"Lust for Life" is a 1977 song by American singer Iggy Pop, co-written with David Bowie. Released as the title track of Iggy Pop’s second solo album, the song has become one of his most iconic works and is hailed for its infectious energy, memorable drum intro, and exuberant celebration of life’s wild side123.
- Release Date: August 29, 1977 (album release), October 1977 (single in select countries)
- Album: Lust for Life
- Songwriters: Iggy Pop, David Bowie
- Genre: Garage Rock, Proto-Punk
- Length: 5:11
- Label: RCA Records
- Producer(s): Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Colin Thurston (as "Bewlay Bros.")
Musical Style & Composition
The song is famous for its irresistible opening drum beat performed by Hunt Sales, inspired by the Armed Forces Network call signal, which Iggy and Bowie heard in Berlin. The rhythm draws influence from Motown classics like The Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love.” The prominent riff and relentless momentum give the song a feeling of euphoria and drive123.
David Bowie wrote the music (often on a ukulele), while Iggy Pop improvised much of the lyrics directly at the microphone45. The overall sound is raw, direct, and bursting with vitality, aligning with Iggy Pop’s reputation as a pioneer of punk and garage rock.
Personnel (Select)
- Iggy Pop — vocals
- David Bowie — piano, backing vocals, keyboards, production
- Ricky Gardiner, Carlos Alomar — guitars
- Tony Sales — bass
- Hunt Sales — drums
Lyrics & Meaning
"Lust for Life" is renowned for its vivid, often free-associative lyrics. With references to "liquor and drugs," "Johnny Yen," and "a flesh machine," the song conjures a world of hedonism and excess. Despite these dark undercurrents, the tone is exhilarated, not despairing; it’s about embracing life’s intensity, both its highs and lows, with unashamed gusto637.
While some lines directly allude to drug culture and the bohemian life that Iggy and Bowie navigated in Berlin, the chorus — “I’ve got a lust for life” — transmutes personal chaos into a wild, celebratory mantra. The phrase “hypnotizing chickens” is a nod to Beat novelist William S. Burroughs' character Johnny Yen, weaving literary allusion and streetwise attitude together35.
Cultural Impact
- Critical Acclaim: Ranked on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” (No. 149 in 2004, No. 325 in 2021)1.
- Commercial Success: The album Lust for Life became Iggy Pop’s breakthrough, considered his only Gold-certified release in the UK and his most commercially successful album for decades49.
- Legacy: The song saw a massive resurgence after being used in the opening credits of the film Trainspotting (1996), introducing it to a new generation.
- Influence: Its iconic riff and beat have been cited as influences by later artists and bands, sampled and imitated in tracks like Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” and Travis’s “Selfish Jean”12.
- Live Staple: “Lust for Life” is a signature part of Iggy Pop's live performances and remains a symbol of unrestrained vitality.
Select Lyrics (Highlights)
Here comes Johnny Yen again
With the liquor and drugs and the flesh machine
He's gonna do another striptease ...Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in the ear before
'Cause of a lust for life
Chart Performance & Reception
- Initially achieved notable chart success in the Netherlands and Belgium (No. 3 Dutch Top 40)1.
- The album reached No. 28 on the UK Album Chart8.
- The song remains one of the most recognizable anthems of punk and post-punk rock.
“Lust for Life” continues to be celebrated for its explosive spirit, irrepressible energy, and enduring influence — both as a personal declaration and a timeless rock anthem157.
