White Light/White Heat
Hunter-Ronson Lyrics
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White light going messin' up my mind
Don't you know, it's gonna make me go blind
White heat
White heat, it tickle me down to my toes
White light
Oh, have mercy, white light have it, goodness knows
White light going messin' up my brain
White light
Ooooh, white light it's gonna drive me insane
White heat
Ooooh, white heat, it tickle me down to my toes
White light
Ooooh, white light, I said now, goodness knows
Do it
Ooooh, white light
I surely do love watch that stuff shooting itself in
Ooooh, white light
Watch that side, watch that side
Don't you know, gonna be dead and bright
Ooooh, white heat
Yeah foxy mama, watch her walking down the street
Ooooh, white light
Come upside, your head gonna make a dead end on your street
White light
White light light moving me drain my brain
White light
Gonna make me really go insane
White heat
Ooooh, white heat, it tickle me down to my toes
White light
Ooooh, white light, I said now, goodness knows
White light
Ooooh, white light, it's lightin' up my eyes
White light
Don't you know it fills me up with surprise
White heat
Ooooh, white heat, tickle me down to my toes
White light
Ooooh, white light, I tell you now, goodness knows
work at it
Ooooh she surely do move speed
Ooooh, white light
Watch that speed freak, watch that speed freak
Everybody gonna make it every week
Ooooh, white heat
Oh, sputter mutter, everybody gonna kill their mother
White light
Here she comes, here she comes
Everybody get it, make me run, do it, higher
The lyrics of "White Light/White Heat" by Hunter-Ronson are steeped in themes of intoxication, sensory overload, and the destructive allure of excessive stimulation. The repeated references to white light and white heat suggest a blinding and overwhelming experience that is both physically and mentally consuming, perhaps symbolizing a euphoric high or altered state of consciousness brought on by drugs or intense sensations. The singer seems to be both enthralled and terrified by this experience, acknowledging the potential dangers of being consumed by this white light and white heat.
The lines "White light going messin' up my brain, white light gonna drive me insane" convey a sense of losing control and sanity in the face of this powerful force. The juxtaposition of "messin' up my mind" with "tickle me down to my toes" suggests a complex mix of pleasure and pain, fascination and dread. The imagery of being overwhelmed by the white light and white heat creates a vivid picture of a mind and body pushed to its limits, on the brink of breaking under the pressure of this intense sensation.
The mention of "watch that speed freak, watch that speed freak, everybody gonna make it every week" hints at a culture of excess and recklessness, where the pursuit of adrenaline and intensity leads to a destructive path. The references to "foxy mama" and "gonna kill their mother" add a sinister undertone to the lyrics, suggesting a descent into chaos and danger fueled by this white light and white heat. The imagery of things moving at speed, enhancing the sense of urgency and recklessness in the narrative.
Overall, "White Light/White Heat" paints a vivid and ominous portrait of a mind and body teetering on the edge of breakdown, seduced and tormented by the allure of a dangerous and overwhelming experience. The lyrics capture the feeling of being caught in a whirlwind of sensory overload and self-destruction, where the boundaries between pleasure and pain blur, and the consequences of surrendering to the white light and white heat are both thrilling and frightening.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LOU REED
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