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
Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell
The Stooges Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whoo!
A pretty face and a dirty love
Knew right away that I had to get my hooks in you
Yeah, yeah
I'm running low on memories
If you wanna make a buck, boy, you gotta be a tease, uh-huh
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
Hard to beat
A pound of flesh and a touch of bone
Smells in the air but I'm feeling so alone, uh-huh
I say yeah, yeah
Hallucination, true romance
I needed love but I only got a chance, uh-huh
And that ain't all
I tell ya honey, it's a crying shame
All the pretty girls they look the same
I wanna fall into a love so sweet
Honey, baby, baby I'm hard
Hard to beat
Whoo!
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!
That's right, baby
Hell!
A pretty face and a dirty love
Knew right away that I had to get my hooks in you
I say yeah, yeah
I'm running low on my memories
If you wanna make a buck, boy, you gotta be a tease, uh-huh
And that ain't all
Ow!
I need it all, honey, 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
Hard to beat
Whoo!
Yeah
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
Honey, baby, ride on, ride on pretty mama
Honey, honey, ride on your rollerskates
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Ah, honey, whoo, baby, oh yeah
Come on, a-baby, baby, baby, baby , no-no, baby, baby
Baby, baby, honey baby, don't you fight me
Really, don't you fight me
Really, don't you fight me
Really, don't you fight me
Really, don't you, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Baby, all right on mama, baby, I said
Oh, baby baby, hey, hey, honey, hey-hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Baby, baby, your pretty face is a-going to hell
Your pretty face is going to hell
Honey, honey, I can tell
Your pretty face is going to hell, hell, hell, hell, hell, hell, hell
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
The Stooges’ “Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell” appears on the band’s second album, “Fun House.” The song is characterized by its heavy, repetitive guitar riff and Iggy Pop's raw vocals filled with sexual desperation. The lyrics suggest that the main character is desperately seeking love and attention through manipulation and emotional blackmail. The first verse sets the tone, where the singer expresses a desire for someone with a pretty face and dirty love, indicating that they’re willing to use people and exploit their vulnerabilities for personal gain. The chorus repeats the lyrics “Your pretty face is going to hell,” suggesting that the main character perceives themself as doomed and lacking in worthwhile prospects for a meaningful romantic relationship.
The second verse continues the theme of desperation, with the singer speaking of his need for love and their willingness to go to great lengths to find it. The line “I'm running low on memories” implies that the character has gone through many failed relationships, leaving them jaded and lacking faith in the future. The bridge introduces the idea of hallucination as true romance, suggesting that the singer is either mentally unstable or disillusioned with romantic love in general. Overall, the song conveys a sense of disaffectedness and potential mental instability.
Line by Line Meaning
A pretty face and a dirty love
I was drawn to your looks and the idea of a passionate relationship
Knew right away that I had to get my hooks in you
I quickly realized I had to charm you into being with me
I'm running low on memories
I've had so many lovers, I can't remember them all
If you wanna make a buck, boy, you gotta be a tease, uh-huh
If you want to earn money, you need to keep people interested with seduction
I need it all, baby, that's no lie
I want everything from you, physically and emotionally
I need a lover with an alibi
I want someone who will cover for me and keep my affairs a secret
I wanna fall into a love so sweet
I desire a relationship that feels like a romantic fantasy
Honey baby, baby, I'm hard
I'm a difficult person to please and satisfy
A pound of flesh and a touch of bone
I'm focused on the physical aspects of my attraction to you
Smells in the air but I'm feeling so alone, uh-huh
Even though there are signs of sex and passion around me, I still feel empty inside
Hallucination, true romance
My ideas about love are unrealistic and distorted
I needed love but I only got a chance, uh-huh
I wanted a real relationship, but I settled for fleeting affairs
All the pretty girls they look the same
I objectify and stereotype women based on their appearance
Your pretty face is going to hell
Your beauty will lead to your downfall and destruction
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES OSTERBERG, JAMES WILLIAMSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@colin6768
This song has got to be the greatest punk or rock and roll songs of all time. When I first heard Raw Power almost 30 years ago it knocked me on my ass quicker than any whiskey!!!
@JohnnyangelNIU
Ron Jeremy’s knokked a lot o’ asses👍
@Tsotha
It's amazing how "Raw Power" has aged so well, it literally sounds like something some random greasy garage punk band could have put out in 1983 or 1993 or 2003 or 2013...
@Avery2880
Simon Johansen it's top.good to have been put put post 70s
@theeoddments960
This mix was made in 1997. 20 years after. The history of the album is that David Bowie has one day to mix it and pretty much made the album unlistenable. Listen to the Bowie mix. That’s what you’d be referring to. It sucks. It was mixed into what it was supposed to be by iggy later but this sound wasn’t made in 1973.
@qty1315
@Curious Betsy vlogs I think he's referring to the song itself. It has aged quite well, particularly the vocals.
@borbetomagus
@Curious Betsy vlogs In 1991 David Bowie noted that he was given 24 track tapes to mix "Raw Power", but only 3 tracks were used: '... the band on one track, lead guitar on another and [Iggy] on a third. Out of 24 tracks there were just three tracks that were used', which severely limited mixing possibilities. If Iggy was in charge of production, I assume it was his decision (or a financial issue), instead of bringing someone in with better skills who could have put out a record with the clear production heard on "Fun House". Given that unfortunate situation who knows if fans would have appreciated it if Ron and Scott re-recorded their parts (with period recording equipment) for the 1997 reissue to make the original recording more of what it could have been. In any case, it's very sad that Ron's amazing bass parts and Scott's drumming were (and remain) buried. I can only wonder why the 3m27s version of 'I Got A Right' (which had better production) wasn't included in the album. It's exclusion was perhaps even more of a crime than the "Raw Power" production(s).
@ignaciogarcia1690
@borbetomagus Lazy Duke...
@Gold33728
This is still how punk rock SHOULD be played. Raw and grotty with no rules.
@quiuboolokoo9325
Phnk is so generuc now a days, they strayed away from playing music to make more of a statement..when the stooges had the blues running through em heavy, they are real rockstars man.