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)
Billy
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We grew up together ever since we were nine
We went to school, he was my best friend
And I thought our friendship would never end
In highschool he played football
And me, I didn't do anything at all
He made touch-downs, while I played pool
Then we both went to collage
He studied medicine, while I studied foilage
He got "A's", and I got "D's"
He was going for his P.H.D.
The I decided to drop out
Then I decided to drop out
Things were getting a little to hot
Billy stayed there, became an intern, then a doctor
Then war broke out and he had to go
But not me, I was mentally unfit or so they say, so, so
When he came back, he wasn't quite the same
His nerves were shot, but not me
Last time I saw him, I couldn't take it anymore
He wasn't the Billy I knew, it was like talking to a door
Billy was a friend of mine
I grew up with him ever since we were nine
We went together to school
And now I often wonder, which one of us was the fool
The lyrics of "Billy" by Lou Reed tell the story of two childhood friends named Billy and the singer who grew up together and eventually went their separate ways as adults. The song reflects on the differences between the two friends, with Billy being successful in his studies and career while the singer struggled to find his place in the world.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses his admiration for Billy, who excelled academically and became a doctor, while lamenting his own shortcomings. The singer drops out of college and is deemed mentally unfit for the war, while Billy becomes an intern and eventually serves in the military. When Billy returns, however, he is a changed man and the singer is unable to reconcile the person he knew with this new version of Billy.
The song ultimately raises questions about the nature of success and friendship, and whether there can be a definitive answer as to who is the "fool" between the two friends. It is a poignant portrayal of the complicated emotions that can arise when childhood friendships are put to the test under the pressures of adulthood.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy was a good friend of mine
I had a close relationship with Billy
We grew up together ever since we were nine
We have known each other since we were kids
We went to school, he was my best friend
He was my closest friend in school
And I thought our friendship would never end
I believed our friendship could stand the test of time
In highschool he played football
Billy participated in football during high school
And me, I didn't do anything at all
I wasn't engaged in any particular activity
He made touch-downs, while I played pool
Billy scored well in football, while I spent time playing pool which was not as valued
And no one could figure out, which one of us was the fool
Our incompetencies were not that visible yet, and spectators couldn't identify the less intelligent one among us
Then we both went to college
We left school and proceeded to the university
He studied medicine, while I studied foliage
Billy studied medicine, and I studied plants or plant life
He got 'A's', and I got 'D's'
Billy scored high grades while I struggled
He was going for his P.H.D.
Billy was aiming for a doctorate degree
Then I decided to drop out
I chose to abandon my academics
Things were getting a little too hot
The conditions were becoming unbearable
Billy stayed there, became an intern, then a doctor
Billy, on the other hand, continued his studies and progressed to becoming a doctor
Then war broke out and he had to go
There was a crisis, and he had to join the war effort
But not me, I was mentally unfit or so they say, so, so
I didn't go because of an alleged mental unfitness
When he came back, he wasn't quite the same
After the war, Billy had changed significantly
His nerves were shot, but not me
His mental state was severely affected but not mine
Last time I saw him, I couldn't take it anymore
The last time we met, Billy's changes became too much to take
He wasn't the Billy I knew, it was like talking to a door
It felt like Billy was no longer himself, and communication was difficult
And now I often wonder, which one of us was the fool
I am left to question who was more successful after seeing the impacts of their choices on our lives
Lyrics © SONY ATV MUSIC PUB LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
killbot_factory
We've all had a Billy in our lives. great stuff as usual, Lou!
slick willie
The sax on this song is even more complex than it may sound on the surface. If you notice, in the first half of the song the lyrics talk about how cool Billy was and each time the sax plays a line in the first 3:20 it always ends on an up note. Then at 3:21 the song takes a turn when he sings, " . . . . when he came back he wasn't quite the same." And for the rest of the song each time the sax plays it ends on a down note. Just an observation. . . .
Either way. Great sax!
T-ache-C
Hermoso tema. Gracias Luca
jeffry hammel
I wish there were more saxaphonists or other horn players to carry certain rock songs. Reed certainly was not afraid to feature them. Brilliant sax riffing and harmony on this, perfect collaboration w. Lou's unmistakable voice.
Pratyush Purohit
Bruce Springsteen all the way
Bing Bong
The Sax player is Paul Fleisher, Brill. One of my fave sax parts and Lou`s Anti War song...Thanks Lou! X
mathieu hill
Doug Yule always said a bass line should be able to stand on it's own, in terms of effectiveness. his guest appearance here, playing what sounds like a bass he found in an abandoned dumpster, is a marvelous statement of that philosophy.
Carlos Teran
que canción más preciosa...you know the tune got some a lot of inner soul...
Alexis Knox
My dog, Sol (Sun). She died on Sunday, cancer. This song was one of the last I heard with her. I grew up with her since I was 6 ... Sol was a friend of mine ...
Gary
Sorry gonzo animals have such good hearts like little angels