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)
Hangin' Round
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who would become a priest
He dug up his dear father
Who was recently deceased
He did it with tarot cards
And a mystically attuned mind
And shortly there
Jeanie was a spoiled young brat
She thought she knew it all
She smoked mentholated cigarettes
And she had sex in the hall
But she was not my kind
Or even of my sigh
The kind of animal
That I would be about
Woh-woh-woh, you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
Oh-woh-woh-woh, you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
All right now
Ah-huh-huh
Kathy was a bit surreal
She painted all her toes
And on her face she wore dentures
Clamped tightly to her nose
And when she finally spoke
Her twang her glasses broke
And no one else could smoke
While she was in the room
Hark the herald angels sang
And reached out for a phone
And plucking it with a knife in hand
Dialed long distance home
But it was all too much
Sprinkling angel dust
To AT&T
Who didn't wish you well
Oh, but you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
Ho-ho-ho-ho, you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
Hangin' round
Hangin' round, that's all you're doing baby
Hangin' round
Hangin' round, ooohhh
Hangin' round
Hangin' round
Hangin' round
Hangin' round
The Lou Reed song "Hangin' Round" describes a man's annoyance with three different people who keep trying to hang around and befriend him. The first verse details the story of Harry, a rich young man who becomes a priest and digs up his recently deceased father using tarot cards and his mystical intuition. This verse suggests that Harry is not someone the singer wants to be associated with due to his questionable actions.
The second verse talks about Jeanie, a spoiled brat who believes she knows everything and enjoys having sex in the hallways. Although she is not the singer's type, she still tries to hang around him. The final verse tells the story of Kathy, a woman who paints her toes and wears dentures on her nose. She speaks with a twang that breaks her glasses, and no one is allowed to smoke when she is in the room. She also tries to reach out to her family through long-distance calls with AT&T, but they do not wish her well.
Overall, the song seems to be about the singer's frustration with people who he finds annoying and are always trying to hang around him but who he wishes would go away. The lyrics are quite satirical, poking fun at the eccentricities and strange habits of these characters.
Line by Line Meaning
Harry was a rich young man
Harry was a wealthy individual.
Who would become a priest
Harry had plans to become a member of the clergy.
He dug up his dear father
Harry exhumed his recently deceased father's body from his grave.
Who was recently deceased
Harry's father had recently passed away.
He did it with tarot cards
Harry used tarot cards in the process of digging up his father's body.
And a mystically attuned mind
Harry believed in mysticism and used it to dig up his father's body.
And shortly there
Soon after digging up his father's body...
And after he did find
...he found something.
Jeanie was a spoiled young brat
Jeanie was an entitled and immature individual.
She thought she knew it all
Jeanie believed she had all the answers.
She smoked mentholated cigarettes
Jeanie smoked menthol cigarettes.
And she had sex in the hall
Jeanie engaged in sexual activity in public places.
But she was not my kind
The singer did not find Jeanie to be compatible with him.
Or even of my sigh
The singer did not share any similarities or interests with Jeanie.
The kind of animal
Jeanie was not the type of person...
That I would be about
...that the artist would associate with.
Woh-woh-woh, you keep hangin' round me
The artist has someone who won't leave him alone.
And I'm not so glad you found me
The singer is not happy that this person is in his life.
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
The singer has moved on from this person's behavior but they have not.
Oh-woh-woh-woh, you keep hangin' round me
The artist's unwanted companion continues to stick around.
All right now
An exclamation signaling a change in the artist's tone.
Ah-huh-huh
Onomatopoeia representing a laugh.
Kathy was a bit surreal
Kathy was a strange or unusual person.
She painted all her toes
Kathy painted her toe nails.
And on her face she wore dentures
Kathy wore false teeth on her face.
Clamped tightly to her nose
The dentures were secured firmly to her nose.
And when she finally spoke
When Kathy spoke...
Her twang her glasses broke
...her accent caused her glasses to shatter.
And no one else could smoke
When Kathy was around, no one else was allowed to smoke.
While she was in the room
This smoking ban applied only when Kathy was present.
Hark the herald angels sang
The lyrics reference the Christmas carol 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.'
And reached out for a phone
Someone in the song attempted to make a phone call.
And plucking it with a knife in hand
The person who answered the phone feared the call and held a knife as a precaution.
Dialed long distance home
The call was made to someone who was far away, likely a family member.
But it was all too much
The phone call was overwhelming.
Sprinkling angel dust
The act of trying to communicate with someone far away was compared to an unrealistic, magical feat.
To AT&T
AT&T was the telecommunications company involved in the phone call.
Who didn't wish you well
The singer did not believe AT&T had his best interests in mind.
Ho-ho-ho-ho, you keep hangin' round me
The singer repeats his earlier musing on the unwanted companion.
Hangin' round
The phrase serves as a refrain for the song.
Hangin' round, that's all you're doing baby
The artist emphasizes his discontent with the companion's constant presence.
Hangin' round
Repetition of the refrain.
Hangin' round, ooohhh
The now-familiar refrain is repeated again.
Hangin' round
The final instance of the refrain, closing out the song.
Lyrics © SONY ATV MUSIC PUB LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rodrigojair4087
Harry was a rich young man
Who would become a priest
He dug up his dear father
Who was recently deceased
He did it with tarot cards
And a mystically attuned mind
And shortly therein
After he did find
Jeanie was a spoiled young brat
She thought she knew it all
She smoked mentholated cigarettes
And she had sex in the hall
But she was not my kind
Or even of my sign
The kind of animal
That I would be about
Woh-woh-woh, you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
Oh-woh-woh-woh, you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
All right now
Ah-huh-huh
Kathy was a bit surreal
She painted all her toes
And on her face she wore dentures
Clamped tightly to her nose
And when she finally spoke
Her twang her glasses broke
And no one else could smoke
While she was in the room
Hark the herald angels sang
And reached out for a phone
And plucking it with a knife in hand
Dialed long distance home
But it was all too much
Sprinkling angel dust
To AT and T
Who didn't wish you well
Oh, but you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
Ho-ho-ho-ho, you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
Hangin' round
Hangin' round, that's all you're doing baby
Hangin' round
Hangin' round, ooohhh
Hangin' round
Hangin' round
Hangin' round
Hangin' round
@davedevir8
Harry was a rich young man
Who would become a priest
He dug up his dear father
Who was recently deceased
He did it with tarot cards
And a mystically attuned mind
And shortly therein
After he did find
Jeanie was a spoiled young brat
She thought she knew it all
She smoked mentholated cigarettes
And she had sex in the hall
But she was not my kind
Or even of my sign
The kind of animal
That I would be about
Woh-woh-woh, you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
Oh-woh-woh-woh, you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
All right now
Ah-huh-huh
Kathy was a bit surreal
She painted all her toes
And on her face she wore dentures
Clamped tightly to her nose
And when she finally spoke
Her twang her glasses broke
And no one else could smoke
While she was in the room
Hark the herald angels sang
And reached out for a phone
And plucking it with a knife in hand
Dialed long distance home
But it was all too much
Sprinkling angel dust
To AT&T
Who didn't wish you well
Oh, but you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
Ho-ho-ho-ho, you keep hangin' round me
And I'm not so glad you found me
You're still doing things that I gave up years ago
Hangin' round
Hangin' round, that's all you're doing baby
Hangin' round
Hangin' round, ooohhh
Hangin' round
Hangin' round
Hangin' round
Hangin' round
@doggystaves
Ronson, Reed and Bowie. There's a reason why this album is so incredible.
@omegajrz1269
I don't understand how this album didn't have the significance or success that Bowie's albums did have.
@terrypussypower
Mick Ronson rules this album, from an arrangement and guitar playing perspective. Obviously Lou played his part, writing those great tunes and singing’ ‘em (😎), but it’s almost always Mick’s subtle little guitar licks and arrangements that elevate this album into the classic it is.
@Deedee-ee1sg
Great song from a great album! 50th anniversary of this iconic album TRANSFORMER!
R.I.P LOU REED
R.I.P DAVID BOWIE ROCK LEGENDS AND ICONS.
Was lucky to have seen LOU REED back in early 70s.
@jboard3094
and Mick Ronson .RIP
@kevinsteviestevenson4001
Now this is a chorus! FANTASTIC!
@imcherbitch943
I always come back to this album! It’s SO good!
@simoneric8183
Agreed. Can't get fed up of it.
@woohoo2023
Me too
@doggystaves
Could listen to it forever. Sublime!