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?
I've been hurting since I bought the gimmick
About something called love
Yeah, something called love
Well, that's like hypnotizing chickens

Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in the ear before
Been on a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life

I'm worth a million in prizes
With my torture film
Drive a G.T.O.
Wear a uniform
All on a government loan

I'm worth a million in prizes
Yeah, I'm through with sleeping on the sidewalk
No more beating my brains
No more beating my brains
With the liquor and drugs
With the liquor and drugs

Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in my ear before
'Cause of a lust for life (lust for life)
'Cause of a lust for life (ooh)
I've got a lust for life (ooh)
Got a lust for life (ooh)
Oh, a lust for life (ooh)
Oh, a lust for life (ooh)
A lust for life (ooh)
I got a lust for life (ooh)
Got a lust for life

Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in my ear before
'Cause of a lust for life
'Cause of a lust for life

Well, here comes Johnny Yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And a flesh machine
I know he's gonna do another striptease

Hey man, where'd ya get that lotion?
Your skin starts itching once you buy the gimmick
About something called love
Oh, love, love, love
Well, that's like hypnotizing chickens

Well, I'm just a modern guy
Of course, I've had it in the ear before
And I've a lust for life (lust for life)
'Cause I've a lust for life (lust for life)
Got a lust for life
Yeah, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
Oh, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
Yeah, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
A lust for life
Lust for life
Lust for life
Lust for life


Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit

Lust for Life Lyrics as written by Iggy Pop David Bowie

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Lust For Life song meanings
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56 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    Iggy Pop was interviewed in the most recent Rolling Stone and was asked about this song. He said that the references to Johnny Yen and hypnotizing chickens were taken from William S. Burroghs works but it was about fighting heroin addiction.

    Iggy said the opening riff to the song, which Jet took some liberties with, was the opening intro to Armed Forces Television (done with morse code sounding beeps instead of guitars) that he and David Bowie were watching in Berlin.

    Pirtyfool22on May 10, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    DIANE: You're not getting any younger, Mark. The world is changing, music is changing, even drugs are changing. You can't stay in here all day dreaming about heroin and Ziggy Pop. RENTON: It's Iggy Pop.

    DIANE: Whatever. I mean, the guy's dead anyway.

    RENTON: Iggy Pop is not dead. He toured last year. Tommy went to see him.

    trainspotting is a great movie. and yes, jet sucks.

    fnghon July 09, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    It's about quitting heroin, as well as falling off the wagon and doing it again. "had it in my ear before" refers to shooting heroin - junkies often run out of spots to shoot up and they have to be creative in places to shoot up (in the ear, in between your toenail and toe, etc)

    taverneron November 04, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    To all if you who said Jet ripped off this song, you're fucking morons. It's an old Motown beat. People were using it way before Iggy and Jet. Just listen to "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes, or "I'm Ready For Love" by Martha And The Vandellas. Don't get me wrong, I love Iggy, but even he isn't taking credit for the beat, or getting pissed at Jet for "stealing" it. Know you're music history.

    watermark10579on March 11, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    these callow teenagers and their paltry pursuits: fast cars, fast women, and fast fixes. the lust for life is the hedonist's excuse to find pleasure in every orifice of the world - sick bastards but i like the song

    shauncreaneyon July 23, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    These lyrics are way off (they ARE pretty hard to interperet). I have the Lust for Life CD and they have the lyrics in the booklet, so I figure I'll write em out, since these are a bit off:

    here comes johnny yen again with liquor and drugs and the flesh machine he's gonna do another striptease hey man where'd you get that lotion? i been hurting since i bought the gimmick called love yeah something called love that's like hypnotizing chickens well i am just a moder guy of course i've had it in the ear before 'cause of a lust for life 'cause of a lust for life i'm worth a million in prizes with my torture film drive a g.t.o wear a uniform all on a government loan i'm worth a million in prizes yeah i'm through with sleeping on the sidewalk no more beating my brains no more beating my brains with liquor and drugs with liquor and drugs well i am just a modern guy of course i've had it in the ear before 'cause of a lust for life 'cause of a lust for life

    i got a lust for life got a lust for life oh a lust for life oh a lust for life a lust for life i got a lust for life i got a lust for life well i am just a modern guy of course i've had it in the ear before 'cause of a lust for life 'cause of a lust for life 'cause of a lust for life well here comes johnny yen again with the liquor and drugs and the flesh machine i know he's gonna do another striptease hey man where'd you get that lotion? your skin starts itching once you buy the gimmick about something called love oh love love love that's like hypnotizing chickens well i am just a modern guy of course i've had it in the ear before 'cause of a lust for life 'cause of a lust for life got a lust for life yeah a lust for life i got a lust for life oh a lust for life yeah a lust for life i got a lust for life a lust for life lust for life lust for life...

    esrevernidellepSon May 12, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    is this song to do with cleaning his act up?

    lixy_the_pyro_pixieon October 09, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    yes. it's about quitting smack (which iggy was trying to do back in '77). which makes it all the more ironic that it's in a carnival cruise line commercial

    Potatoes9000on December 13, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song goes so perfectly with the movie trainspotting, about getting on and off heroin. I kind of thought the line "of course I've had it in my ear before" was talking about shooting heroin in his ear.... although that's really strange.

    Jet sucks. What poseurs. Every time I see the Carnival Cruise Line commercial I start laughing. They market a cruise towards families that can afford to go on a cruise... do any of them listen to iggy pop? haha.

    plastic_sconeson September 04, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Actually, the line "I've had it in the ear before" is an expression meaning you've been screwed over.

    Vehicleon October 20, 2008   Link

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