THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

701-Iggy Pop-Lust for Life.

1977-It did not chart in the UK until it was re-released in 1996, when it reached Number 26.

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 music 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.’

Iggy Pop (see also best songs 219) who was born James Newell Osterberg Jr. first began collaborating with David Bowie (1948-2015) (see also best songs 807-440-334-302-209-186-118-47-31 and 5) (see also his production work 131 and 58) while still a member of the ‘Stooges’ in 1971. Bowie would go on to co-write and co-produce both of the the first two Iggy Pop solo Albums ‘The Idiot,’ (1977) and ‘Lust for Life’ (1977.) It was a very busy period for Bowie, as in-between the making of those two Albums, he also released his own 11th studio Album ‘Low’ (1977.) After 1977, Iggy Pop, and David Bowie would not work together again until the early 1980’s.

‘Lust for Life’ is one of two singles released from Iggy Pop’s second studio Album of the same name from September 1977, the other single release was ‘Success,’ which failed to chart in any territory. Another track from the Album ‘The Passenger,’ became a UK hit in 1998, after being used in a ‘Toyota Avensis’ television commercial, reaching Number 22. ‘Lust for Life’ was co-written by Iggy Pop, (lyrics) and David Bowie, (medley) with the production being by Bowie, and Colin Thurston, (1947-2007) who co-engineered the single and Album with Iggy Pop and David Bowie, where the trio are credited as the ‘Bewlay Bros’ taking the pseudonym from a track from Bowie’s 1971 Album ‘Hunky Dory.’ Colin Thurston would also go on to work with Bowie in a similar capacity on his 1977 Album ‘Heroes.’ Other notable work by Thurston includes producing both of the debut studio Albums from the Human League, ‘Reproduction,’ from 1979, and Duran Duran (see also best songs 903.)

‘Lust for Life’ was composed by David Bowie on a ukulele, when he and Iggy Pop were sharing a flat while recording what would become the ‘Lust for Life’ Album in Berlin, Germany. At the time both Iggy Pop and David Bowie were also trying to get clean from their respective drug addictions. Iggy Pop has explained how Bowie got the idea for the medley to Lust for Life,’Once a week the Armed Forces Network would play Starsky & Hutch, and that was our little ritual. AFN would broadcast an ID when they came on the 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.’

‘Lust for Life’ is a song about Iggy Pop’s drug addiction. The songs title ‘Lust for Life’ is taken from the 1956 film of the same name, which itself is an adaptation of Irving Stone’s (1903-1989) 1934 biographical novel about the Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. In a 1995 interview Ray Manzarek (1939-2013) of the American Rock group the ‘Doors,’ (see also best songs 235 and 133) and their manager Danny Sugerman, (1954-2005) stated that the opening lyrics,’Here comes Johnny Yen again,’ were about their deceased Heroin dealer, nicknamed ‘Gypsy Johnny.’ The songs iconic drumbeat intro was played by the long term David Bowie collaborator Hunter Sales, who would go on to form ‘Tin Machine’ with Bowie in 1988. Like very nearly everything in ‘Pop Music,’ the rhythm was not totally original, as it was itself derived from ‘You Can’t Hurry Love,’ (see also best songs 148) released in July 1966 by the ‘Supremes,’ and ‘I’m Ready for Love,’ released in October 1966 by ‘Martha and the Vandellas,’ both of which are ‘Motown’ songs.

‘Lust for Life’ became a UK hit in 1996, after featuring on the soundtrack to the British black comedy drama film ‘Trainspotting,’ (see also best songs 989) whose central theme is drug abuse. After the song finally received commercial success, Iggy Pop said,’When I made Lust for Life, I really thought America was gonna rock to this mother….er. And it took 20 f…in’ years, which is a really long time to wait. I guess what happened is that there was this system that wasn’t gonna f…in’ give me a break, and I outlived the system. The movies and advertisers have subverted the stranglehold of radio in America, and there are now other ways for people to hear music. All of a sudden, a few years ago when Trainspotting came out, I was walkin’ down the street and I’d heard ‘Raw Power’ (1973 Album by The Stooges) comin’ out of the bars.’

‘Here comes Johnny Yen again, with the liquor and drugs, and a flesh machine. He’s gonna do another striptease, hey man, where’d you get that lotion?’