wild america
Pop (Iggy) Lyrics


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One night out in L.A
I met a Mexicana
With a butchy girlfriend
Who I thought was a man
They took me to the alley
To have a little chat
People lined the corners
Doin' this and that
In wild America

Wild America
Wild America
Wild America

Now I 'm in a black car
With my Mexicana
She's got methedrine but
I want marijuana
I don 't want to drive home
Not in my condition
So I ask my friend Matt
To handle the ignition
In wild America
In wild America
Wild America
Wild America
Exterminate the brutes
Exterminate the brutes
Exterminate the brutes
Exterminate the brutes
Oh right
Yeah
Yeah
Yeah
But I mean I like it here
Do you have anything you'd like to say to America?
I'd just like to say at this point that
I' m 24 hour, 7 day a week, 365 day a year American)
I was glad that Debbie
Had a sense of humor
This time of the morning
I tend to get gloomy
She laughed and said Iggy
You have got a biggy
I had no reply
So I just closed my eyes
In wild America
Wild America
Wild America
Wild America

Exterminate the brutes
Exterminate the brutes
Exterminate the brutes
Exterminate the brutes

They're goin' wild
Goin' wild
They're goin' wild
They're goin' wild
They're goin' wild
They're goin' wild baby
They're goin' wild baby
They got all kinds of fuckin' stuff
They got everything you could imagine
They're so god dammed spoiled
They're poisoned inside
They judge a man by what he's got
And they wanta have more and more
More power, more freedom




Taller kids, longer lives
Everything, bigger houses, slaves, whoa

Overall Meaning

The song "Wild America" by Pop (Iggy) is a reflection of the grittier, wilder side of America that exists beneath the surface. The lyrics describe the night he spent in Los Angeles, where he met a Mexicana and her "butchy" girlfriend, who took him to an alley to have a chat. While there, he observed people lining the corners and doing "this and that," which is possibly a reference to illicit activities, such as drug use or sexual encounters. The chorus of the song, "Wild America," highlights the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the country, which Iggy views as a reflection of himself.


In the second verse, Iggy finds himself in a black car with the Mexicana, who has methedrine, but he prefers marijuana. He admits to being in no condition to drive himself home and enlists a friend named Matt to handle the ignition. The repeated phrase "Exterminate the brutes" interspersed throughout the song appears to be a commentary on the darker side of American culture and the idea that some people are "poisoned inside." Iggy satirizes the American obsession with excess and the desire for more power, freedom, longer lives, and bigger houses.


Line by Line Meaning

One night out in L.A
I had an experience in Los Angeles one night


I met a Mexicana
I met a woman from Mexico


With a butchy girlfriend
She was with her masculine-looking girlfriend


Who I thought was a man
At first, I thought her girlfriend was male


They took me to the alley
They took me to a dark alleyway


To have a little chat
To talk in private


People lined the corners
Around the alley, many people were present


Doin' this and that
They were doing various things


Now I 'm in a black car
I am now in a black car


With my Mexicana
With the Mexican woman I met earlier


She's got methedrine but
She has methamphetamine, but


I want marijuana
I prefer marijuana over methamphetamine


I don 't want to drive home
I don't want to drive back home


Not in my condition
Since I am not in a condition to drive


So I ask my friend Matt
I asked my friend Matt


To handle the ignition
To drive the car


Exterminate the brutes
Destroy the savages


Oh right
Okay


Yeah
Yes


But I mean I like it here
Although, I really enjoy living in America


Do you have anything you'd like to say to America?
Is there anything you would like to say to the United States of America?


I'd just like to say at this point that
I would like to say that, at this moment,


I' m 24 hour, 7 day a week, 365 day a year American)
I am American every hour of every day, every day of the week, and every day of the year


I was glad that Debbie
I was happy that Debbie


Had a sense of humor
Was able to take a joke


This time of the morning
At this early hour of the day


I tend to get gloomy
I usually become sad


She laughed and said Iggy
She laughed and called me Iggy


You have got a biggy
You have a big-ness about you (could refer to a big personality, ego, or something else)


I had no reply
I did not have a response


So I just closed my eyes
So I just closed my eyes and remained silent


They're goin' wild
They are acting recklessly


Goin' wild
Acting wildly


They got all kinds of fuckin' stuff
They possess all kinds of vulgar things


They got everything you could imagine
They have everything you can think of


They're so god dammed spoiled
They are extremely spoiled


They're poisoned inside
They are corrupt within themselves


They judge a man by what he's got
They evaluate a person based on their possessions


And they wanta have more and more
And they continuously desire more


More power, more freedom
More authority and liberty


Taller kids, longer lives
Bigger children, lengthier lifespans


Everything, bigger houses, slaves, whoa
Everything, larger homes, slaves, whoa




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ERIC N SCHERMERHORN, IGGY POP

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

Jello Biafra

@Gus
I'm from Detroit (blow the reveille)!
Sorry you missed the party!
The mixture of art/poetry & pathos/chaos isn't for everybody.

Iggy's songs require FIVE listens!
Most ppl don't commit.
Too bad. Cuz you get more than some 'pop-song' for your investment!
ROCKS ON!
- Dave B.



Jello Biafra

I'm from Detroit (blow the reveille)!
This song has a special place in my heart.
At the time, 'yet-another' generation of music fans was emerging.
(post-'Hair'/Gangsta/Grunge)

There was IGGY POP on regular rotation on the airwaves!
I heard this several times a day on the radio in an open shop.
Guys would come up to the 'middle-age-guy' (me) & ask about him.
And, after multiple listens, give praise!

Just another one of those PRIDE moments every Iggy fan gets to experience from time-to-time.
Peace. Stay Healthy!
- Dave B.



Flip Side

Freakin' Awesomesause brother.

Me, like you, give an absolutelypositively fudge about humanity.

Kool beans.

You are definably wounderously inspiringly spectaculiciously fantabuliciously awesomely amazingly stupendo, brother.

Keep on keepin' on, indeed.

😇🖕😈
💜☯️💛



All comments from YouTube:

Héloïse H

Iggy will never die.

Karicat Watts

Love the sound of his voice

P1B1U1H1

+Karicat Watts It all works. The woman s great too.

steve lane

Odd how much he sounds like Ted Nugent (also a Detroit native).

Shruggz Da Str8-Faced Clown

That's what homegrown MichiGANders sound like -- oh m'gaaad!

Phierce!

I love this guy. Hot guy that can definitely do awesome music. Sad that only a few like that remain. Glad that they still exist

Tanner

Mer Feraine Amen. I'm glad you posted this comment. God bless you and I just wanna say God bless all the great musician rockstars that are still alive... I am so sad and heart broken over the long death list of rock stars.... I feel like my hearts crying. I hope Ozzy and Iggy don't go soon. :(

Diana Marks

And hilarious-I love his autobiography with this uptight *#%€£ commenting!

1 More Replies...

jonanjello

Always loved this song and video!!!!! Good to see it again!

Larz Gustafsson

Fantastic tune.

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