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".
The Jerk
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See the guy with the fakey smile,
Talkin' to my girl in a friendly style.
He thinks he's quite the flirt,
She'd suck a rats' dick before she'd fuck
Him his brain is full of dirt,
That's why the guy's a jerk,
that's why the guy's a jerk
Oh man you're killin' me!
Hey man your killin' me!
He hangs out by the ladies room,
His pick up line is like the voice of doom.
"Hey baby do ya want to go out with me,
and by the way I make a lotta money."
His method just don't work,
That's why the guy's a jerk.
By the office Johnny lurks,
That's why the guy's a jerk
Jerk [Repeat: x11]
Oh man you're killin' me!
Hey man your killin me!
look here comes the jerk [Repeat: x4]
Him his brain is full of dirt,
That's why the guy's a jerk,
His balls are gonna burst,
That's why the guy's a jerk
Oh man you're killin' me!
Hey man your killin me!
In Iggy Pop's song “Jerk,” the singer observes a man who is trying to flirt with his girl in a disingenuous and slimy manner. The man is portrayed as a “jerk” who is full of himself, thinks he’s quite the flirt, and has a fake smile. Despite his efforts, the singer is not threatened by the man since he knows that his girlfriend would not be interested in him. The man's pick-up line is ineffective because it shows that he is only concerned with money and misses the point of a genuine connection. The repeated line “Oh man you’re killing me! Hey man, you’re killing me!” is a sarcastic remark from the singer to the jerk, dismissing him as a joke.
The song is a humorous portrayal of a typical “jerk” character that is often seen in various settings, such as nightclubs, office spaces, and public places. The use of the word “jerk” also suggests that this behavior is common and that people are aware of such types of characters. The lyrics are simple, direct, and to the point, with Iggy's raw and energetic voice giving the song an edgy, punk-inspired style.
Line by Line Meaning
Look, here comes the jerk !
A person who is hated by others is approaching
See the guy with the fakey smile,
Observe the man who is faking his happiness
Talkin' to my girl in a friendly style.
Speaking to my girlfriend with a fake friendliness
He thinks he's quite the flirt,
He wrongly assumes that he is good at flirting
She'd suck a rats' dick before she'd fuck
She would never consider having sex with him as he is disgusting to her
Him his brain is full of dirt,
He has a mind filled with filth and impurity
That's why the guy's a jerk,
This is the reason why he is a terrible person
His balls are gonna burst,
He will suffer a painful punishment for his misdeeds
Oh man you're killin' me!
The situation is causing me intense emotional pain
Hey man your killin' me!
I am being affected negatively by your actions
He hangs out by the ladies room,
He intentionally loiters near the women's bathroom
His pick up line is like the voice of doom.
His attempt to attract women is destined to fail terribly
"Hey baby do ya want to go out with me,
He uses a cheesy and ineffective pickup line
and by the way I make a lotta money."
He tries to entice women with his supposed wealth
His method just don't work,
His strategy to attract women is a complete failure
That's why the guy's a jerk.
This is why he is a despicable person
By the office Johnny lurks,
A creepy guy named Johnny hangs around the workplace
Jerk [Repeat: x11]
He is a repulsive individual
Oh man you're killin' me!
I am in emotional agony due to this situation
Hey man your killin me!
Your actions are making me feel terrible
look here comes the jerk [Repeat: x4]
The awful person is approaching again
Him his brain is full of dirt,
His mind is filled with disgusting thoughts
That's why the guy's a jerk,
This is the reason why he is a horrible person
His balls are gonna burst,
He will suffer a painful retribution for his actions
Oh man you're killin' me!
This situation is causing me immense pain
Hey man your killin me!
You are negatively affecting me with your actions
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: IGGY POP, WHITEY KIRST, WHITNEY KIRST
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.