity, hoping to shed light on the reasons behind my journey and my ultimate purpose in life.
And there ain't nothin' gonna take this road away
No matter what obstacles I encounter on my quest, I am determined to keep moving forward and staying true to my path.
Nothin' gonna take this road away
I am committed to my journey, and no outside forces can derail me from my path.
Nothin' gonna take this road outta my heart
My resolve to stay on my path is so strong that it has become a fundamental part of who I am as a person.
Nothin' gonna take this pain outta my heart
Regardless of my determination, I must still deal with the emotional pain and turmoil that comes with walking this difficult road.
I wake up sweatin in the night
My journey often keeps me up at night, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about what lies ahead.
Every town is only lights
As I travel through different places and meet new people, everything starts to look the same, like a blur of lights and faces that all blend together.
I'm addicted to the highway
Despite the hardships and challenges of my journey, I have become addicted to the thrill of the open road and the sense of adventure that comes with it.
'cause I just can't do things their way
I refuse to conform to societal norms and expectations, instead choosing to live life on my own terms and in my own unique way.
highway I'm doin fine
Despite the difficulties I face on my journey, I am doing well and remain committed to my path.
You help me draw the line
The highway serves as a clear delineation between my old life and my new one, and helps me stay focused on my goals.
No use in bein alive
There is no point in merely existing without purpose or meaning.
If I'm just rentin
If I am not living my life on my own terms, but instead merely living according to the expectations of others.
I understand the circus well
I am familiar with the chaos and absurdity of life, and have learned to navigate it with skill and certainty.
I've played the clown when down he fell
Even when I am at my lowest points, I still maintain a sense of humor and a lighthearted approach to life.
But being down ain't being loser
Despite the setbacks and failures I encounter on my journey, I refuse to give up or give in to despair, knowing that these experiences and challenges are all part of the process.
So just look out here comes a bruiser
I am tough and resilient, and able to handle whatever challenges lie ahead with strength and determination.
And there ain't nothin gonna take my road away
No matter what life throws at me, I will stay true to my path and continue to move forward.
Nothin' gonna take my road away
My journey is mine alone, and I will not let anyone or anything interfere with it.
Nothin' gonna take my road outta my heart
My journey has become an integral part of who I am, and nothing can change that or erase it from my soul.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: IGGY POP
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.