Iggy Pop Zig Zags vs. Betty Davis – “If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up”

Iggy Pop and Zig Zags metal the funk of Betty Davis.

by Walter Price

A couple weeks ago I Googled ‘Iggy Pop duets’ and the usual and at times unusual collaborations came up in easy order, but a deeper search I found a cover of Betty Davis’ 1973 “If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up”. The underappreciated funk-soul classic from the self-titled album is a thrilling history lesson into what was and what should have been. But more on that at another time.

“But what the hell is this anyway? 2012 marks the 10 year anniversary of Light In The Attic Records and to celebrate we are releasing a series of very special colored vinyl 7″s and digital downloads. The series features contemporary artists covering a track reissued by Light In The Attic on the A-side, plus the original version on the B-side.

“To launch the series, we asked Los Angeles-based scuzzy punks Zig Zags, whose debut 7” came out on Mexican Summer earlier this year, to team up with legendary punk rock icon Iggy Pop (yes, THAT Iggy Pop). With this, we give you Iggy Pop and Zig Zags’ take on Betty Davis’ “If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up” from her self-titled debut album (LITA 026).” reads the description below the YouTube video.

And this was a great idea. Iggy Pop, the world’s most interesting voice with an underground metal-punk band seems perfect. It almost is. I think the fact the band and Pop weren’t in the same room during recording eliminates some of the urgency of what should have been a college radio classic. Somewhat sad, due to the fact that the track is a powerful 70’s era metal blast twisting and reimagining deep grooves into new thrash life.

The two things finding this song(video has done for me is to reintroduce me to Betty Davis, and to the killer rock n’ roll of the ZIg Zags. Which coincidentally have a new 7″, Ripping Death B / W Riddle of Steel, Out Now.

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