I Wanna Be Your Dog Explained

I Wanna Be Your Dog
Cover:	I Wanna Be Your Dog.jpg
Border:	yes
Caption:	Cover of the 1969 Italian single
Type:	single
Artist:	the Stooges
Album:	The Stooges
B-Side:	1969
Recorded:	1969
Studio:	The Hit Factory, New York City
Label:	Elektra
Producer:	John Cale
Next Title:	1969
Next Year:	1969

"I Wanna Be Your Dog" is a song by American rock band the Stooges, released as the group's debut single from the band's 1969 self-titled debut album. The riff is composed of only three chords (G, F♯ and E), is played continuously throughout the song (excepting two brief 4-bar bridges). The 3-minute-and-9-second-long song, with its distortion-heavy guitar intro, single-note piano riff played by producer John Cale of the Velvet Underground, and steady, driving beat, gave the cutting edge of the early heavy metal and punk sound.^[1]

In 2004, the song was ranked number 438 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time",^[2] but it was dropped to number 445 on its 2010 revision, then was re-ranked at number 314 on its 2021 list.^[3] Pitchfork Media placed it at number 16 on its list of "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s".^[4]

Personnel

• Iggy Pop - vocals
• Ron Asheton - guitar
• Dave Alexander - bass
• Scott Asheton - drums
• John Cale - piano, sleigh bells

Cover versions

• Sid Vicious performed a version of the song on his debut album Sid Sings. Actor Gary Oldman performed the song as Sid in the film Sid & Nancy.
• Sonic Youth covered this song live on their Confusion Is Sex LP and on David Sanborn's Night Music TV show in 1989.^[5]
• Uncle Tupelo released a cover of the song on their compilation album, having previously released a demo cover of the song on their March 16-20, 1992 LP.
• Swans performed a version of the song on their Children of God/World of Skin LP.
• Matt Mays recorded a cover of the song on his 2020 album Dog City.^[6]
• Actor John McCrea sang a cover version heard in the 2021 film Cruella. McCrea also appeared in the film.^[7] Damiano David, lead vocalist of Måneskin, performed a cover of the song for the Italian dub of the film.^[8]
• Modern Life Is War released a cover in 2021 on their EP Tribulation Worksongs, Vol. 3.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Book: Trynka, Paul . Paul Trynka . Iggy Pop: open up and bleed . Broadway Books . New York . 2007 . 95 . 978-0-7679-2319-4 . registration .
2. Rolling Stone : The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time . . August 31, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061217025710/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/5 . December 17, 2006 . dead .
3. Rolling Stone . September 15, 2021 . The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time . Rolling Stone.
4. Web site: The 200 Best Songs of the 1960s Pitchfork. Pitchfork.
5. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/sonic-youth-stooges-i-wanna-be-your-dog-tv-debut/ Far Out Magazine October 3, 2021
6. Oliver Crook, "Matt Mays' 'Dog City' Turns a Corny Concept into a Heartwarming Experiment". Exclaim!, May 22, 2020.
7. Web site: Cruella's John McCrea Recorded a Song for the Film . Jirak . Jamie . May 28, 2021 . Comicbook.com . June 4, 2021.
8. Web site: Maneskin doppiatori per Crudelia: "Siamo come Lei" . Sky TG24. May 25, 2021. October 21, 2021. it.
9. Web site: Hear Modern Life Is War's New Rager "Survival" . Revolver. November 30, 2021. July 16, 2022. en.