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)
Venus In Furs
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whiplash girl child in the dark
Clubs and bells, your servant, don't forsake him
Strike dear mistress and cure his heart
Downy sins of streetlight fancies
Chase the costumes she shall wear
Ermine furs adorn imperious
I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears
Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather
Shiny leather in the dark
Tongue of thongs, the belt that does await you
Strike dear mistress and cure his heart
Severin, Severin, speak so slightly
Severin, down on your bended knees
Taste the whip, in love not given lightly
Oh Severin, taste the whip, now plead for me
Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girl child in the dark
Severin, your servant comes in bells, please don't forsake him
Strike dear mistress and cure his heart
I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears
Different colors made
Different colors made
Different colors made of tears
Lou Reed’s song Venus in Furs is rich in symbolism and explores themes of pleasure, pain, and subjugation. The shiny boots of leather represent a form of fetishism and sexual power dynamic. The “whiplash girl child in the dark” is a reference to the dominant/submissive relationship between the singer and his partner, where domination is seen as a form of love. The use of the word “bells” may refer to the practice of bondage, where bells are attached to the submissive’s body to alert the dominant when they move.
The second verse features “downy sins of streetlight fancies”, referring to the sexual fantasies of the singer and his partner. The “ermine furs” represent the power of the dominant, while “Severin” is the submissive partner who awaits her in the bedroom. The repetition of the phrase “strike dear mistress and cure his heart” suggests that the act of striking the submissive partner is a form of love and therapy.
The final verse suggests tiredness and weariness due to the repeated cycle of pleasure and pain. However, the different colors made of tears indicate an emotional depth to the relationship that goes beyond just physical pleasure. Overall, the song delves into a form of sexuality that is often taboo and misunderstood.
Line by Line Meaning
Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
The boots are polished and shine, but made of leather, a material associated with BDSM tools and practices.
Whiplash girl child in the dark
The girl is possibly a child or appears child-like due to her submissive nature, and is subject to punishments using a whip.
Clubs and bells, your servant, don’t forsake him
The singer is submissive and begs not to be abandoned or forsaken by their dominant partner, who uses clubs and bells as part of their BDSM play.
Strike dear mistress and cure his heart
Being struck by the mistress is seen as a way of curing the artist's emotional struggles and helping them to submit further to their dominant partner.
Downy sins of streetlight fancies
The artist is trying to escape their reality and seeks comfort in fantasies fueled by streetlights, but these fantasies are sinful and prone to corruption.
Chase the costumes she shall wear
The singer is captivated by the different costumes their partner wears during their BDSM play and seeks to pursue those moments of excitement.
Ermine furs adorn imperious
The furs indicate luxury and wealth, and the dominant partner wearing them is seen as regal and superior.
Severin, severin awaits you there
Severin is likely the name of the submissive speaker and they are beckoned to their dominant partner's play space or dungeon.
I am tired, I am weary
The artist is exhausted both from their submissive role and the weight of their emotions.
I could sleep for a thousand years
The artist wishes to sleep for a long time to escape from their pain, much like Sleeping Beauty.
A thousand dreams that would awake me
The singer wishes for a dream world where they can escape their reality, but knows that these dreams would only bring more pain upon waking.
Different colors made of tears
The tears shed by the artist are represented by different colors, each possibly symbolizing a different emotion or memory causing the tears.
Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather
The singer is submissive and wants to show their devotion to their dominant partner by kissing their boots made of shiny leather.
Tongue of thongs, the belt that does await you
The singer is awaiting further punishment by their dominant partner, possibly involving a belt or whip to be used on their tongue.
Severin, Severin, speak so slightly
The dominant partner demands their submissive partner, Severin, to speak softly in their presence.
Severin, down on your bended knees
Severin is commanded to kneel in front of their dominant partner as a sign of submission and devotion.
Taste the whip, in love not given lightly
The dominant partner is harsh and demanding, but the submissive speaker indulges in the pain inflicted upon them out of love and trust in their partner.
Oh Severin, taste the whip, now plead for me
The dominant partner commands Severin to ask for more pain and punishment, further asserting their power over them.
Severin, your servant comes in bells, please don’t forsake him
Severin has bells attached to them, possibly for the purpose of announcing their presence and availability to the dominant partner. The submissive speaker again begs to not be abandoned by their partner.
Different colors made
Repetition of the phrase used earlier to indicate that the tears shed by the artist continue to vary in color, implying different emotions or memories associated with them.
Different colors made
Continuation of previous line.
Different colors made of tears
Final repetition of the phrase, driving home the idea that the artist is absorbed in their sadness and pain.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lou Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Moschopoulos
Masterpiece. And the cello solo is rocking!
Thomas Tolis
Έτσι
Done
In 1991 when I was 21 years old, I served jury duty in NYC with Jane Scarpanonti. Over several days while waiting to see whether we would be called to be on a jury, we talked a lot about music and the cello. Turned out that she and her boyfriend lived in my neighborhood and I ran into them several times afterwards. Not long after, I saw her face on the cover of 10,000 Maniacs unplugged album and ever since she's been incredible. Her music with Lou is beyond amazing.
Mr Fugazi
What a great legend Lou was I was fortunate enough to have seen him 3 times as a solo artist and once when the velvet underground reunited for a one off tour of Europe and they visited Britain in 1993 and it was the best gig I’ve ever been to seeing the original lineup the highlight of my life was seeing the velvet underground
Jamie Monson
Makes your soul shiver rip lou
Jerry Don Quixote
That cello reached my soul...
miriã borges
Espetacular!!!
Crimson Wolf
Jane Scarpantoni (cello) definitely steals the show and is the highlight of this performance. Different but almost equal.. almost, to John Cale's original viola performance.
giec
Totally epic performance. 9 minutes of beauty captured in music. Thanks
Lu Vi
What power this woman! really brings fire into your veins ... and your voice Lou is a call from infinity ......... ❤️ & ❤️