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)
The Blue Mask
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To teach him how to swim
They put blood in his coffee
And milk in his gin
They stood over the soldier
In the midst of the squalor
There was war in his body
And it caused his brain to holler
Make the sacrifice
Mutilate my face
If you need someone to kill
I'm a man without a will
Wash the razor in the rain
Let me luxuriate in pain
Please don't set me free
Death means a lot to me
The pain was lean and it made him scream
He knew he was alive
He put a pin through the nipples on his chest
He thought he was a saint
I've made love to my mother, killed my father and brother
What am I to do
When a sin goes too far, it's like a runaway car
It cannot be controlled
Spit upon his face and scream
There's no oedipus today
This is no play you're thinking you are in
What will you say
Take the blue mask down from my face
And look me in the eye
I get a thrill from punishment
I've always been that way
I loathe and despise repentance
You are permanently stained
Your weakness buys indifference
And indiscretion in the streets
Dirty's what you are and clean is what you're not
You deserve to be soundly beat
Make the sacrifice
Take it all the way
There's no "won't" high enough
To stop this desperate day
Don't take death away
Cut the finger at the joint
Cut the stallion at his mount
And stuff it in his mouth
The Blue Mask by Lou Reed is a haunting song that delves into themes of sacrifice, pain, and self-hatred. The opening lines describe the barbaric treatment of a soldier, whose body is at war with itself, causing his brain to "holler." The soldier seems to have accepted his fate, even going so far as to ask for more pain and torture, seeing as death means a lot to him. He utters the chilling line, "If you need someone to kill, I'm a man without a will," showing how he is willing to do anything asked of him.
The next couplet is even more disturbing, describing the soldier's attempt to feel alive by putting a pin through his chest. This part of the song also features the shocking and evocative lines, "I've made love to my mother, killed my father and brother, what am I to do?" He seems to be questioning his own sanity and morality. The song ends with the militant and merciless tone of Reed's characteristic hard rock, which almost sounds like a call to arms. The final lines emphasize the singer's love for punishment, loathing for repentance, and the idea of permanency in one's stain.
Overall, The Blue Mask is a deeply unsettling song that raises difficult questions about human nature and the lengths we will go to in order to feel alive and in control. It is a reflection on the dark and twisted parts of the human psyche that we often hide from the world.
Line by Line Meaning
They tied his arms behind his back
He was restrained to learn a lesson
To teach him how to swim
The method was unconventional
They put blood in his coffee
They added something to harm him
And milk in his gin
They added something to weaken him
They stood over the soldier
He was vulnerable and in distress
In the midst of the squalor
The conditions made things worse
There was war in his body
He was struggling with internal conflicts
And it caused his brain to holler
He was struggling mentally and emotionally
Make the sacrifice
He is willing to do something extreme
Mutilate my face
He is prepared to suffer physically
If you need someone to kill
He is making a disturbing offer
I'm a man without a will
He feels powerless
Wash the razor in the rain
He is asking for a brutal act
Let me luxuriate in pain
He enjoys being hurt
Please don't set me free
He wants to be kept captive
Death means a lot to me
He has a morbid view of life
The pain was lean and it made him scream
The pain was intense
He knew he was alive
The pain was a reminder of life
He put a pin through the nipples on his chest
He inflicted pain on himself
He thought he was a saint
He has delusional thoughts
I've made love to my mother, killed my father and brother
He has committed horrible acts
What am I to do
He is lost and confused
When a sin goes too far, it's like a runaway car
He is acknowledging the consequences of his actions
It cannot be controlled
The past cannot be changed
Spit upon his face and scream
He is showing hatred and aggression
There's no oedipus today
This is not a Greek tragedy
This is no play you're thinking you are in
This is real life
What will you say
He wants to provoke a response
Take the blue mask down from my face
He wants to reveal his true self
And look me in the eye
He wants to confront someone
I get a thrill from punishment
He enjoys being punished
I've always been that way
His behavior is deeply ingrained
I loathe and despise repentance
He hates apologizing
You are permanently stained
He believes mistakes cannot be erased
Your weakness buys indifference
Others do not care about his weaknesses
And indiscretion in the streets
He is ashamed of his actions
Dirty's what you are and clean is what you're not
He feels inferior to others
You deserve to be soundly beat
He thinks others should be punished too
Make the sacrifice
He is willing to go to extremes
Take it all the way
He is willing to suffer completely
There's no "won't" high enough
He won't stop for anything
To stop this desperate day
He is in a dire situation
Don't take death away
He wants to confront death
Cut the finger at the joint
He wants pain inflicted on himself
Cut the stallion at his mount
He wants something powerful to suffer
And stuff it in his mouth
He wants to silence it
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILL WRAY, LOU REED, PETER LORAN, STEVE BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Boris B
Lyrics:
They tied his arms behind his back
To teach him how to swim
They put blood in his coffee
And milk in his gin
They stood over the soldier
In the midst of the squalor
There was war in his body
And it caused his brain to holler
Make the sacrifice
Mutilate my face
If you need someone to kill
I'm a man without a will
Wash the razor in the rain
Let me luxuriate in pain
Please don't set me free
Death means a lot to me
The pain was lean and it made him scream
He knew he was alive
He put a pin through the nipples on his chest
He thought he was a saint
I've made love to my mother, killed my father and brother
What am I to do
When a sin goes too far, it's like a runaway car
It cannot be controlled
Spit upon his face and scream
There's no oedipus today
This is no play you're thinking you are in
What will you say
Take the blue mask down from my face
And look me in the eye
I get a thrill from punishment
I've always been that way
I loathe and despise repentance
You are permanently stained
Your weakness buys indifference
And indiscretion in the streets
Dirty's what you are and clean is what you're not
You deserve to be soundly beat
Make the sacrifice
Take it all the way
There's no "won't" high enough
To stop this desperate day
Don't take death away
Cut the finger at the joint
Cut the stallion at his mount
And stuff it in his mouth
policeman planet
[Verse 1]
They tied his arms behind his back
To teach him how to swim
They put blood in his coffee
And milk in his gin
They stood over the soldier
In the midst of the squalor
There was war in his body
And it caused his brain to holler
[Verse 2]
Make the sacrifice
Mutilate my face
If you need someone to kill
I'm a man without a will
Wash the razor in the rain
Let me luxuriate in pain
Please don't set me free
Death means a lot to me
[Verse 3]
The pain was lean and it made him scream
He knew he was alive
He put a pin through the nipples on his chest
He thought he was a saint
I've made love to my mother, killed my father and brother
What am I to do
When a sin goes too far, it's like a runaway car
It cannot be controlled
Spit upon his face and scream
There's no oedipus today
This is no play you're thinking you are in
What will you say
Take the blue mask down from my face
And look me in the eye
I get a thrill from punishment
I've always been that way
[Verse 4]
I loathe and despise repentance
You are permanently stained
Your weakness buys indifference
And indiscretion in the streets
Dirt is what you are and clean is what you're not
You deserve to be soundly beat
Make the sacrifice
Take it all the way
There's no "won't" high enough
To stop this desperate day
Don't take death away
Cut the finger at the joint
Cut the stallion at his mount
And stuff it in his mouth
scottg862
When my son was 4 he was bummed about having to go to daycare and wouldn't leave the house. I put this on my car stereo and blasted it. He came down the front steps with a wicked little smile on his face. Bringing the ruckus. A cool kid now at 18.
Boris B
Lyrics:
They tied his arms behind his back
To teach him how to swim
They put blood in his coffee
And milk in his gin
They stood over the soldier
In the midst of the squalor
There was war in his body
And it caused his brain to holler
Make the sacrifice
Mutilate my face
If you need someone to kill
I'm a man without a will
Wash the razor in the rain
Let me luxuriate in pain
Please don't set me free
Death means a lot to me
The pain was lean and it made him scream
He knew he was alive
He put a pin through the nipples on his chest
He thought he was a saint
I've made love to my mother, killed my father and brother
What am I to do
When a sin goes too far, it's like a runaway car
It cannot be controlled
Spit upon his face and scream
There's no oedipus today
This is no play you're thinking you are in
What will you say
Take the blue mask down from my face
And look me in the eye
I get a thrill from punishment
I've always been that way
I loathe and despise repentance
You are permanently stained
Your weakness buys indifference
And indiscretion in the streets
Dirty's what you are and clean is what you're not
You deserve to be soundly beat
Make the sacrifice
Take it all the way
There's no "won't" high enough
To stop this desperate day
Don't take death away
Cut the finger at the joint
Cut the stallion at his mount
And stuff it in his mouth
MAC BCN
Thanks
Goblintrain
There is something so incredibly wrong with this song that you can not help but love it!
Shamea Cortes
My favorite line in this song.
“I get a thrill from punishment
I've always been that way”
Shamea Cortes
Epic guitar intro. These lyrics though. This is raw, real ROCK!
Timothy Rogers
Love this album, Stark harrowing painful brilliant.
PistonDriven
When everything else is forgotten about Lou Reed, I think this piece will still stand out the test of time. Monolithic..! Flame on, Mutherfuckers..!!
Jonathan Smith
This needs to be viewed and listened to more.. what a song! Im a huge Lou Reed fan
Gavan Kinna
If i had a bad day at work i would come home and play this as loud as i could and when it finished i was absolved.