Having played guitar and sung in doo-wop groups in high school, Reed studied poetry at Syracuse University under Delmore Schwartz, and had served as a radio DJ, hosting a late-night avant garde music program while at college. After graduating from Syracuse, he went to work for Pickwick Records in New York City, a low-budget record company that specialized in sound-alike recordings, as a songwriter and session musician. A fellow session player at Pickwick was John Cale; together with Sterling Morrison and Angus MacLise, they would form the Velvet Underground in 1965. After building a reputation on the avant garde music scene, they gained the attention of Andy Warhol, who became the band's manager; they in turn became something of a fixture at The Factory, Warhol's art studio, and served as his "house band" for various projects. The band released their first album, now with drummer Moe Tucker and featuring German singer Nico, in 1967, and parted ways with Warhol shortly thereafter. Following several lineup changes and three more little-heard albums, Reed quit the band in 1970.
After leaving the band, Reed would go on to a much more commercially successful solo career, releasing twenty solo studio albums. His second, Transformer (1972), was produced by David Bowie and arranged by Mick Ronson, and brought him mainstream recognition. The album is considered an influential landmark of the glam rock genre, anchored by Reed's most successful single, "Walk on the Wild Side". After Transformer, the less commercial but critically acclaimed Berlin peaked at No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart. Rock 'n' Roll Animal (a live album released in 1974) sold strongly, and Sally Can't Dance (1974) peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200; but for a long period after, Reed's work did not translate into sales, leading him deeper into drug addiction and alcoholism. Reed cleaned up in the early 1980s, and gradually returned to prominence with The Blue Mask (1982) and New Sensations (1984), reaching a critical and commercial career peak with his 1989 album New York.
Reed participated in the re-formation of the Velvet Underground in the 1990s, and made several more albums, including a collaboration album with John Cale titled Songs for Drella which was a tribute to their former mentor Andy Warhol. Magic and Loss (1992) would become Reed's highest-charting album on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at No. 6.
He contributed music to two theatrical interpretations of 19th century writers, one of which he developed into an album titled The Raven. He married his third wife Laurie Anderson in 2008, and recorded the collaboration album Lulu with Metallica. He died in 2013 of liver disease. Reed has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; as a member of the Velvet Underground in 1996 and as a solo act in 2015.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Reed
Studio albums
Lou Reed (1972)
Transformer (1972)
Berlin (1973)
Rock 'n' Roll Animal (1974)
Sally Can't Dance (1974)
Metal Machine Music (1975)
Coney Island Baby (1975)
Rock and Roll Heart (1976)
Street Hassle (1978)
The Bells (1979)
Growing Up in Public (1980)
The Blue Mask (1982)
Legendary Hearts (1983)
New Sensations (1984)
Mistrial (1986)
New York (1989)
Magic and Loss (1992)
Set the Twilight Reeling (1996)
Ecstasy (2000)
The Raven (2003)
Hudson River Wind Meditations (2007)
A Gift
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm just a gift to the women of this world
Responsibility sits so hard on my shoulder
Like a good wine, I'm better as I grow older, and now -
- I'm just a gift to the women of this world
I'm just a gift to the women of this world
It's hard to settle for second best
After you've had me, you know that you've had the best
And now you know that -
- I'm just a gift to the women of this world
(I'm just a gift to the women of this world)
(I'm just a gift to the women of this world)
Responsibility sits hard on my shoulder
Like a good wine, I'm better as I get older, and now -
- I'm just a gift to the women of this world
You know that I'm just a gift to the women of this world
Just a gift now
(I'm just a gift to the women of this world)
(I'm just a gift to the women of this world)
(I'm just a gift to the women of this world)
(I'm just a gift to the women of this world, just now)
(I'm just a gift to the women of this world, just a gift)
(I'm just a gift to the women of this world)
I'm just a gift to the women of this world
I'm just a gift to the women of this world
....
The lyrics of Lou Reed's song "A Gift" can be seen as a commentary on the male ego and the patriarchal society that elevates men to a position of power and entitlement over women. The repeated phrase "I'm just a gift to the women of this world" is a sarcastic and ironic twist on the idea that men are entitled to women's attention and affection simply for existing. The line "responsibility sits so hard on my shoulder" suggests that the singer is aware of the weight of their privilege and the obligations that come with it, but ultimately they see themselves as a gift to be enjoyed by women rather than a partner or equal.
The second stanza continues this sarcastic tone, with the singer proclaiming that they are the best and that women should settle for nothing less than them. The repetition of the phrase "I'm just a gift to the women of this world" reinforces the idea that the singer believes they are entitled to women's attention and affection simply because of their gender. However, the final line "just a gift now" suggests that the singer may be aware on some level of the emptiness of this entitlement and the idea that they are only valued for their status as a gift rather than their own qualities as a person.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just a gift to the women of this world
The singer sees himself as a gift to all women.
Responsibility sits so hard on my shoulder
The singer feels burdened by the responsibilities of life.
Like a good wine, I'm better as I grow older, and now -
The singer believes he improves with age, just like good wine.
It's hard to settle for second best
The artist wants the best and finds it difficult to accept anything less.
After you've had me, you know that you've had the best
The artist believes that once someone has been with him, they have experienced the best.
You know that -
- I'm just a gift to the women of this world
There is no doubt in the singer's mind that he is a gift to all women.
Just a gift now
The singer reiterates that he is simply a gift to women.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ADAM DANIEL SHORE, ERIC TURNER, JERRY DIXON, JOEY CAGLE, JOHN OSWALD, LOU REED, STEVEN CHAMBERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind