Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

I'm Waiting for the Man
The Velvet Underground Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm waiting for my man
Twenty-six dollars in my hand
Up to Lexington, one, two, five
Feel sick and dirty, more dead than alive
I'm waiting for my man

Hey, white boy, what you doin' uptown?
Hey, white boy, you chasin' our women around?
Oh pardon me sir, it's the furthest from my mind
I'm just lookin' for a dear, dear friend of mine
I'm waiting for my man

Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
Beat up shoes and a big straw hat
He's never early, he's always late
First thing you learn is that you always gotta wait
I'm waiting for my man, ah work it now

Up to a brownstone, up three flights of stairs
Everybody body's pinned you, but nobody cares
He's got the works, gives you sweet taste
Ah then you gotta split because you got no time to waste
I'm waiting for my man

Baby don't you holler, darlin' don't you bawl and shout
I'm feeling good, you know I'm gonna work it on out
I'm feeling good, I feel oh so fine
Until tomorrow, but that's just some other time
I'm waiting for my man, walk it home

Overall Meaning

The Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting for the Man" is a candid, voyeuristic snapshot of a man's quest for a drug dealer. Throughout the song, the singer waits on a city street corner, enduring both physical and social discomfort, for his dealer who he refers to as "my man." Although the song's repeated refrain, "I'm waiting for my man" might imply the anticipation of a lover, the explicit references to drugs and the singer's desperation confirm the true meaning to the listener.


The song can be interpreted in a few ways. The first interpretation is that the singer is waiting for his drug dealer to sell him heroin. The second perspective is that the singer is waiting for a more general sort of escape that drugs promise to help him find. Regardless of the interpretation, the song depicts the repetition of a toxic cycle that inevitably brings about decay and pain into the future of the singer's life. The listlessness, exhaustion and anxiety that accompany this lifestyle are subtly represented in the lyrics of the song.


Moreover, the song's narrative is a period piece, capturing the desolation and grimness of the New York City streets during the late 1960s. The song also comments on racial discrimination, as the singer is harassed by a group of Black men on the street. The song's realism in both its lyrics and sound was highly radical and challenged the prevailing norms of pop lyrics and music of the era.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm waiting for my man
The singer is waiting for someone who can provide them with drugs.


Twenty-six dollars in my hand
The singer has $26 to buy drugs.


Up to Lexington, one, two, five
The singer is waiting for their drug dealer on Lexington Avenue between 125th and 126th.


Feel sick and dirty, more dead than alive
The artist is experiencing withdrawals and feels terrible.


Hey, white boy, what you doin' uptown?
The artist is being questioned by someone who thinks they're out of their neighborhood.


Hey, white boy, you chasin' our women around?
The singer is being accused of white men sexually harassing African American women.


Oh pardon me sir, it's the furthest from my mind
The singer denies these accusations and is only looking for their drug dealer.


I'm just lookin' for a dear, dear friend of mine
The artist refers to their drug dealer as a dear dear friend.


Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
The drug dealer is approaching and dressed to blend into the urban environment.


Beat up shoes and a big straw hat
The drug dealer's footwear is rundown, but they wear a hat to add to their disguise.


He's never early, he's always late
The drug dealer has a reputation for being unreliable and tardy.


First thing you learn is that you always gotta wait
The artist has learned to be patient waiting for their drug dealer.


Up to a brownstone, up three flights of stairs
The drug deal takes place in an apartment building on the third floor.


Everybody body's pinned you, but nobody cares
People in the area know what is happening but do not get involved or report it.


He's got the works, gives you sweet taste
The drug dealer has the drugs, and the singer is getting high.


Ah then you gotta split because you got no time to waste
The artist has to leave after getting their drugs because they have other things to do.


Baby don't you holler, darlin' don't you bawl and shout
The artist's significant other should not worry because they're getting high, not in danger.


I'm feeling good, you know I'm gonna work it on out
The singer is feeling the effects of the drugs and expects to be productive.


I feel oh so fine
The singer feels good after getting their drugs.


Until tomorrow, but that's just some other time
The artist knows they will feel terrible again once the drug's effect wears off.


I'm waiting for my man, walk it home
The artist is walking home after getting their drugs.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lou Reed

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

More Versions