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)
Dime Store Mystery
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
talking crippled on the Cross
Was his mind reeling and heaving hallucinating
fleeing what a loss
The things he hadn't touched or kissed his senses
slowly stripped away
Not like Buddha not like Vishnu
I find it easy to believe
that he might question his beliefs
The beginning of the Last Temptation
Dime Story Mystery
The duality of nature, Godly nature,
human nature splits the soul
Fully human, fully divine and divided
the great immortal soul
Split into pieces, whirling pieces, opposites
attract
From the front, the side, the back
the mind itself attacks
I know the feeling, I know it from before
Descartes through Hegel belief is never sure
Dime Store Mystery, Last Temptation
I was sitting drumming thinking thumping pondering
the Mysteries of Life
Outside the city shrieking screaming whispering
the Mysteries of Life
There's a funeral tomorrow
at St. Patrick's the bells will ring for you
Ah, what must you have been thinking
when you realized the time had come for you
I wish I hadn't thrown away my time
on so much Human and so much less Divine
The end of the Last Temptation
The end of a Dime Store Mystery
The lyrics of Lou Reed’s song Dime Store Mystery revolve around the Last Temptation of Christ. The song speaks about Jesus’ thoughts on the cross, questioning his beliefs, while his senses are slowly stripped away. The reference to Buddha and Vishnu implies that Jesus is aware of other religious beliefs and the possibility that there might be something else beyond human comprehension. The phrase “dime store mystery” might refer to cheap, easily available, and disposable items that have no real value or significance, which could parallel the crucifixion of Christ, a cheap and disposable execution used by the Romans to quell rebellion.
The theme of the song is the duality of nature, Godly nature, and human nature that splits the soul. The opposites attract and divide, leading to great mortal souls being split into pieces. The mind itself is filled with doubt and uncertainty, never quite sure of what to believe. The song ends with the funeral of the person speaking, reflecting on a life spent focused on human rather than divine things.
Line by Line Meaning
He was lying banged and battered, skewered and bleeding
talking crippled on the Cross
Was his mind reeling and heaving hallucinating
fleeing what a loss
The physical afflictions of Jesus Christ on the cross were excruciating. He spoke with a stutter, his mind was hallucinating, and mentally he tried to escape the pain.
The things he hadn't touched or kissed his senses
slowly stripped away
Not like Buddha not like Vishnu
life wouldn't rise through him again
As Jesus experiences death, he had the earthly feelings stripped from him, unlike Buddha or Vishnu. He will never again experience mortal life.
I find it easy to believe
that he might question his beliefs
The beginning of the Last Temptation
Dime Story Mystery
It's understandable that Jesus would question his beliefs, especially during his final moments. The beginning of the Last Temptation is full of mystery.
The duality of nature, Godly nature,
human nature splits the soul
Fully human, fully divine and divided
the great immortal soul
Split into pieces, whirling pieces, opposites
attract
From the front, the side, the back
the mind itself attacks
The soul is divided into two pieces, one godly and one human. They divide and mix to create the great immortal soul. The soul is often under mental attack from different perspectives and is constantly trying to balance opposing forces.
I know the feeling, I know it from before
Descartes through Hegel belief is never sure
Dime Store Mystery, Last Temptation
I can relate to the feeling of questioning beliefs, as it has been a common theme throughout history - from Descartes to Hegel. The Last Temptation is a dime store mystery.
I was sitting drumming thinking thumping pondering
the Mysteries of Life
Outside the city shrieking screaming whispering
the Mysteries of Life
I contemplate the mysteries of life through the use of music. Outside the city, there are often noises which can stimulate thought and discussion about the unknown.
There's a funeral tomorrow
at St. Patrick's the bells will ring for you
Ah, what must you have been thinking
when you realized the time had come for you
There is a funeral for someone who has passed, and the bells of St. Patrick will ring in their honor. It's interesting to think about what could have been going through their mind when they knew their time had come.
I wish I hadn't thrown away my time
on so much Human and so much less Divine
The end of the Last Temptation
The end of a Dime Store Mystery
I regret spending too much time on earthly things and not enough time on the divine. The Last Temptation is coming to an end, along with the dime store mystery.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LOU REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@amuedostones3715
Pedazo de Lp. Recuerdo Cuando Salió, Venia Con Todas Las letras Traducidas a un Par de Idiomas Dentro , Lo cual era un Lujo + Fotos .. El Albúm No se Pasa Nada Por Alto , el Genio Descriptivo De Lou , Siermpre en Su Cabeza Transgresiva.. y a Su Propia Vida Son Inalcanzables a Cualquier Otro Mortal´´,.. Grande Infinito ,.. Sublime Lou en este Casi Albúm Novela negra´´... Aquí Queda Tu Obra Y Tu Espíritu ,.. Tu ALma Siempre Libre y Rebelde,.. DEP. Un Genio Único e Irrepetible... 🎷🥁🎸💔💥
@sonnyjimnajam
New York is a great album, so visceral and real - all too often overlooked.
@TheWaltm
Yes! I agree, it made great impact on me when I was younger. Nothing but praise for Lou Reed!
@john_atco
lou reed is a great songwriter possibly one of the best ever. he is also an excellent guitar player underated by the plethoria of guitar magazines that deem who is and who is not to be listerned to by todays wanna bees.
@Blondejam
I loved this album from the day it came out! I have so many memories associated with this album. Lou is the standing on the shoulders of giants for me... People connected only by the slightest of events, like whispers in the night.in that place that never forgets, even when those people do. Surely missed x
@amrak63
I have made it a personal habit to listen to this song every Good Friday.
@nillehessy
i´m with you amrak63 and sorry it´s easter saterday and yes i gave Jezus a wave
even though he´s not my main man he certainly was something and i´m not gonna stand in his way
@69BigJay
Can't believe with all the music I've heard I am just hearing this. Oh well, since its so great, much better late than never.
@69BigJay
*****
The mind itself attacks. I know this feeling.
@missmygamergirl445
A great work maybe his greatest and great audio quality too check out songs for drella and magic and loss