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)
Sad Song
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She looks like Mary, Queen of Scots
She seemed very regal to me
Just goes to show how wrong you can be
I'm gonna stop wastin' my time
Somebody else would have broken both of her arms
My castle, kids and home
I thought she was Mary, Queen of Scots
I tried so very hard
Shows just how wrong you can be
I'm gonna stop wasting time
Somebody else would have broken both of her arms
Sad song, Sad song, Sad song, Sad song
The lyrics of Lou Reed's "Sad Song" are open to interpretation, but it seems to tell the story of a person who was in love with a woman he thought was regal, but who turned out to be the opposite - someone he ended up disliking. The line about the picture book representing Mary, Queen of Scots is an allusion to a historical figure who was beheaded due to her political intrigue and competition for the throne. By juxtaposing the woman in the song with this historical figure, the song's narrator may be indicating that his love interest was duplicitous or not as virtuous as he thought.
The lines "I'm gonna stop wastin' my time, Somebody else would have broken both of her arms" are harsh, but the singer is expressing his frustration and disappointment in the situation. The singer is acknowledging that he was wrong and that it's time to move on, that he sees her in a light which is far from her nobility. The song conveys emotions of disillusionment with love and warning about the dangers of assumptions, leading us to question the truthfulness of our own perception.
Line by Line Meaning
Staring at my picture book
Reflecting on my past memories
She looks like Mary, Queen of Scots
She appeared elegant and majestic
She seemed very regal to me
I believed she was of high class and status
Just goes to show how wrong you can be
Proves my initial judgment was incorrect
I'm gonna stop wastin' my time
I won't dwell on it any longer
Somebody else would have broken both of her arms
Another person would have caused physical harm to her
Sad song, Sad song, Sad song, Sad song
Repetition of the melancholic nature of the situation
My castle, kids, and home
My possessions and familial responsibilities
I thought she was Mary, Queen of Scots
I believed she was an important and influential figure
I tried so very hard
I put in considerable effort
Shows just how wrong you can be
Demonstrates the extent of my misjudgment
Lyrics © SONY ATV MUSIC PUB LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@geoffwoade6965
Staring at my picture book
She looks like Mary, Queen of Scots
She seemed very regal to me
Just goes to show how wrong you can be
I'm gonna stop wastin' my time
Somebody else would have broken both of her arms
Sad song, Sad song, Sad song, Sad song
My castle, kids and home
I thought she was Mary, Queen of Scots
I tried so very hard
Shows just how wrong you can be
I'm gonna stop wasting time
Somebody else would have broken both of her arms
Sad song, Sad song, Sad song, Sad song
@kevinsteviestevenson4001
In my opinion this is Lou Reed's masterpiece. Absolutely.
@mssamhierlmeier5073
❤
@gurrenmed5319
There is many masterpieces of Lou Reed
@toranderson8141
❤
@thiagom.3097
Yr opinion is gold
@joecarney9307
Berlin is lou reeds masterpiece,the fact it tells such a disastrous story so beautifully is unbelievable.
As Martin Scorsese said, lou reed spoke the language of people with nothing.
He will be remembered for a long time
@sethwetzel974
He will be remembered forever.
@umbertobressan5455
Berlin is a beautiful great album Lou Reed is vero great writing the word and the music of this concept album. He is the best n.1❤
@patrickkever706
the best lou reed album
@sanborns
I'm inclined to agree, certainly his best non commercial en devour.