If you stay to the end of the new Superman movie, you may find yourself wondering what Iggy Pop is singing as the credits roll.
After reboot star David Corenswet has completed Clark Kent / Superman’s attempts to settle his alien past with his new life on Earth, Pop is heard performing a track titled “Punkrocker.”
The lyrics seem a little distracted or even blasé – “You see me drivin’ down the street, I’m just not looking good / I got both hands off the wheel, I got you runnin’ / I’m listening to music you can’t hear, I got pretty music in my ear” – but the suggestion that the narrator is living a life you can never understand is clear.
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“Punkrocker” is actually a quarter-century old, and even the Iggy version is just six years younger. It was written by Swedish alternative group Teddybears and first appeared on their 2000 album Rock’n’Roll Highschool.
Its rebellious nature has inspired a wide range of artists to cover it, but the 2006 version featuring Iggy along with Teddybears (from the patched-together album Soft Machine, designed to introduce the group to the American market) has the highest-profile. Cadillac used it in a commercial the following year.
Watch Iggy Pop and Teddybears’ ‘Punkrocker’ Video
“There is always that high level of energy even though the gear we perform our music on shifts, and tempos will vary,” Teddybears member Joakim Åhlund told Riff in 2011.
Why Teddybears Wanted Iggy Pop to Sing ‘Punkrocker’
Referring to their range of collaborations, including Kylie Minogue, Kesha and Britney Spears, he added: We always look for unique voices that touch us in a strong way, be it the raspy bass of Mad Cobra, the sweet soulful falsetto of Cee Lo Green or the deep drawl of Iggy Pop.”
In a separate interview Åhlund admitted working with Iggy had been “pretty heavy,” explaining: “All those people are our heroes… we never would’ve dared to dream. It’s all pretty amazing for us that we got the opportunity to work with such cool artists.
“I don’t mean any disrespect to any of the others, but Iggy Pop – that’s a proud moment for me.”
Listen to Teddybears and Iggy Pop Perform ‘Punkrocker’
Watch Cadillac’s ‘Punkrocker’ Commercial
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Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin