Berlin
Lou Reed John Cale Nico Lyrics
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Oh, thank you
This next song, we're gonna make believe
We're in, uh, Casablanca
And I'm Humphrey Bogart, and this is what I'm gonna sing to Lauren Bacall
And it's called Berlin
By Berlin, by the wall
It was oh-so nice
Hey honey, it was candlelight and Dubonnet on ice
We were in a small cafe
And you could hear the guitars play
It was oh-so nice
Hey baby, it was, uh, paradise
You're right, woah, and I'm wrong
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
One sweet day
You're right, woah, and I'm wrong
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
One sweet day
One sweet day
We were in a small cafe
You could hear the guitars play
It was oh-so nice
Candlelight and Dubonnet on ice
Don't you forget, hire a vet
He hasn't had that much fun yet
It was oh-so nice
Hey honey, it was paradise
You're right and I'm wrong
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
One sweet day
You're right, woah, and I'm wrong
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
One sweet day
Oh, oh, one sweet day
One sweet day, one sweet day
One sweet day, baby, baby, one sweet day
One sweet day, baby, baby, one sweet day
Baby, baby, one sweet day
The song "Berlin" by Lou Reed, John Cale, and Nico tells the story of a fairy tale romance that takes place in the city of Berlin during the height of the Cold War. The lyrics paint a picture of two lovers basking in the candlelight of a small cafe, sharing Dubonnet on ice. The singer is Humphrey Bogart, and he sings of his love for Lauren Bacall, who represents the female lover in this romance.
Through their story, the song speaks to the longing for love and the desire for a world where walls and barriers don't exist. The line "by Berlin, by the wall" is a reference to the Berlin Wall that divided the city into East and West during the Cold War. By placing the lovers on the Western side of the wall, the lyrics suggest a yearning for a time and place where they can be together without the threat of political and physical division.
The song implies a possible critique of the American government and its role in perpetuating the Cold War. The line "Don't you forget, hire a vet/He hasn't had that much fun yet" is a reference to the Vietnam War that was taking place during the time of the song's composition. By urging the hiring of veterans, the lyrics suggest a need to support those who have been negatively impacted by war while implicitly acknowledging the negative tolls of militaristic policies.
Overall, the lyrics to "Berlin" convey a sense of nostalgia and romanticism as well as a longing for societal change and freedom from division.
Line by Line Meaning
By Berlin, by the wall
In Berlin, near the wall
You were five foot, ten inches tall
You were tall, about 5'10''
It was oh-so nice
It was very pleasant
Hey honey, it was candlelight and Dubonnet on ice
There was romantic candlelight and chilled Dubonnet to drink
We were in a small cafe
We were at a cozy cafe
And you could hear the guitars play
You could hear guitar music in the background
Hey baby, it was, uh, paradise
It was like paradise, I must say
You're right, woah, and I'm wrong
You're correct and I was mistaken
You know I'm going to miss you now that you're gone
I'll miss you now that you're away
One sweet day
Hopefully, one day we'll meet again
Don't you forget, hire a vet
Remember to hire a veteran
He hasn't had that much fun yet
They haven't had as much enjoyment yet
It was oh-so nice
It was very enjoyable
Hey honey, it was paradise
It felt like heaven
One sweet day
Hopefully, one day we'll reunite soon
Oh, oh, one sweet day
Hopefully, one day soon
One sweet day, one sweet day
Hopefully, we'll see each other again soon
One sweet day, baby, baby, one sweet day
Hopefully, we'll reunite soon
Baby, baby, one sweet day
Soon, we'll see each other again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lou Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brucemacmillan9581
My dad played piano on the studio recording of Berlin. Also did the string and horn arrangements for the album.
@kanjiwooowooo3202
That's amazing
@kahnlives
You expect us to believe that🤨
@brucemacmillan9581
@@kahnlives My father is Allan Macmillan. Check out the credits on the album and you'll see that he's the pianist on the title track and also did the string and horn arrangements for other tracks on the album. He worked with the producer, Bob Ezrin, on several album projects, including Alice Cooper records. I also worked, for a brief period, at the studio he ran in Toronto - Nimbus 9/Soundstage - with his partners, producer Jack Richardson and Peter Clayton. Whether you choose to believe he's my father is your business. But it won't change the fact that he is.
@kahnlives
@@brucemacmillan9581 The VU a one of a kind band, I’m impressed. You’re father sounds like an amazing guy!
@brucemacmillan9581
@@kahnlives My dad wasn't involved with The VU. He worked with Lou after he went solo. And just on the one album.
@kahnlives
John Cales piano playing is phenomenal in this clip, truly amazing.
@CarnivalofLVX
This is the best performance I’ve ever seen. And this version of Berlin is by far the best. Beautiful
@lelandthomosoniii4743
He's reading
Urban Poetry!
@annamonaco5959
amassed by performance but sound too!