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)
Slip Away
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The said the Factory must change and slowly slip away
But if I have to live in fear, where will I get my ideas
With all those crazy people gone, will I slowly slip away
Still there's no more Billy Name, and Ondine is not the same
Wonton and the Turtle gone
Slowly slip away...slowly slip away
If I give in yo infamy...I'll slowly slip away
I know it seems that friends are right
Hello daylight, goodbye night
But starlight is so quiet here, think I'll slowly slip away
What can I do by myself, it's good to here from someone else
It's good to hear a crazy voice that will not slip away
Will not slip away
If I have to live in fear my ideas will slowly slip away
If I have to live in fear I'm afraid my life will slip away
If you can't see me past my door
Why your thoughts could slowly slip away
If I have to lock the door, another life exists no more
Slip away
Friends have said to lock the door
Watch out for who comes through the door
The said the Factory must change
But I don't
want to slip away
Lou Reed & John Cale's song Slip Away is a reflection on the changes happening at Andy Warhol's Factory in the late '60s. The first stanza has a sense of paranoia - people have told the writer to lock the door and not have an open house any more, inferring that the way things were might be too dangerous or too revealing. The second stanza laments the loss of some key figures from the Factory, which makes the writer feel as though they are slowly slipping away as well. Throughout the song, there is a sense that the Factory, as it was, is coming to an end and that something important is being lost.
Line by Line Meaning
People said to lock the door and have an open house no more
Friends have suggested that I stop letting just anyone into my life
The said the Factory must change and slowly slip away
People have been telling me that my reputation and legacy are at risk, and that I need to make changes to avoid slowly fading into obscurity
But if I have to live in fear, where will I get my ideas
If I allow myself to be limited by fear, my creativity and innovation will suffer
With all those crazy people gone, will I slowly slip away
If I distance myself from the eccentric and unpredictable individuals who inspire me, I may lose my edge and fade into mediocrity
Still there's no more Billy Name, and Ondine is not the same
I miss the unique and irreplaceable qualities of certain friends who have passed or moved on
Wonton and the Turtle gone; Slowly slip away...slowly slip away
The loss of certain individuals and aspects of my life feels like a slow erosion of my identity and legacy
If I close the Factory door and don't see those people anymore
If I cut off the source of my inspiration and innovation, I may lose my creative edge
If I give in yo infamy...I'll slowly slip away
If I compromise my values and pursue fame at any cost, I risk losing my authenticity and fading into obscurity
I know it seems that friends are right; Hello daylight, goodbye night
Although I'm hesitant to change, I recognize that my friends have valid concerns and it may be time to move on
But starlight is so quiet here, think I'll slowly slip away
Without certain people and experiences in my life, everything feels dull and uninspiring, as if I'm gradually fading into the background
What can I do by myself, it's good to here from someone else
I'm realizing that I can't do everything alone, and it's valuable to have outside perspectives and support
It's good to hear a crazy voice that will not slip away; Will not slip away
It's refreshing and inspiring to hear from someone who's not afraid to be unconventional and who won't disappear from my life
If I have to live in fear my ideas will slowly slip away
The more I allow fear to hold me back, the more my creativity and innovation will suffer
If I have to live in fear I'm afraid my life will slip away
Constantly living in fear will slowly erode my quality of life and sense of identity
If you can't see me past my door; Why your thoughts could slowly slip away
If you judge and dismiss me based on surface-level appearances or misconceptions, you may miss out on my true value and insights
If I have to lock the door, another life exists no more; Slip away
If I cut off certain people or aspects of my life, it feels like I'm losing a part of myself and my legacy
Friends have said to lock the door; Watch out for who comes through the door
Although my friends are trying to protect me, they may not always have my best interests in mind
The said the Factory must change; But I don't want to slowly slip away
Although my friends and colleagues are urging me to adapt and change, I'm hesitant to risk losing my authenticity and unique contributions
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN CALE, LOU REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind