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".
Pussy Power
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A certain burring that makes me insane
She's on my beam oh no she's in my room
She's Al around me now and I'm a tool
[Chorus:]
Pussy power [Repeat: x4]
She wears a raincoat in the sun all day
She says she wants to have some fun, well, hey
She calls me over on the sidewalk
She's got a joint, she's got a cute walk
[Chorus]
Pussy power-hour by hour
Pussy power oh what a flower
I want to hold her close to me
'Cause pussy power's pulling me
Down [Repeat: x4]
When it's there and I can't have it
I get real real rabid
I've got to figure out a way
I'm so pent-up, like this I can't stay
I've got to look this in the eye
I'm much too crazed, I'm much too shy
But all in all, at least I am I
Oh my oh my oh my oh my
[Chorus]
Iggy Pop's song "Pussy Power" is a suggestive and sexually charged tune that describes the power of female sexuality over men. The first verse talks about the singer's inability to control his desires and how the "evil shadow" of those desires is taking over his brain. He describes a woman who is all around him and how he feels like a tool in her presence. The chorus "pussy power" is repeated multiple times to emphasize the dominant theme of the song - female sexuality.
The second verse describes the woman in question as wearing a raincoat in the sun all day, indicating that she is different from the rest and not afraid to stand out. She invites the singer over for a joint and has a cute walk, which adds to her appeal. The repeated refrain of "pussy power" underscores the almost hypnotic effect this woman has on the singer.
The bridge delves deeper into the singer's desires, admitting that when he can't have the object of his desire, he becomes rabid. He needs to find a way to deal with his pent-up desires and his shyness. However, he acknowledges that, in the end, he is who he is. Overall, "Pussy Power" is a provocative song that explores the power dynamic between men and women.
Line by Line Meaning
An evil shadow across my brain
There is a dark force affecting my thoughts and emotions.
A certain burring that makes me insane
Something is bothering me to the point of driving me crazy.
She's on my beam oh no she's in my room
She is on my mind, and it feels like she is physically present with me in my personal space.
She's Al around me now and I'm a tool
She is influencing me in every way possible, making me feel like a puppet under her control.
Pussy power
The seductive and alluring power of a woman's sexuality.
She wears a raincoat in the sun all day
She does what she wants, regardless of what others may think or say.
She says she wants to have some fun, well, hey
She is unapologetically honest about her desires for enjoyment and pleasure.
She calls me over on the sidewalk
She takes control of the situation and makes the first move to engage with me.
She's got a joint, she's got a cute walk
She exudes a carefree and confident attitude, with added physical appeal through her walk and drug use.
Pussy power-hour by hour
The power of her sexuality continues to grow and impact me more and more over time.
Pussy power oh what a flower
The beauty and power of her sexuality is compared to that of a flower in full bloom.
I want to hold her close to me
I desire physical intimacy and closeness with her due to her seductive powers.
'Cause pussy power's pulling me
Her sexuality is drawing me in and exerting control over me.
When it's there and I can't have it
When her sexuality is present but out of reach, it creates intense frustration and desire for me.
I get real real rabid
The frustration and desire build up to the point of anger and animalistic impulses.
I've got to figure out a way
I must find a solution to satisfy my desire and release this pent-up energy.
I'm so pent-up, like this I can't stay
The buildup of desire and frustration is too much to handle and is causing me distress.
I've got to look this in the eye
I must confront and address my feelings and impulses regarding her sexuality.
I'm much too crazed, I'm much too shy
My emotions and desires regarding her are extreme and overwhelming, yet I am also hesitant and uncertain.
But all in all, at least I am I
Despite the confusion and chaos around me, I am still my own person with my own identity.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management
Written by: IGGY POP
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.