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)
Berlin
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, thank you
This next song, we're gonna make believe
We're in, uh, Casablanca
And I'm Humphrey Bogart, and this is what I'm gonna sing to Lauren Bacall
And it's called Berlin
By Berlin, by the wall
It was oh-so nice
Hey honey, it was candlelight and Dubonnet on ice
We were in a small cafe
And you could hear the guitars play
It was oh-so nice
Hey baby, it was, uh, paradise
You're right, woah, and I'm wrong
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
One sweet day
You're right, woah, and I'm wrong
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
One sweet day
One sweet day
We were in a small cafe
You could hear the guitars play
It was oh-so nice
Candlelight and Dubonnet on ice
Don't you forget, hire a vet
He hasn't had that much fun yet
It was oh-so nice
Hey honey, it was paradise
You're right and I'm wrong
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
One sweet day
You're right, woah, and I'm wrong
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
One sweet day
Oh, oh, one sweet day
One sweet day, one sweet day
One sweet day, baby, baby, one sweet day
One sweet day, baby, baby, one sweet day
Baby, baby, one sweet day
The song "Berlin" by Lou Reed is an interesting tune with an enigmatic meaning behind its lyrics. The track was released in 1973 as a part of the album also titled "Berlin." The song starts with Lou Reed's announcement of how he is going to make the audience pretend they are somewhere else, somewhere fancy, somewhere that never took place. He then introduces the Song "Berlin" by singing about a beautiful memory, his fond recollection of being with someone he loves.
The song is written in a nostalgic and reflective tone, with Lou Reed talking about a brief moment of love, friends, and drinks in Berlin. The lyrics "By Berlin, by the wall / You were five foot, ten inches tall / It was oh-so nice / Hey honey, it was candlelight and Dubonnet on ice" paint a picture of a beautiful romantic evening in Berlin. The mention of Dubonnet indicates the fact that the characters in the song were wealthy and could afford luxurious drinks.
As the song progresses, Lou Reed expresses regret about the way things went between them, indicating that he was wrong and his partner was right. The lines "You're right, woah, and I'm wrong / You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone / One sweet day" signify the sadness and longing for someone who has gone away.
Overall, Lou Reed's "Berlin" is a nostalgic ode to love and luxury, with a bittersweet undertone reflecting on the loss of someone. The song portrays a beautiful memory of a time and place that the artist can never go back to.
Line by Line Meaning
By Berlin, by the wall
The setting of this song is Berlin near the wall.
You were five foot, ten inches tall
You were of average height and nothing special.
It was oh-so nice
The moment was pleasant and enjoyable.
Hey honey, it was candlelight and Dubonnet on ice
The scene was romantic, lit by candlelight, and with a drink served on ice.
We were in a small cafe
The setting was a cozy and intimate establishment.
And you could hear the guitars play
Live music was being performed in the background.
Hey baby, it was, uh, paradise
The feeling of bliss and happiness was present and shared.
You're right, woah, and I'm wrong
You are correct and I am not agreeing with you.
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
I will feel the loss of your presence now that you are no longer here.
One sweet day
Someday in the future, the hope is for a positive outcome.
Don't you forget, hire a vet
Don't forget to employ a veteran who hasn't had the opportunity to have fun.
It was oh-so nice
Once again, the situation was pleasurable and joyful.
Hey honey, it was paradise
The feeling of paradise is referred to once more, indicating the greatness of this experience.
Oh, oh, one sweet day
Repeating and emphasizing the hope expressed earlier in the song.
One sweet day, one sweet day
The desire for a positive outcome is reinforced and repeated.
Baby, baby, one sweet day
This message is directed towards an individual (or many) in the context of the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lou Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lili-ko8ce
I remember I was 15 years old when I bought this record. (I have heard it when I was 14) . Know I am 62 and still hearing it. Masterpiece of lou. .
@sportshighlights030
👍👍👍
@lionelguignard4317
I bought it when it was released. I was 21 years old. I'm now 70 and still listening to it. Great album, very dark mood. 49 years have passed, and this music still moves me as much. Immortal.
@volkerkorn754
I'am totaly agree. I like also the Concert- Lou- Berlin (St. Ann's Warehouse)2006 You can find it here on YT🤟👏🔝
@tonyshortland8812
@@lionelguignard4317 RIP Lou..
@Inquiring_Together
I was a teenager too, 07-08, it brought me in adulthood.
@metalmickey1709
Lou Reed's masterpiece.
@philipverweij7216
Yeah, 77 reactions. Not, Lou reeds master piece, the final record, willing to listen. I know this record for 30 years.
@BillMorganChannel
And Bob Ezrin's!
@jeffn1384
@@philipverweij7216what's that mean in English