Meaningful songs #5 - LOU REED

This is the fifth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Take A Walk On The Wild Side", released in 1972, is by a singer called LOU REED.

Lou Reed

Hear the song here

In the same vein as The Kinks song "Lola", this ground breaking song conveys a story, without sentiment, about a topic (trans) that was taboo in the 70's, remaining somewhat contentious to this day.

Geeks - Mick Ronson, lead guitar and arranger on David Bowie's earlier (best) albums, arranged and produced this song's album, called Transformer.

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

Holly came from Miami, F.L.A

Hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A.

Plucked her eyebrows on the way

Shaved her legs and then he was a she

She says "Hey babe

take a walk on the wild side"

Said, "Hey honey

take a walk on the wild side"

Candy came out from the island

In the back room she was everybody's darling

But she never lost her head

Even when she was giving head

She says "Hey babe

take a walk on the wild side"

Said "Hey babe

take a walk on the wild side" 

And the coloured girls go

"Doo do doo do doo do do doo..."

Little Joe never once gave it away

Everybody had to pay the pay

A hustle here and a hustle there

New York city's the place

Where they say, "Hey babe

take a walk on the wild side"

I said "Hey Joe

take a walk on the wild side" 

Sugarplum Fairy came and hit the streets

Looking for soul food and a place to eat

Went to the Apollo

You should have seen them go, go, go

  

They said, "Hey sugar

take a walk on the wild side"

I said "Hey babe

take a walk on the wild side", alright

Jackie is just speeding away

Thought she was James Dean for a day

Then I guess she had to crash

Valium would have helped that bash

She said "Hey babe

take a walk on the wild side"

I said "Hey honey

take a walk on the wild side" 

And the coloured girls say

"Doo do doo do doo do do doo ..."

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.