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".
Lust for Love
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the liquor and drugs
And a flesh machine
He's gonna do another striptease
Hey man, where'd you get that lotion?
I've been hurting since I bought the gimmick
About something called love
Well, that's like hypnotizing chickens
Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in the ear before
Been on a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life
I'm worth a million in prizes
With my torture film
Drive a G.T.O.
Wear a uniform
All on a government loan
I'm worth a million in prizes
Yeah, I'm through with sleeping on the sidewalk
No more beating my brains
No more beating my brains
With the liquor and drugs
With the liquor and drugs
Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in my ear before
'Cause of a lust for life (lust for life)
'Cause of a lust for life (ooh)
I've got a lust for life (ooh)
Got a lust for life (ooh)
Oh, a lust for life (ooh)
Oh, a lust for life (ooh)
A lust for life (ooh)
I got a lust for life (ooh)
Got a lust for life
Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in my ear before
'Cause of a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life
Well, here comes Johnny Yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And a flesh machine
I know he's gonna do another striptease
Hey man, where'd ya get that lotion?
Your skin starts itching once you buy the gimmick
About something called love
Oh, love, love, love
Well, that's like hypnotizing chickens
Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in the ear before
And I've a lust for life (lust for life)
'Cause I've a lust for life (lust for life)
Got a lust for life
Yeah, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
Oh, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
Yeah, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
A lust for life
Lust for life
Lust for life
Lust for life
The lyrics of Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" seem to be about the singer's hedonistic lifestyle and his addiction to drugs and alcohol. In the first verse, Pop introduces Johnny Yen, a character who appears to represent temptation and excess, with whom he engages in suggestive behavior while under the influence of liquor and drugs. Pop describes his quest for love as something that has become a gimmick or a cheap imitation of the real thing. The line "hypnotizing chickens" could be interpreted as a metaphor for how love can be manipulated and exploited by those who understand its power.
In the second verse, Pop reveals that he is a modern man who has experienced addiction before, but is still unable to resist its pull. He boasts about his lavish lifestyle and the material possessions that he has acquired with his government loan, as if to demonstrate that he has achieved success despite his addictions. However, by the end of the song, Pop seems to have had enough of the negative aspects of his lifestyle, which include sleeping on the sidewalk and damaging his body with drugs and alcohol. He expresses his desire to move on from this way of living and embrace life with a sense of vitality and energy, or a "lust for life."
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes Johnny Yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And the flesh machine
He's gonna do another striptease
Johnny Yen, a personification of excess, has arrived once again with drugs, alcohol, and a device to excite the senses. He is planning to perform another sexually explicit show of gratification.
Hey man where'd you get
That lotion? I been hurting
Since I bought the gimmick
About something called love
Yeah something called love
That's like hypnotizing chickens
The singer, who is feeling unwell, inquires about a soothing lotion another person has. The singer has been suffering from the effects of believing in love, which they see as a ploy. They compare the lure of love to the actions of hypnotizing chickens.
Well I am just a modern guy
Of course I've had it in the ear before
'Cause of a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life
The singer identifies as a contemporary individual who has experienced life's offerings many times. Their enthusiasm for life's pleasures pushes them to continue living with a 'lust for life'.
I'm worth a million in prizes
With my torture film
Drive a G.T.O.
Wear a uniform
All on a government loan
I'm worth a million in prizes
The artist brags about being of great value due to their work in film, a fast car, and a uniform provided through a government deal. They repeat that they are worth one million in prizes as a reminder of their worth.
Yeah I'm through with sleeping on the
Sidewalk - no more beating my brains
With the liquor and drugs
With the liquor and drugs
The artist expresses their dissatisfaction with living on the street and imbuing themselves with substances. They state that they are no longer willing to compromise their mental capacity by indulging in such activities.
I got a lust for life
Got a lust for life
Oh a lust for life
Oh a lust for life
A lust for life
I got a lust for life
The singer announces that they have an undeniable desire to live life to the fullest, repeating several times that they have a 'lust for life'.
'Cause of a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life
The singer emphasizes that their eagerness for a life full of pleasure and satisfaction is the driving force behind the decisions that they make.
Oh love love love
That's like hypnotizing chickens
The artist reiterates their comparison of love to something that is pre-determined, uncontrollable, and manipulable like chickens being hypnotized.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie, Iggy Pop
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@philippeceline984
à vous seul
le Mystérieux garçon au pouce doré
peu de gens peuvent me comprendre
autant que vous *
je l’aime de plus en plus votre pouce doré
J’aime aussi votre façon de m’obliger à dépasser mes p'tites limites à me pousser toujours plus loin
et aussi à me remettre en question sur
ce que je veux dire
Vraiment dire
Avec vous
je n’ai aucun répit
aucune certitude
mais j'Aime ça
D'autant qu'avec vous
je n'ai ni routine ni ennui ni chagrin
que la joie de voir votre pouce doré
si souvent présent
et j'aime que vous aimiez
"mon" AMI gentil au pouce DORÉ
je VOUS espère si souvent
Bien à vous
corinne Cl
[you knew it? 'bout 'philippe' C?]
@mnmlstellar
#LYRICS
Here comes Johnny Yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And a flesh machine
He's gonna do another striptease
Hey man, where'd you get that lotion?
I've been hurting since I bought the gimmick
About something called love
Yeah, something called love
Well, that's like hypnotizing chickens
Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in the ear before
Been on a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life
I'm worth a million in prizes
With my torture film
Drive a G.T.O.
Wear a uniform
All on a government loan
I'm worth a million in prizes
Yeah, I'm through with sleeping on the sidewalk
No more beating my brains
No more beating my brains
With the liquor and drugs
With the liquor and drugs
Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in my ear before
'Cause of a lust for life (lust for life)
'Cause of a lust for life (ooh)
I've got a lust for life (ooh)
Got a lust for life (ooh)
Oh, a lust for life (ooh)
Oh, a lust for life (ooh)
A lust for life (ooh)
I got a lust for life (ooh)
Got a lust for life
Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in my ear before
'Cause of a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life
Well, here comes Johnny Yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And a flesh machine
I know he's gonna do another striptease
Hey man, where'd ya get that lotion?
Your skin starts itching once you buy the gimmick
About something called love
Oh, love, love, love
Well, that's like hypnotizing chickens
Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in the ear before
And I've a lust for life (lust for life)
'Cause I've a lust for life (lust for life)
Got a lust for life
Yeah, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
Oh, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
Yeah, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
A lust for life
Lust for life
Lust for life
Lust for life
@guilhermepreviati2517
LYRICS
Here comes Johnny Yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And the flesh machine
He's gonna do another striptease
Hey man where'd you get that lotion?
I been hurting
Since I bought the gimmick
About something called love
Yeah something called love
That's like hypnotizing chickens
Well I am just a modern guy
Of course I've had it in the ear before
'Cause of a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life
I got a lust for life
I'm worth a million in prizes
With my torture film
Drive a G.T.O
Wear a uniform
All on a government loan
I'm worth a million in prizes
Yeah I'm through with sleeping on the
Sidewalk - no more beating my brains
No more beating my brains
With the liquor and drugs
With the liquor and drugs
Well I am just a modern guy
Of course I've had it in the ear before
'Cause of a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life
I got a lust for life
I got a lust for life
Lust for life
I got a lust for life
I got a lust for life
Well I am just a modern guy
Of course I've had it in the ear before
I got a lust for life
You know a lust for life
I got a lust for life
Lust for life
Here comes Johnny Yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And the flesh machine
I know he's gonna do another striptease
Hey man where'd you get that lotion?
Your skin starts
Itching once you buy the gimmick
About something called love
Oh love love love
About something called love, called love
Love, love, love
Songwriters: David Bowie / Iggy Pop
@JackM12345100
Iggy Pop eternally:
face of a 50 year old
body of a 30 year old yoga instructor
energy of a 20 year old
One of a kind.
@CringeAnimations69420
A few years later: dog with a stand
@kirby711
One of a kind..
The best kind
@philippeceline984
No ! ... Think twice !... Before "talking taping" "writing" ! you're 3 Billion Miles Beneath your Brain
@ceesdirks9507
More like the energy of a 6 year old. He is just pure emotion, he shows you everything is feeling. He may well be naked up there. He is one talented and crazy singer/ poet and no can take that away from.
@philippeceline984
à vous seul
le Mystérieux garçon au pouce doré
peu de gens peuvent me comprendre
autant que vous *
je l’aime de plus en plus votre pouce doré
J’aime aussi votre façon de m’obliger à dépasser mes p'tites limites à me pousser toujours plus loin
et aussi à me remettre en question sur
ce que je veux dire
Vraiment dire
Avec vous
je n’ai aucun répit
aucune certitude
mais j'Aime ça
D'autant qu'avec vous
je n'ai ni routine ni ennui ni chagrin
que la joie de voir votre pouce doré
si souvent présent
et j'aime que vous aimiez
"mon" AMI gentil au pouce DORÉ
je VOUS espère si souvent
Bien à vous
corinne Cl
[you knew it? 'bout 'philippe' C?]
@agentham
Cleaning out my old room at my mom's house and found my "Choose life" Trainspotting poster behind my door. Good times.
@Sickboy2727
Have one hanging on my wall lol
@kirby711
Agent ham : I'm worth a million in prizes DON'T FORGET IT
@kirby711
Agent Ham : a good time was had by ALL. IGGY knows don't fret my brother