Shades
Iggy Pop Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You gave me a present
The paper was blue and green
I unwrapped it with pleasure
These are the best shades I've ever seen
You can be my girlfriend
Forever and a day
I never thought I was worth much
Or that anyone would treat me this way

[Chorus:]
I'm not
The kind of guy
Who dresses like a king
And a really fine pair of shades
Means everything
And the light that blinds my eyes
Shines from you
It makes me come in the night
It makes me swim with delight
I like this pain
I like this mirror
I like these shades

I could have had a problem
I might have never followed through
The other guys are in trouble
They wouldn't listen to a girl like you
These shades say something
I'll bet they cost a lot
I hope I don't break 'em
I hope we don't break up





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Iggy Pop's "Shades" are a testament to the power of unconditional love and how it can transform us into the best version of ourselves. The song starts off with the singer receiving a pair of shades from his girlfriend. The shades are not just any regular pair of sunglasses, they are the best pair he has ever seen. This moment represents the love and care that his girlfriend has for him, a kind of love that he never thought he was worthy of receiving. With these shades, he finally feels like a king and realizes that sometimes it's the little things that can have the biggest impact on our self-esteem.


The chorus goes on to describe how the singer is not the type of guy who dresses like a king, but these shades mean everything to him. They represent the light that shines from his girlfriend and the joy that she brings into his life. The pain that he describes is not a negative one, but rather a reflection of the intense emotion that he feels for his girlfriend. He likes the person he is when he's with her and these shades serve as a reminder of that feeling.


The final few lines of the song are a nod to the fear of losing this newfound love. He hopes that he doesn't break the shades, but more importantly, he hopes that they don't break up. He understands the value of the relationship and how much it means to him, and he doesn't want to lose it.


Overall, "Shades" is a love song that celebrates the power of unconditional love and how it can transform us into the best version of ourselves. It's a song about self-discovery, and how sometimes all it takes is a small gesture of love to remind us of our worth.


Line by Line Meaning

You gave me a present
You surprised me with a gift


The paper was blue and green
The wrapping paper had a blue-green color


I unwrapped it with pleasure
I enjoyed opening the gift


These are the best shades I've ever seen
These sunglasses are the most impressive ones I've come across


You can be my girlfriend
I would like you to be my romantic partner


Forever and a day
For eternity and beyond


I never thought I was worth much
I never believed I had much value


Or that anyone would treat me this way
Or that anyone would treat me with kindness and affection


I'm not
I am not


The kind of guy
The type of person


Who dresses like a king
Who dresses extravagantly


And a really fine pair of shades
And an excellent pair of sunglasses


Means everything
Is extremely important


And the light that blinds my eyes
And the brightness that overwhelms my vision


Shines from you
Comes from you


It makes me come in the night
It arouses me sexually in the evening


It makes me swim with delight
It fills me with happiness and excitement


I like this pain
I enjoy this emotional distress


I like this mirror
I am fond of this reflection


I like these shades
I appreciate these sunglasses


I could have had a problem
I might have encountered an issue


I might have never followed through
I might have not pursued something to the end


The other guys are in trouble
Other men are having difficulties


They wouldn't listen to a girl like you
They disregarded advice from a woman like you


These shades say something
These sunglasses are indicative of something


I'll bet they cost a lot
I am willing to wager that they were very expensive


I hope I don't break 'em
I hope I do not damage them


I hope we don't break up
I hope our relationship does not end




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID BOWIE, NEWELL JR OSTERBERG JAMES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Jello Biafra

I'm from Detroit (blow the reveille)!
I never saw this video before.
Great Stuff!

'Iggy-the-court-jester' is there.
'Iggy-the-scary-monster' is missing.
(The New) 'Iggy-the-reg.-guy' is there.

This is one of my fav songs off that album.
Supposedly, a (rehab) 'return-to-form' after yet another journey to the abyss.
Hey, I dug EVERYTHING prior!
Even the weirdest stuff off 'Zom. BH'.
It was still heartening to see The Igster rise from the ashes once again!

Peace. Stay Healthy!
- Dave B.



All comments from YouTube:

rod dor

Love this period. Amazing album. One of my favorite songs. Thanks Iggy & Bowie for this gem.

Carlos Alberto Levermann

"Saudade", in brazilian portuguese.

Regina Celia

Beautiful voice, great singer. We love you, iggy.

lefteris georgiou

Iggy Pop is a King 👑! Greetings from Athens Greece!

Jay Winter

Iggy is still rocking in 2023 😎👍

RC Productions

Absolutely one of my fave Iggy tracks. Didn't realize it had a video. Nice and direct, just like the lyric.

Reinaldo Oliveira

saudades do tempo que ouvíamos músicas de alta qualidade,viva Iggy pop

David Hovey

Iggy is such a fascinating visual artist as well.. one moment this look of danger.. then he smiles and all is forgiven.. I cannot explain it... just always got that vibe...

Eva MG

Fantastic song. Blah-blah-blah is one of my favorites! ❤️

turuntash the boo

Great, great album where finally everyone could hear his woow voice in real and full beauty!!!

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