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".
I Won't Crap Out
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I keep a wall around me, block out the herd
It's a nerve-wreck placeto be, it kills real
Quick
You gotta scrape the concrete off your dick
But we're gonna live so happily
In a faraway place, just you and me
If I don't crap out
The world will sing like a happy bug
If I don't crap out
No and I won't crap out
I won't crap out
I'm glad I am crazy, it keeps me trying
I despise the trendies, I know
They're lying
If you want to stir up real mud
You had better pay with real blood
But the birds will sing a sweet melody
In a couple of green indifferent trees
If I don't crap out
And you're gonna know how fine you are
Gonna write your name on a violet star
If I don't crap out
We'll have a window and we'll have a door
And a reason to be living for
If I don't crap out
And the material singers will fade into dust
Like forgotten merchants of disgust
If I don't crap out
No I won't crap out
No I'll never crap out
Oh I won't crap out
I won't crap out
"I Won't Crap Out" is an optimistic song by Iggy Pop, despite its somewhat vulgar title. The song begins with Iggy standing in the shadows hating the world, and keeping his defenses up to block out the herd. He sings about how it's nerve-wracking to be in such a place, and how it can kill you quickly. But in order to make it through, you have to scrape the concrete off your "dick" which could be interpreted as your inner self or your spirit that holds the weight of your past experiences. Iggy then goes on to imagine a faraway place where he and his loved one can live happily if they don't "crap out" or give up. This song encourages people to keep going, even when it's tough, as there's a reward waiting once you make it through.
The second verse of the song sees Iggy celebrating his craziness, as it keeps him trying to be better. He distinguishes himself from the trendies, who he believes are lying, and encourages listeners to stir up real mud in order to get results, even if it costs you real blood. Iggy then goes on to imagine a beautiful future, where birds sing and people write their names on violet stars. He sings about having a window and a door and a reason for living, and how the merchants of disgust will fade into dust if he doesn't "crap out".
Overall, "I Won't Crap Out" is a song about hope, resilience and determination. It encourages listeners to keep going and to never give up. It reminds us that success is possible, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm standin' in a shadow, hating the world
Feeling overshadowed and jaded, despondent about the state of the world
I keep a wall around me, block out the herd
I protect myself from negative influences and outside noise
It's a nerve-wreck placeto be, it kills real/Quick
Living in this state of mind is mentally exhausting and can be physically damaging if not remedied quickly
You gotta scrape the concrete off your dick
You must remove yourself from a place of negativity and cleanse yourself of its harmful effects before it's too late
But we're gonna live so happily/In a faraway place, just you and me
Together, we will find happiness in a place free from negativity and outside influence
The sun will shine and give us a hug
We will be comforted by the warmth and light of the sun
The world will sing like a happy bug
The world will be full of joy and positive energy
I'm glad I am crazy, it keeps me trying
My nonconformity and individuality keep me motivated to strive for something greater
I despise the trendies, I know/They're lying
I don't trust those who follow the latest trends blindly because they are living a lie
If you want to stir up real mud/You had better pay with real blood
If you want to make a significant change, you have to be willing to make significant sacrifices
But the birds will sing a sweet melody/In a couple of green indifferent trees
Even in the midst of chaos, there is beauty, and nature finds a way to thrive
And you're gonna know how fine you are/Gonna write your name on a violet star
You will finally realize how wonderful you are and leave your mark on the world
We'll have a window and we'll have a door/And a reason to be living for
We will have a home, and purpose and motivation to keep going
And the material singers will fade into dust/Like forgotten merchants of disgust
Those who are obsessed with material possessions will eventually be forgotten, much like merchants of old who sold unpleasant wares
No I won't crap out/No I'll never crap out
I won't succumb to negativity and will always persevere
Oh I won't crap out/I won't crap out
I absolutely will not give up
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JAMES OSTERBERG
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.