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".
Winners and Losers
Iggy Pop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it the same under the sky?
Black motorcycles and the will to survive
Losers and winners low and high
In this glass and wire world
Surely leeches gain the right
To send their message screaming
To people who feel
Questions and questions plain as your nose
But who would believe a little rose?
Winners and losers in love with themselves
No Santa Claus no happy elves
In this smoking gun existence
It gets harder to unwind
I'll just eat my breakfast
Try to keep my questions
Starving all night
Out in the suburbs I met
My true fine love
Down in the suburbs I met
My true fine love
She gave me money
She gave me head
She gave my everything
And then she went dead
Stick out your thumb
And hit the open road
Cat in a mercedes
Goes by, he's old
He's got some, you got none
Together maybe you can have
Some fun-winners and losers
Gentlemen boozers
Winners and losers
Roll roll roll roll
Roll your money down
Rock rock rock rock
Takln' over this town
The song "Winners and Losers" by Iggy Pop captures the complexity of life and the ambiguity of success and failure. In the beginning of the lyrics, Iggy Pop ponders whether he is a winner or a loser under the same sky, suggesting that success is often relative and subjective. He then describes black motorcycles and the will to survive, implying that those who are considered losers may have more determination and grit than those who are considered winners. The song then shifts to critique the modern world of glass and wire, where those with power and influence have the right to send meaningless messages to the masses. Pop suggests that those who feel, who have questions and are not blinded by the glamour of success, are the true winners. However, in the end, the song paints a gloomy picture of existence, with no Santa Claus or happy elves, and the only way to survive is to just eat breakfast and keep the questions at bay.
Line by Line Meaning
Winners and losers which one am I,
I'm trying to figure out if I'm a winner or a loser.
Is it the same under the sky?
Do we all have the same definition of success?
Black motorcycles and the will to survive
Motorcycles are often associated with freedom, but sometimes they're used as a way to cope with life's difficulties.
Losers and winners low and high
Success doesn't discriminate between social classes.
In this glass and wire world
We live in a world of technology and screens.
Surely leeches gain the right
Companies that exploit users' attention and personal data gain power over them.
To send their message screaming
Advertisements and clickbait are designed to grab people's attention.
One that has no meaning
These kinds of messages often have no real substance or value.
To people who feel
People who are looking for something genuine and meaningful.
Questions and questions plain as your nose
Questions that are obvious but may not have clear answers.
But who would believe a little rose?
People might miss the important things because they're expecting something bigger or flashier.
Winners and losers in love with themselves
People who are obsessed with their own image and success.
No Santa Claus no happy elves
The idea of holiday cheer and magic doesn't exist in the real world, which can be disappointing.
In this smoking gun existence
Life can be harsh and unforgiving.
It gets harder to unwind
It's difficult to escape the stress and struggles of everyday life.
I'll just eat my breakfast
I'll try to focus on the simple things I can control.
Try to keep my questions
I'll try to maintain my curiosity and stay curious.
Starving all night
I couldn't sleep because of my worries.
Out in the suburbs I met
In a quiet and boring place, I met someone special.
My true fine love
The person I met was someone I really cared about.
She gave me money
She helped me out financially.
She gave me head
She showed me affection and intimacy.
She gave my everything
She gave me all her love and support.
And then she went dead
She passed away or left me, leaving me heartbroken and alone.
Stick out your thumb
Hitchhiking can be a spontaneous and adventurous way to travel.
And hit the open road
Venturing out into the unknown can be both exciting and daunting.
Cat in a mercedes
People who seem more successful and privileged than others.
Goes by, he's old
Time passes by quickly and everyone eventually ages.
He's got some, you got none
Some people are luckier or more successful than others.
Together maybe you can have
If you team up with others, you have a better chance of succeeding.
Some fun-winners and losers
Everyone has the potential to enjoy life, regardless of their status or success.
Gentlemen boozers
Men who enjoy drinking and socializing together.
Winners and losers
People who are both successful and unsuccessful in different areas of their lives.
Roll roll roll roll
Life keeps moving forward, whether we're ready for it or not.
Roll your money down
Spending money can be reckless and often leads to problems.
Rock rock rock rock
The world is unpredictable and constantly changing.
Takln' over this town
People strive to make their mark and leave a legacy in the places they live.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVID BOWIE, JAMES OSTERBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marco K.
Iggy e' stato e sara' sempre una ispirazione per tutti i musicisti Rock. Thanks Iguana!
Exodia The Forbidden One
I remember this song being used in the shoot out Gina, Sonny and Tubbs against Frank Mosca.
emanuele bonica
Great! Beautiful scene. I remember it
NTJ891
Love that episode, miss that show
Dariwudl
finally an upload of that song. I was looking for it since I've heard it being used in Miami Vice!
chicagocubs71
Great action song, I also saw that episode where Crockett goes up that elevator type of gizmo to go after Frank Mosca until Gina aka Saundra Santiago shoots his behind.
figment1988
Yep. Season 4's Blood and Roses
James Hackett
I always die to this song, f...... Great .
Giancarlo Teran O.
The best !!
Hugh K. Ayers
"Stick out your thumb, hit the open road. Cat in the Mercedes drives by, he's old. He's got some, you've got none. Together maybe you could have some fun."