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".
Night Clubbing
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're what's happening
Nightclubbing, we're nightclubbing
We're an ice machine
We see people, brand-new people
They're something to see
Nightclubbing, we're nightclubbing
Oh, isn't it wild?
Nightclubbing, we're nightclubbing
We're walking through town
Nightclubbing, we're nightclubbing
We walk like a ghost
We learn dances, brand-new dances
Like the nuclear bomb
When we're nightclubbing, bright-white clubbing
Oh, isn't it wild?
The song "Nightclubbing" by Iggy Pop is an underground classic that captures the raw energy, youthful rebellion and hedonistic spirit of the late '70s nightclub culture. The lyrics talk about the thrill of going out at night, being part of the happening scene where new people are met, new dances are learned and a sense of liberation is felt. The repetitive phrase "Nightclubbing, we're nightclubbing" suggests the addictive and almost ritualistic nature of club culture, where people come to escape their mundane lives and immerse themselves in a world full of excitement and possibilities.
The verse "We're what's happening" is a bold statement of confidence, suggesting that those who go out at night are the ones who are living life to the fullest, unlike those who stay home. The line "We're an ice machine" is a metaphor for the cool, detached attitude that characterizes many nightlife personalities, who may put up a facade of indifference to mask their insecurities and fears. The chorus "Oh, isn't it wild?" expresses the exhilaration and amazement that one feels when experiencing the sensory overload of a bustling club, with its flashing lights, pounding music and ecstatic crowds.
Overall, "Nightclubbing" celebrates the subversive and liberating power of nightlife as a form of resistance against conformity and boredom. It recognizes the potential of club culture to bring people together, to inspire creativity and to challenge social norms. As Iggy Pop sings, "we walk like a ghost", suggesting that anyone who enters the realm of nightlife is transformed into a different kind of being, one who is free to express themselves, discover new horizons and push boundaries.
Line by Line Meaning
Nightclubbing, we're nightclubbing
We're out on the town, hitting up nightclubs
We're what's happening
We're the ones causing a stir and making the night exciting
We're an ice machine
We're cool and composed, even though we're at the hottest clubs
We see people, brand-new people
We're constantly meeting new and interesting people at the clubs
They're something to see
We enjoy observing and being around these unique individuals
Oh, isn't it wild?
We're amazed and exhilarated by the experience of nightclubbing
We're walking through town
We're venturing out into the city, exploring new clubs and neighborhoods
We walk like a ghost
We move about the clubs effortlessly, as if we're not even there
We learn dances, brand-new dances
We're constantly picking up trendy new dance moves
Like the nuclear bomb
These dances are explosive and cutting-edge, like something out of a science fiction movie
When we're nightclubbing, bright-white clubbing
The atmosphere is bright and electric, with everyone dancing and having a good time
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID BOWIE, JAMES NEWELL JR 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.