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".
Kill City
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I live here in kill city, where the debris meets the sea
It's a playground to the rich but it's a loaded gun to me
Well, I'm sick of keeping quiet and I am the wild boy
I'm sick of keeping quiet and I am the wild boy
But if I have to die here, first I'm gonna make some noise
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Turn that boy loose
Yeah, the scene is fascination, man and everything's for free
The scene is fascination, man and everything's for free
Until you wind up in some bathroom, overdosed and on your knees
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Give it up
The song "Kill City" by Iggy Pop and James Williamson is a reflection on the dangerous and destructive lifestyle of living in the city. The lyrics describe the city as a place where the wealth gap is stark, with the rich having access to the finer things in life while the poor struggle to survive. The line "It's a playground to the rich but it's a loaded gun to me" paints a picture of the city as a kind of trap, with its allure and promise of freedom masking the fact that it can be deadly and unforgiving.
The song's narrator is someone who has been caught up in this lifestyle, but is now ready to fight back. He declares himself the "wild boy" and vows to make noise before he dies. This could be interpreted as a call to action for others who are living similarly dangerous lives. The repeated line "Give it up, turn the boy loose" could be seen as a plea to society to give young people a chance to escape the cycle of poverty and addiction that keeps them trapped in the city.
Overall, "Kill City" is a powerful and unflinching look at the darker side of urban life, and a call to action for change.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I live here in kill city, where the debris meets the sea
The singer resides in a place where trash and waste meet the ocean.
It's a playground to the rich but it's a loaded gun to me
While the wealthy might view the singer's home as a leisurely haven, it is hazardous for the singer.
Well, I'm sick of keeping quiet and I am the wild boy
The singer is fed up with being silent about their predicament and considers themselves an unabashed rebel.
But if I have to die here, first I'm gonna make some noise
If the artist's life must end here, they will cause a commotion before they go.
Give it up, turn the boy loose
An urgent plea to release the artist's constraints and allow them to live freely.
Yeah, the scene is fascination, man and everything's for free
The singer enjoys the captivating atmosphere where everything seems obtainable without cost.
Until you wind up in some bathroom, overdosed and on your knees
However, this alluring world can quickly spiral into a dangerous circumstance that leads the singer to find themselves overdosed and desperate.
Give it up, turn the boy loose
Repeated call to take off the shackles and liberate the artist.
Give it up, turn the boy loose
And again, another plea to free the artist.
Give it up, turn the boy loose
One more time, the artist demands their release to live independently.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAMES WILLIAMSON, JAMES NEWELL JR OSTERBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@orangestoneface
You're a suede daddy on the boulevard
That boy's no nelly, he'll break your nose and take your car
And it's consolation prizes, consolation prizes
That's all that's keeping you alive
Keep my weapon clean between your tits
I finally got the message and this is no time to quit
And it's consolation prizes, consolation prizes
That's keeping you alive
Honey what you don't know won't hurt you too bad
You've never seen the real money
You've never played the heavy games
All you've got is your 12 volt brain
Teen magazines won't let me be
I feel so clean but they're all digging dirt on me
And through the lonely nights I'm thinking
And through the lonely nights I'm thinking
She's sweet, my consolation prize
Honey, what you don't know won't hurt you too bad
You've never seen the real money
You've never played the heavy games
All you've got is your 12 volt brain
Is it a hit or is it a hit
It's a consolation prize
Is it a hit or is it a hit
It's a consolation prize
Consolation prizes
Consolation prizes
Consolation prizes
Consolation prizes
Consolation prizes
Consolation prizes
@robjones2408
"If I have to die here/First I'm gonna make some noise."
In 1975, Iggy was a homeless junkie who had been committed to a psychiatric hospital. He recorded this fantastic snapshot of a man in
the gutter who was desperate to get out, with James Williamson as his
sidekick. The record companies didn't want to know.
Along with David Bowie's help and his iron will, Iggy came back.
Few have fallen so far, even fewer have risen so high. Good luck to him.
@SA-ff9uc
Bowie ruined Iggys music.
@guritevzadze8210
The best Rolling Stones album the Stones never made
@peterpandemonium3032
I beg to differ. The best 3 albums they were too tame to make. I blame Altamont and public school.
Whole buncha comparisons could be made, but bottom line is: The Stones most infamous gig was when the Hells Angels were security. The stooges most infamous gig was when the HA were the fuckers in the crowd trying to pu the band out of action.
Can't really put it simpler than that.
Metallic KO is what yer looking for if yer wondering what I'm talking bout ladies and germs
@lilianagreenborcegos6544
As a matter of fact, Iggy outta be the 6th stone
@KB-P
I was ready about to post a similar comment hahhaha!!!!!
TOTALLY!!!!!!!!
To be honest, i was never listened to it a lots of time..!! Although i had few chances to buy it i 've never did it.!!! Today was the 1st time which i noticed that is Rolling Stones inspired album!!! I MUST buy it asap!!!
@Mike-aka747
Better than the Rolling Bores.
@davidd8552
My favourite track from this session is Jesus love’s the Stooges
@Jipwell
One of the best albums in history. The world will recognise it someday. Even if someday’s far off.
@gontierfrancois8115
Completely agree with you