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)
Follow The Leader
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
New York, New York City n-n-n-n-now
Follow, follow the leader n-n-n-n-now
New York, New York City n-n-n-n-now
Oh, if you want to dance, work up a little sweat now
Better, better, better, better, get yourself a little romance
And you know, better get up a little sweat
And get a little romance
New York, New York City n-n-n-n-now
Follow, follow the leader n-n-n-n-now
New York, New York City n-n-n-n-now
Yeah, if you want to dance, you better work up a sweat now, baby
Get a little romance
Yeah, yeah, you better, you better work up a sweat now
Get yourself a little romance
And, you know, you better, oh, boy, follow the leader, n-n-n-now
Oh, New York, New York City n-n-n-n-n-now
Get going
The lyrics to Lou Reed's song Follow The Leader are a clear ode to the nightlife and social scene of New York City. "Follow, follow the leader n-n-n-n-now" could refer to the idea of following the latest trends and fashions, as well as following the charismatic personalities who seem to lead the city's social scene. The repeated phrase "New York, New York City n-n-n-n-now" emphasizes the city's lively and bustling energy, as well as Reed's own love and admiration for it.
The second half of the lyrics get more specific, encouraging listeners to dance and work up a sweat, presumably on the dance floors of the city's nightclubs. "Better get yourself a little romance" seems to suggest that the social scene is not just about fun and dancing, but also about forming connections and relationships. The repeated line "And you know, better get up a little sweat / And get a little romance" drives home this idea.
Overall, the song captures the essence of New York City in the late 1970s, a time when disco and punk were both thriving, and the nightlife was at its most vibrant. Reed's lyrics celebrate the energy and diversity of the city's social scene, while also acknowledging the importance of personal connections and relationships in that context.
Line by Line Meaning
Follow, follow the leader n-n-n-n-now
Be a follower and blindly imitate the leader's actions in New York City now
New York, New York City n-n-n-n-now
The song is set in New York City
Oh, if you want to dance, work up a little sweat now
If you want to dance, you need to exert some effort and get warmed up
Better, better, better, better, get yourself a little romance
It's better to have a romantic partner while dancing
And you know, better get up a little sweat
You need to put in some effort to get the most out of your dancing
And get a little romance
Having a romantic partner while dancing can enhance the experience
And you better follow, follow the leader n-n-n-n-now
The song emphasizes the importance of being a follower and emulating the leader's actions in New York City now
Yeah, if you want to dance, you better work up a sweat now, baby
Dancing requires physical exertion and you should prepare your body for it
Get a little romance
Having a romantic partner while dancing can create an intimate experience
Yeah, yeah, you better, you better work up a sweat now
It's important to prepare your body for dancing by working up a sweat
Get yourself a little romance
Having a romantic partner while dancing can enhance the experience
And, you know, you better, oh, boy, follow the leader, n-n-n-now
Be a follower and imitate the leader's actions in New York City now
Oh, New York, New York City n-n-n-n-n-now
This song is set in New York City
Get going
Start dancing and following the leader's actions in New York City now
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ARNAUD DEVOS, LOU REED, PHILIPPE EIDEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind