You're listening to Song Exploder, where musicians take apart their songs and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made. I'm Rishikesh Hirway. In this episode, Iggy and Josh break down the song, American Valhalla, and tell the story of how it was shaped by reverb, opera, and the military. My name is Rishikesh Hirway. You're listening to Song Exploder.
Hello, I'm Iggy Pop. Hello, my name is Joshua Hamie. The gestation of American Valhalla was as follows. Josh sent me a shitty demo, labeled shitty demo that began with the steel drum and vibraphone motif. The vibraphone is an instrument that's plugged in, so it goes, woo, woo, woo, but I didn't turn it on. It's just played off. That's steel drum. That's really, really unusual ability. The kind of primitive, transcee underbelly of the song.
He sent me a text afterwards, positing that Valhalla was the most valid and superior paradise for warriors compared to the ones from other cultures. Because you had to actually do something really brave and to get in there. I texted him back saying, well, this raises the question, is there an American Valhalla? Where is it? What is it? After that exchange, I spent a day singing in my car, sitting in my car in the car port, singing to it and coming up with words.
I shot my gun, I've used my knife. This hasn't been an easy life. I'm hoping for American Valhalla. But if I have outlived my use, please drink my juice. What exactly? It's so heartbreaking and wonderful and it's a tear jerker. Iggy is 68 and that perspective in rock and roll is not represented. But I also think it resonates at 18 years old, 28 years old, 38 years old.
I love the lyrical bend of this because it is vulnerable. It starts by saying, I'm completely stripped. I'm not going to bring anything with me. I'm just curious about, is it there? Who do I have to kill to get in? Is anybody in there? Who do I have to kill? We both agreed to ignore chasing down rock music. We articulated that the heaviness would come from content and the delivery instead of distortion and easy, what I would call cheap tricks.
The words for this really hit me so hard. Whenever we were working on melodies, I always would pick up my hand and look toward the sky because I was using this reference of Bugs Bunny with Elmer Fud. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wagner killed the rabbit. Kill the rabbit. Kill the rabbit. You have this, I don't know what to call that, but yeah, this operatic drama, but that is this look to the stars and a reach with your hand. And this had that
where is America? That moment, it's put in reverb. So when you get to that moment, it's bathed. Where is America? And as you go, as you're saying, is there anybody in there? Who do I have to kill? I'm pulling the reverb back so it's coming back into candlelight. I've not done man with everything. I've nothing but my name. If you listen to that, you know, it's standing at the precipice going, where is it? And as it gets more human and asks questions like,
shit, how do I get in there? The reverb goes away and it gets tight again. The character in American Valhalla is the same guy all the way through the album. He is a veteran. He's over 40. He's been through a great experience in his life. He's seen real action and drama, but it has left him stripped of any specific identity or any home. He wants to be morally correct, but he is unable to be so and unable to decide what are the correct ethics.
Growing up near the military base of 29 palms, I always was witness to an influx of young, inspired, hopeful people. Traditionally, in these last couple generations, joining the military is a way to leave your small town when you have no opportunity to do so in another manner. And so you leave with the hope that they'll pay for college. And next thing you know, you're being fired upon for a reason that is nebulous and could not be known.
He emphasized a line, I was singing, I'm not the man with everything, I have nothing but my name. And so he said, I want you to say that naked at the end of the track. I have nothing but my name. I have nothing but my name. That move. What is your sound? Yeah, it's you getting up. Oh my god. And you're documented. The world exists from friction. It's taking that noise at the end of a song and maybe elevating it, but it's these elements of rawness that translate the best.
I have nothing but my name. I have nothing but my name. It feels to me like when it ends that reason to have you repeat that is that it doesn't resolve where you make it to Valhalla. It's just like I'm at the gate and I have nothing but my name. You know, it never actually crosses that threshold. It's the seconds before. And in the way there's a bit of sweetness there of like we never know if you make it or not.
Valhalla, the requirement is that you would not turn and run. Now life to me is about the amount of fears you face, not conquer just faced. To me, it means you do something good to get in there. And then once you get in what you would hope for is to have some peace. Before I called Josh, I felt stifled and I thought I have to do something but I'm going to need help. But before I look for help, I've got to look into myself and see what I've got.
I didn't notice it kind of crept up on me some other people have mentioned it that the whole thing sounds validictory. And that is pretty accurate with me. I told Josh when we were three quarters into this. It was obviously going to be an album. I said, you know, this is going to be my last one because I feel it's I can find more pleasure in witnessing things and being in a situation like I like a nice sky.
I like pretty clouds. I like to look at a beautiful sight. I like to bear witness more and more and less and less be involved in. Yeah, I'm getting this and I'm, you know, so those are the things to me that go with the idea of a paradise. And now here's American Valhalla by Iggy Pop in its entirety. I have no plans. I have no debts. But my name is not the carefree self. I'm looking for American Valhalla. So if it passes by, can we walk all over the place?
I shot my gun. I've lived my life. This has been an easy life. I've lived my life. I've lived my life. I've lived my life. I've lived my life. I've lived my life. I've lived my life. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Where is America Valhalla? There are things that go that's tough to swallow. Because anybody who's there, who do I have to kill? I don't know, there's nothing but my name. I don't know, I don't know, see, see. I don't know, there are no more magic magic magic.
There are things that go that's tough to swallow. Because anybody who's there, who do I have to kill? There is a pill that's hard to swallow. Because anybody who's there, can I bring a friend? I'm not the man who knows everything. I've nothing but my name. I've nothing but my name. Visit songexploiter.net for more on Iggypop, including a link to buy this song.
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You can follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at songexploiter. Editing and transcription help on this episode by Christian Coons and Kathleen Smith handled clearance. My name is Rishi K. Sheerway. Thanks for listening. Then capture and astonished man hold him till he knows he is forgiven. Radio Tapio from PRX.