The Stooges – Search and Destroy

"Search and Destroy" as written by Nowell Rhys Fulber and Wilhelm Anton Leeb....
I'm a streetwalking cheetah with a heart full of napalm
I'm a runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb
I am the world's forgotten boy
The one who searches and destroys
Honey gotta help me please
Somebody gotta save my soul
Baby, detonate for me
Oh

Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology
Ain't got time to make no apology
Soul radiation in the dead of night
Love in the middle of a fire fight
Honey, gotta strike me blind
Somebody gotta save my soul
Baby, penetrate my mind

And I'm the world's forgotten boy
The one who's searchin', searchin' to destroy
And honey I'm the world's forgotten boy
The one who's searchin', only to destroy, hey

Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology
Ain't got time to make no apology
Soul radiation in the dead of night
Love in the middle of a fire fight
Honey, gotta strike me blind
Somebody gotta save my soul
Baby, penetrate my mind

And I'm the world's forgotten boy
The one who's searchin', searchin' to destroy
And honey I'm the world's forgotten boy
The one who's searchin', only to destroy, hey

Forgotten boy, forgotten boy
Forgotten boy said, hey, forgotten boy, said
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey


Lyrics submitted by AngelDust20, edited by losttomusicDAC

"Search and Destroy" as written by James Williamson James Osterberg

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management

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Search and Destroy song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • +1
    General CommentI can't believe no one has commented on this song. I'd say it's probably the greatest song of the punk era. It's destruction/alienation theme seems to forshadow "Fight Club" by 25 years. Truely, this is what rock is meant to be.

    "I am the world's forgotten boy"--now that's a fucking good line.
    butterboyon January 07, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThis is indeed a great song. As one who was born in 1955, we saw the Viet Nam war constantly on TV in the late 60s and early 70s. The phrase “search and destroy” describes a routine type of Viet Nam mission for US troops, which we heard about over and over again. The phrase “fire fight” was also used extensively in media coverage of the war. The lyric “love in the middle of a fire fight” is probably my favorite of any song, ever. It says “fuck you” to misguided authority in a very positive way.
    axfordraon April 14, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General CommentNot only is it probably the greatest punk song ever but in my opinion one of the most powerful and moving songs recorded in any genre. As it stands now, Search & Destroy is my favorite song of all time.
    MorayEelon March 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentthere's amazing power contained in this song. the stooges were way before their time. this is better than most shit made before and after it.
    velvetsisteron January 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentas butterboy said, one of the best songs of punk
    PiKueloon February 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentNot only one of the best songs of punk but one of the first ever punk songs. Iggy was doing punk before there ever was such a thing. He had a sound that would be used a decade later by bands like the Ramones.
    Duielon February 11, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis was the first Iggy/ Stooges song I heard. My boyfriend made me listen to it and I fell in love with it :) Really great song
    Favorite lines:
    "The one who searches and destroys
    Honey gotta help me please
    Somebody gotta save my soul"
    xbraindamageon February 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis song's great. The guitar solo/intro bit rocks. I'm not too sure about what the lyrics mean. The thing about Veitnam makes sense, though.
    HeWhoF*cksNunson June 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentfav line:

    Look out honey, 'cause I'm using technology

    easily their best song. There's also a You Am I live version of it too.

    Personally i think its about the alienation of youth by warmongering governments and the pointlessness of it all.
    Dressed2Depresson June 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentiggy says in the raw power liner notes that "heart full of napalm" was intended as a direct reference to heroin. Song is definitly about embracing nihilism.
    bignickonthedrumon September 28, 2006   Link

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