Singer Iggy Pop and his wild onstage antics were often the focus of attention. The band had a shambling, energetic sound deliberately reminiscent of past garage rock groups. They sold very few records in their original incarnation and often performed to indifferent or hostile audiences. Nevertheless, the Stooges are often regarded as hugely influential both on then-nascent heavy metal movement and also on punk rock. As has been said about The Velvet Underground, the handful of people who did actually buy the Stooges' early records at the time ended up forming bands of their own and thus changed history. In fact, Velvet Underground member John Cale produced the original incarnation of their self-titled album. The 1969 album 'The Stooges' has received since its release critical acclaim from many reviewers over the years.
The Stooges drew their sound from a variety of influences. Examples include the often transgressive rock and roll artists The Doors, The MC5, The Rolling Stones, The Troggs, and The Who. As well, the band members enjoyed the work of jazz and soul artists such as Booker T and the MGs, James Brown, and Miles Davis (particularly 'Bitches Brew').
In 2003, Iggy, Scott, and Ron reformed The Stooges with Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist Mike Watt filling in. The 2000s lineup played festivals around the world, and in 2006 recorded a new album with Steve Albini.
Founding member and guitarist Ron Asheton was found dead at his home in Ann Arbor, MI on January 6, 2009. Iggy Pop posted a message on his website stating "I am in shock. He was my best friend."
On June 22, 2016, Williamson made an official statement for the band saying that the Stooges are no more.
"The Stooges is over. Basically, everybody's dead except Iggy and I. So it would be sort-of ludicrous to try and tour as Iggy and the Stooges when there's only one Stooge in the band and then you have side guys. That doesn't make any sense to me."
Website: www.iggyandthestoogesmusic.com
Hard To Beat
The Stooges Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A pretty face and a dirty love
I knew right away that I'd have to get my hooks in you
Yeah yeah yeah
I'm running low on my memories
If you wanna make a fuzz, boy, you gotta be a tease, uh huh
I say yeah yeah
I need it all, baby, that's no lie
I need a lover with an alibi
I wanna fall into a love so sweet
Honey baby baby I'm hard to beat
Hot flesh and I touch alone
Smells in the air and I'm feeling so alone, uh huh
I say yeah yeah
Hallucination true romance
I need a love but I only got a face, uh huh
That ain't all
I'll tell ya honey it's a crying shame
All the pretty women look the same
I wanna fall into a love so sweet
Honey baby baby I'm hard to beat
Whoa hey hey
Your pretty face is going to hell
Your pretty face is going to hell
Honey honey I can tell
Your pretty face is going to hell
Hell
A pretty face and a dirty love
I knew right away that I'd have to get my hooks in you
I say yeah yeah
I'm running low on my memories
If you wanna make a fuzz, boy, you gotta be a tease,
Uh huh and that ain't all
I say yeah yeah
I need it all, baby, that's no lie
I need a lover with an alibi
I wanna fall into a love so sweet
Honey baby baby I'm hard to beat
Whoa yeah hey
Your pretty face is going to hell
The Stooges' "Hard to Beat" depicts the singer's obsession for a woman with a pretty face and a dirty love. The lyrics boast of needing a lover with an alibi and falling into a love so sweet to beat his obsession. The singer is running low on memories, and to make a fuss, one needs to be a tease, disguising his desires, and hiding behind lies instead of being honest. The song is all about lust and desire, and the singer is aware that the woman's pretty face will take him to hell.
The song's lyrics describe a man who is lusting after a woman with a pretty face and dirty love, meaning she is willing to engage in sexual activities, and perhaps even promiscuous. The singer is aware of his obsession but continues to chase her regardless. The lyrics also emphasize the need for a lover with an "alibi," suggesting that the woman he desires might be in a relationship or married. The song's title "Hard to Beat" suggests that the singer challenges himself to win the woman's affection and compete to be better than her current lover. The Stooges use aggressive and raw instrumentation and scream their lyrics to enhance the urgency of the singer's desire.
Line by Line Meaning
A pretty face and a dirty love
The allure of physical beauty mixed with lustful desires
I knew right away that I'd have to get my hooks in you
I knew I had to seduce you and make you mine
I'm running low on my memories
I've exhausted all my previous experiences and need something new
If you wanna make a fuzz, boy, you gotta be a tease
To excite and stimulate someone's interest, you must tease and withhold yourself
I need it all, baby, that's no lie
I crave everything in a relationship, without holding back or being dishonest
I need a lover with an alibi
I require a partner who can cover up our love affair from others
I wanna fall into a love so sweet
I desire to completely surrender to a tender and loving romance
Hot flesh and I touch alone
I hunger for physical touch and intimacy, but feel alone in it
Hallucination true romance
The illusion of true love and passion, which is not actually there
That ain't all
There's more to what I need and want in a relationship
All the pretty women look the same
Physical beauty is superficial and interchangeable, lacking depth and uniqueness
Your pretty face is going to hell
Your beauty is temporary and will deteriorate with time, revealing your true imperfections
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: IGGY POP, JAMES WILLIAMSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
William Harris
Freaking gold.
Djamel Mahmoud
Cette version est mortelle
Oh la la, j'en ai pris plein la gueule
Merci.
Djamel Mahmoud
That mix Is awesome.
e nef
The Stoogies was me Favorit in the 1970 - 👍
Djamel Mahmoud
Faster than the original mix. It's not the Iggy mushy heavy stuff either.
What is it? Where did u get this?
Merci. Merci à toi.
It's raw, it's very Stooges.
Djamel Mahmoud
Ouais cool.
It's raw. It's raw.