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".
Mr. Dynamite
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I blow things up in black and white
An end to your charade
A button I have made must be pushed
There is no reason for the sky
When I'm on fire with your lies
So if I can win this fight
So here we stand
Both you and I
We're face to face
But eye to eye?
Tomorrow you may change
And I would be betrayed, my friend
Oh mommy mommy mommy
Do you remember Mr. Dynamite?
You know that guy from down the block
He blew things up in black and white
Yesterday he changed
Today he is betrayed
In the street
On the ground
The neighbors gather 'round
Poor Mr. Dynamite
The song Mr. Dynamite by Iggy Pop portrays the character of a person who is frustrated and angry with the constant lies and facades of people around him. In the beginning of the song, he declares himself as Mr. Dynamite, someone who wants to put an end to this pretense and blow things up in black and white. He has made a button that must be pushed to bring an end to this charade. The sky has no reason to exist when he's on fire with these lies. He is ready to win the fight and be called Mr. Dynamite.
In the next stanza, the character stands face to face with someone who may betray him tomorrow. He is dreading this betrayal and wondering if that person will change. He then has a flashback to his childhood when his mother asked him if he remembers Mr. Dynamite, who used to blow things up in black and white. But now, poor Mr. Dynamite has changed, and today, he is betrayed. The neighbors have gathered around him as he falls to the ground.
The lyrics of Mr. Dynamite give a glimpse into the frustration and anger of the character, who wants to bring an end to the falsehood and facades in people's lives. The character's flashbacks to his childhood also suggest that he may have been a victim of betrayal and deception earlier in his life. The song serves as a powerful reminder to be truthful and authentic in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
They call me Mr. Dynamite
People refer to me as an explosive force to be reckoned with
I blow things up in black and white
I am not subtle in my actions, and my intentions are clear to all
An end to your charade
I am determined to expose any deceit and bring about truth
A button I have made must be pushed
I have the power to bring about change, but it requires action from others
There is no reason for the sky
I am so consumed by the lies around me that I cannot see hope or beauty
When I'm on fire with your lies
The deception of others fuels my anger and determination to bring about justice
So if I can win this fight
If my efforts are successful in bringing about change, I will have proven my worth
Then call me Mr. Dynamite
I will have earned the title of an explosive force for good
So here we stand
We are in this together
Both you and I
We share a common experience
We're face to face
Our conflict is direct and personal
But eye to eye?
Do we truly see the situation the same way?
Tomorrow you may change
I am aware that people can be fickle and unpredictable
And I would be betrayed, my friend
Their change of heart would be a personal betrayal
Oh mommy mommy mommy
A cry for help and understanding
Do you remember Mr. Dynamite?
A reference to my explosive persona
You know that guy from down the block
I am a familiar figure, but not always well understood
Yesterday he changed
I am not static and my actions may not always be predictable
Today he is betrayed
I have been let down by someone I trusted
In the street
My struggles are public and on display
On the ground
I have been knocked down and am vulnerable
The neighbors gather 'round
People are drawn to drama and conflict, but may not truly understand my situation
Poor Mr. Dynamite
A lament for my struggles and the challenges that come with my explosive persona
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLEN MATLOCK, IGGY POP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lilyvillon8061
One of my favourite songs from one of my fave IGGY POP LP's -Fantastic song & a great Album altogether!!
"If you're in Hell, don't tell"
@JohnnyCNote
My sentiments exactly!
@johnm3152
poor Mr. dyn-o-mite -are you in heaven?
@Heatfarmer
Soldier and New Values could very well be his best solo albums. Really really great songs...
@jjmontes14
I am sorry, but new values is not a great album.
@l.salisbury1253
@@jjmontes14 About a-third-to-a-half of New Values is some of the best stuff Mr. Pop has done (ie, the title track, "tell me a story", "bored", five foot one" and especially "Billy is a runaway") but the rest of LP does leave much to be desired. Still it is important since it's the last time he worked with members of the Stooges till '03)
@cristinapadrao1051
The albums I asked my parents to buy the first time they travelled to UK, 40 years ago. Iggy’s records were not edited in Portugal by that time and were very hard to find.
@RubenFrankinproject
I had this album on vinyl, I love it. But for me I have to say his best solo album besides The Idiot is American Caesar.
@edhelvey
New Values
@nikons
Got it on vinyl, and zombie birdhouse..2 unique albums