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)
What's Good
Lou Reed Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And life's like space without room
And life's like bacon and ice cream
That's what life's like without you
Life's like forever becoming
But life's forever dealing in hurt
Now life's like death without living
Life's like Sanskrit read to a pony
I see you in my mind's eye strangling on your tongue
What good is knowing such devotion
I've been around, I know what makes things run
What good is seeing eye chocolate
What good's a computerized nose
And what good was cancer in April
Why no good, no good at all
What good's a war without killing
What good is rain that falls up
What good's a disease that won't hurt you
Why no good, I guess, no good at all
What good are these thoughts that I'm thinking
It must be better not to be thinking at all
A Styrofoam lover with emotions of concrete
No not much, not much at all
What's good is life without living
What good's this lion that barks
You loved a life others throw away nightly
It's not fair, not fair at all
What's good?
Not much at all
What's good?
Life's good
But not fair at all
In Lou Reed's song "What's Good", he explores the concept of what life is like without someone he loves. The very first lines of the song compare life to a mayonnaise soda, a disturbing and unappetizing image. This sets up the tone for the entire song, one that is bleak and hopeless without the subject of his love. The song continues with other similarly puzzling and riddling comparisons, such as "life's like space without room" and "life's like bacon and ice cream." The message becomes clearer in the second verse, where Reed details that life is always changing but always fraught with pain and hurt - without the person he loves, life is like death without living.
Reed then moves on to describing his obsession with this person - "I see you in my mind's eye strangling on your tongue." It is a fascinating and violent image, one that suggests a sense of control and dominion over the person whom he loves, but also hints at the ways in which this obsession might be suffocating to both parties. He then goes on to question why good things such as seeing eye chocolate or a computerized nose mean anything without the person he loves. The sense of despair continues to escalate as he dismisses even more positive things, such as rain that falls up, and eventually concludes that life without his love is barely worth living.
Overall, "What's Good" is a complex and haunting song with a deeply emotional core. Lou Reed's lyrics can be difficult to decipher at times, but the idea of a life without love is clear throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Life's like a mayonnaise soda
Life is a strange concoction of flavors that don't seem to go together.
And life's like space without room
Life can feel empty and pointless, like an endless expanse with no direction.
And life's like bacon and ice cream
Life often serves up unexpected and contradictory experiences.
That's what life's like without you
Without someone to share it with, life can feel meaningless and unsatisfying.
Life's like forever becoming
Life is a journey of constant change and growth.
But life's forever dealing in hurt
However, life is also full of difficulties and pain that we must learn to cope with.
Now life's like death without living
Without truly experiencing life, it's as if we're already dead.
That's what life's like without you
Without someone to share it with, life can feel empty and unfulfilling.
Life's like Sanskrit read to a pony
Sometimes our efforts to communicate are futile, like trying to read a foreign language to an animal.
I see you in my mind's eye strangling on your tongue
I imagine you struggling to express yourself, which hurts me because I care about you.
What good is knowing such devotion
What's the point of loving someone so deeply if it only causes pain?
I've been around, I know what makes things run
I have experience in life and know how things work, but that doesn't make it any easier to understand why we suffer.
What good is seeing eye chocolate
Even something as wondrous as chocolate loses its appeal without someone to share it with.
What good's a computerized nose
Technological advancements mean nothing without the human connections that give them meaning.
And what good was cancer in April
Cancer is never good, no matter what time of year it strikes.
Why no good, no good at all
There's no upside to suffering and pain.
What good's a war without killing
Even without death, war causes immeasurable harm and suffering.
What good is rain that falls up
Just like rain that falls in the wrong direction, sometimes life feels senseless and frustrating.
What good's a disease that won't hurt you
Even if a disease doesn't physically harm you, it can still take a toll on your emotional and mental wellbeing.
Why no good, I guess, no good at all
Once again, there's no upside to pain and suffering.
What good are these thoughts that I'm thinking
Reflecting on difficult experiences can be painful, and it's unclear what good comes of it.
It must be better not to be thinking at all
Sometimes ignorance really is bliss, because thinking too much can lead to despair.
A Styrofoam lover with emotions of concrete
Feeling numb and disconnected from emotions is like being in love with something fake and insubstantial.
No not much, not much at all
There's very little to feel positive about in this situation.
What's good is life without living
It's better not to exist than to be cut off from the richness and connection that make life worthwhile.
What good's this lion that barks
Being fierce when you can't back it up doesn't serve any purpose.
You loved a life others throw away nightly
You valued life and appreciated its beauty when others take it for granted.
It's not fair, not fair at all
It's unjust and painful to see someone with so much to offer experience so much hurt.
What's good?
Given all the suffering and pain in the world, it's a fair question to ask what we can find to feel positive about.
Not much at all
Unfortunately, the answers to that question aren't always very satisfying.
What's good?
Once again, we're left to wonder what good can come from our struggles.
Life's good
Despite all the hardships and pain, life still has value and meaning.
But not fair at all
That doesn't mean it's always easy to understand or accept, though.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LOU REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SPLENDIDZEN
What's Good (The Thesis)
Lou Reed
Life's like a mayonnaise soda
And life's like space without room
And life's like bacon and ice cream
That's what life's like without you
Life's like forever becoming
But life's forever dealing in hurt
Now life's like death without living
That's what life's like without you
Life's like Sanskrit read to a pony
I see you in my mind's eye strangling on your tongue
What good is knowing such devotion
I've been around, I know what makes things run
What good is seeing eye chocolate
What good's a computerized nose
And what good was cancer in April
Why no good, no good at all
What good's a war without killing
What good is rain that falls up
What good's a disease that won't hurt you
Why no good, I guess, no good at all
What good are these thoughts that I'm thinking
It must be better, huh not to be thinking at all
A styrofoam lover with emotions of concrete
No not much, not much at all
What's good is life without living
What good's this lion that barks
You loved a life others throw away nightly
It's not fair, not fair at all
What's good?
Oh baby, what's good?
What's good?
What's good?
Not much at all
Hey baby, what's good?
What's good? Life's good
But not fair at all
Compositor: Lou Reed
@SPLENDIDZEN
Qué es bueno (la tesis)
Lou Reed
La vida es como un refresco de mayonesa
Y la vida es como un espacio sin espacio
Y la vida es como tocino y helado
Así es la vida sin ti
La vida es como convertirse para siempre
Pero la vida siempre está lidiando con el dolor
Ahora la vida es como la muerte sin vivir
Así es la vida sin ti
La vida es como el sánscrito leído a un pony
Te veo en el ojo de mi mente estrangulando tu lengua
Que bueno es conocer tanta devocion
He estado cerca, sé lo que hace que las cosas funcionen
¿De qué sirve ver el chocolate para los ojos?
¿De qué sirve una nariz computarizada?
¿Y de qué sirvió el cáncer en abril?
¿Por qué no es bueno, no es bueno en absoluto?
¿De qué sirve una guerra sin matar?
¿De qué sirve la lluvia que cae?
¿De qué sirve una enfermedad que no te hará daño?
¿Por qué no es bueno, supongo, no es bueno en absoluto?
¿De qué sirven estos pensamientos que estoy pensando?
Debe ser mejor, eh no estar pensando en nada
Un amante de la espuma de poliestireno con emociones de hormigón.
No, no mucho, no mucho en absoluto
Lo bueno es la vida sin vivir
¿De qué sirve este león que ladra
Amabas una vida que otros tiran todas las noches
No es justo, no es justo en absoluto
¿Lo que es bueno?
Oh cariño, ¿qué hay de bueno?
¿Lo que es bueno?
¿Lo que es bueno?
No mucho en absoluto
Oye bebé, ¿qué hay de bueno?
¿Lo que es bueno? La vida es buena
Pero no es justo en absoluto
Compositor: Lou Reed
@slint69
Life's like a mayonnaise soda
And life's like space without room
And life's like bacon and ice cream
That's what life's like without you
Life's like forever becoming
But life's forever dealing in hurt
Now life's like death without living
That's what life's like without you
Life's like Sanskrit read to a pony
I see you in my mind's eye strangling on your tongue
What good is knowing such devotion
I've been around, I know what makes things run
What good is seeing eye chocolate
What good's a computerized nose
And what good was cancer in April
Why no good, no good at all
What good's a war without killing
What good is rain that falls up
What good's a disease that won't hurt you
Why no good, I guess, no good at all
What good are these thoughts that I'm thinking
It must be better not to be thinking at all
A Styrofoam lover with emotions of concrete
No not much, not much at all
What good is life without living
What good's this lion that barks
You loved a life others throw away nightly
It's not fair, not fair at all
What's good?
Oh, baby, what's good?
What's good?
What's good?
Not much at all
Hey, baby, what's good?
(What's good?)
What's good?
(What's good?)
What's good?
(What's good?)
Not much at all
What's good?
(What's good?)
What's good?
(Life's good)
Life's good
(Life's good)
What's good?
(Life's good)
But not fair at all
@MelBee128
Life's like a mayonnaise soda
And life's like space without room
And life's like bacon and ice cream
That's what life's like without you
Life's like forever becoming
But life's forever dealing in hurt
Now life's like death without living
That's what life's like without you
Life's like Sanskrit read to a pony
I see you in my mind's eye strangling on your tongue
What good is knowing such devotion
I've been around - I know what makes things run
What good is seeing eye chocolate
What good's a computerized nose
And what good was cancer in April
Why, no good - no good at all
What good's a war without killing
What good is rain that falls up
What good's a disease that won't hurt you
Why, no good, I guess, no good at all
What good are these thoughts that I'm thinking
It must be better not to be thinking at all
A styrofoam lover with emotions of concrete
No not much, not much at all
What's good is life without living
What good's this lion that barks
You loved a life others throw away nightly
It's not fair, not fair at all
What's good?
Oh baby what's good
What's good
What's good
Not much at all
Come on!
Hey baby what's good
What's good
What's good
Not much at all
What's good
What's good
Life's good -
What's good
Life's good
But not fair at all
@ShawnMcClearn-Yinzer-At-Heart
This is the sound of a man wrestling with his own grief. The fact that somebody who lived so nihilistically stopped and reconsidered things due to the deaths of two friend makes this song so hard hitting.
@birdiecahill6929
It tickles the absolute mess outta me that other people appreciate this album as much as I do. 🖤
@cosmicdrifter287
this song is getting even better with age.oh,and magic and loss is one of the best albums ever made.
@simonepasini9653
Magic and loss is truly incredible... what a man, what an artist... thank you, mister Lou... wish you were still here.
@cosmicdrifter287
@simone pasini bless you!
@Prospect.1
Agreed
@birdiecahill6929
@cosmicdrifter287 YES.🖤🖤🖤🖤
@willsmith2779
Agreed it's #1 other albums that come close are Loaded, Terror Twilight, Trout Mask, Blonde on Blonde, Pink Moon and this Record Magic and Loss 😘 ⭐ ✨ 🌌
@tonetuning6448
Such strange music, strange beautiful music. His music sounds like beat poetry drafted over rock and roll. I love it.
@Evertnr11
One of the best albums ever Made in history btw My father died in cancer when I was only 15 😢