Is there another song from the ‘90s with such an immediately recognizable signature drum intro as Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life”? I would guess that anyone who had even half of a fingertip on the pulse of pop culture back then will likely be transported back to 1996 within the first three seconds of the song’s opening, possibly experiencing visual flashbacks of a pale, emaciated, heroin-addicted Ewan McGregor running from Scottish police down an Edinburgh thoroughfare.
For those who don’t know, this scene is from “Trainspotting,” which celebrates its 30th birthday in early 2026. It is a film based on Irvine Welsh’s novel about Scottish heroin addicts, directed by Danny Boyle. This is a piece that shifted ‘90s pop culture and examined heroin use and drug culture as a whole. And the soundtrack was SO. GOOD.
The face of the soundtrack and the anthem of the film was most definitely Iggy Pop’s ‘Lust for Life,” which is ironically one of the greatest recovery anthems ever recorded. Penned by both Iggy Pop and David Bowie while they were both kicking heroin and cocaine addiction in Berlin during the making of the album of the same title, the song expresses a lyrically vague yet profound desire to experience life to its full potential. Interestingly, the track’s distinct drum pattern was based off Morse code that both artists overheard on a German newscast.
To me, the irony of the song’s use in the film lies in the fact that I believe “Trainspotting” glorifies drug use to some extent. There are numerous scenes throughout the entire movie that involve various characters shooting up — unsurprisingly, of course, as it’s a film about heroin addicts. The viewer witnesses them float off on the dope cloud — smiling and kissing each other passionately as they mutually experience the euphoric opiates wash over them.
A few of the withdrawal scenes are presented with borderline humor, namely a bit about the protagonist, Renton, procuring opium suppositories and cracking wise to his dealer (humorously played by the book’s author, Irvine Welsh) about the method of delivery. On the contrary, there are also some scenes in the film that depict the horrors of heroin addiction and drug use, including surrealistic depictions of hellish withdrawal-induced delirium, overdose and incarceration.
But for an addict like myself, the theme of narcotic romanticism was what stood out. I was only interested in the scenes in which the opiates took hold and transported each character to a sort of doped-up paradise. As a young and impressionable viewer, I was interested in the instant gratification that the drugs delivered, and not so much the fallout. Any addict will see the theme here; it’s more about the escape than the consequences. For those reasons, if you’ve not seen it yet and you’re in early recovery, I will most certainly have to issue a trigger warning.
Spoiler alerts incoming: There is a scene towards the end of the film where Renton, recently detoxed, is leafing through a magazine on his bed, bored, lazily smoking a cigarette. His love interest, Diane, questions his love for Iggy Pop, stating that he is dead and that Renton should move on and find new things in life. Renton argues that Iggy is, in fact, not dead and had toured the previous year. In reality, Iggy is sober at this time, and one can safely assume that this is an underlying inspiration for Renton and possibly his slowly developing “lust for life.”
The “choose life” monologue, recited by McGregor at the beginning of the film during a montage of mostly criminal hijinx that most of the main characters are involved in, expresses boredom, implied conformity and blatant disgust with the normality of potential sobriety. This grim soliloquy is accompanied by scenes involving the characters playing an intense game of soccer, carousing at the local pub and running from police after stealing items to support their habits. It is adrenaline-fueled and portrayed as humorous and thrilling — those rascals! The viewer can’t help but feel the cautious excitement of what it must be like to live this way, as “Lust for Life” pounds its swinging, bombastic beat in the background.
At the conclusion of this opening scene, Renton states that he is, in fact, choosing heroin instead. This monologue is recited again at the conclusion of the film, but it’s modified with an all-new meaning. This time Renton has chosen life and all of the benefits of recovery — even the mundane that was mocked at the film’s beginning. It is now something he wants very much. I suppose choosing life is the choice that all people in recovery make. But having a lust for life is what gives us longevity in sobriety.
Iggy Pop finally got off heroin in 1983. In 1996, “Trainspotting” resuscitated his career and he re-emerged as a relevant, well-charting artist and MTV star. The updated music video for “Lust for Life” shows Iggy, sober, sexy, lean and mean, chicken-dancing and gyrating while clips of the film are applied for good measure. Avian shuffling aside, I personally believe that this song is his legacy and arguably his calling card. His work with the Stooges in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s was obviously extremely important to music and the creation of punk rock, but there is a profoundness in this song that is hard to ignore — the desire to be better, the thrill of new beginnings and the excitement of it all.
It is a celebration of the choice to recover and start over, and the courage and bravery it takes to do so. I must admit that one has to read between the lines with some of the song’s lyrics; some of this recovery joy is not so literal that it jumps out and smacks you in the face. But it’s all there if you’re willing to look through some of the coding and understand the beauty of Iggy’s lyricism. (But seriously though, what does hypnotizing chickens have to do with recovery??)
And the song still holds up so well. It is timeless. It has swagger, perfect tempo (around 140 bpm), a relentless groove, and it makes people smile. In my life I have yet to see a dance floor that doesn’t fill when this song is played. It lifts people up and makes them happy. It is grungy and sparkly at the same time, and it speaks to us all on some level, even if it’s just the beat that makes us want to move our bodies.
It is grungy and sparkly at the same time, and it speaks to us all on some level, even if it’s just the beat that makes us want to move our bodies.
Iggy and Bowie certainly wanted long-term recovery when they wrote this song, that I’m fairly sure of. Iggy was often homeless, toothless and broke. Bowie frequently experienced drug-induced psychosis and some argued that his art was suffering as a result of his use. They both found their way eventually, and I can’t help but believe that the creation of this song, to some extent, made them accountable on some level as they moved on to different stages of both their lives and careers.
I’ve been told that dancing is one of the best forms of emotional regulation and also an excellent outlet to release trauma from the body. Humans have been doing it since the dawn of time as a form of joyful self-expression, connection and many other reasons. To dance is to celebrate life in the here and now and to revel in its nuanced complexity.
The next time you hear this song come on at a party, wedding or bar mitzvah, put on your dancing shoes, watch for the smiling faces and rejoice in your “Lust for Life” — at 140 beats per minute.
Lucas Renshaw is a musician and former frontline addiction worker turned writer, exploring resilience, recovery and the quiet strength found in sobriety. He lives in Victoria, BC, and tours internationally as a bass player with various artists.
Sober Curator Fun Fact: Ewan McGregor achieved sobriety in 2001 after struggling with heavy alcohol use that began in the late 1990s following the success of Trainspotting. He has credited his decision to quit drinking with bringing him increased joy, happiness, and peace, allowing him to be a better actor, partner, and father.
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Trainspotting Renton Action Figure
Trainspotting Renton Action Figure (The worst toilet in Scotland.)
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Choose Trainspotting, the explosive debut of author Irvine Welsh, as Folio celebrates the 30th anniversary of this cult classic with the first illustrated edition ever published.
Trainspotting Script Limited Signature Edition
Pay homage to Trainspotting, with this facsimile signed script, originally signed by Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Johnny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle, Kelly Macdonald, James Cosmo & Danny Boyle, which is strictly limited to 100 units Worldwide and has been approved and numbered accordingly.
Iggy Pop No Values Trucker Hat
Iggy Pop Trucker hat from the No Values Festival at the Pomona Fairplex.
PLAY IT AGAIN is The Sober Curator’s curated playlist of sobriety anthems—songs that capture the essence of recovery journeys and lift the spirit. From timeless classics to modern hits, these tracks inspire, heal, and motivate, no matter what genre of choice. Each song is handpicked for its power to transport you to another state of mind and remind you why living alcohol-free rocks.
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