THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

701-Iggy Pop-Lust for Life.

1977-It did not chart in the UK until re-released in 1996, when it peaked at Number 22.

Best Bit-At 1.12.The song reached Number 3 in Holland in 1977 in part due to Iggy Pop’s performance on the Dutch television programme ‘Top-Pop.’A bare chested Iggy Pop wrecked part of the stage set, which consisted of a couple of potted plants, and some cardboard scenery.That’s Rock ‘N Roll.

‘Lust for Life’ was co-written by Iggy Pop (see also best songs 219,) who provided the lyrics, and David Bowie (see also best songs 807-440-334-302-209-186-118-47-31 and 5,) who wrote the melody, and also produced the song, and it’s parent Album of the same name.Initially Bowie composed the music on a ukulele, after being inspired by the opening to the American Forces Network News, which Bowie and Iggy Pop would both watch during their stay in Berlin. Iggy Pop explained,”AFN’ would broadcast an ‘ID’ when they came on air, a representation of a radio tower, and it made a signal sound,’beep-beep-beep-beep,beep-ba-beep,’and we went,’Aha we’ll take that!’David grabbed his ukulele, worked out the chords, and away we went.’

The song was written at a time when both Bowie, and Iggy Pop were both trying to wean themselves off drugs. In a 1995 interview Ray Manzarek of the Doors, and their manager Danny Sugerman stated that the opening lyrics,’Here comes Johnny Yen again,’were about their deceased heroin dealer, nicknamed ‘Gypsy Johnny.”The song finally became a hit in the UK in 1996, when featuring on the soundtrack for the British film ‘Trainspotting,’ whose central theme was drug abuse (see also best songs 989.)

‘I’m worth a million in prizes, yeah, I’m through with sleeping on the sidewalk, no more beating my brains with liquor and drugs.’