Prominent Men
The Velvet Underground Lyrics
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Through all of the sidestreets and alleys of sin
Through all that's been heard nothing sinks quite as low
As the prominent statements of prominent men
Prominent men tell prominent stories
Prominent men tell prominent lies
Prominent men kiss the ass of dame fortune
The streets that have life with the cat's underbelly
Aligned with their tracks of a thousand good-byes
A poor woman screams with the heat of disaster
As the prominent men sit and strengthen their ties
Oh, the prominent girls of the prominent people
Make prominent dresses and prominent hair
Oh, their prominent wealth and their eyes blazed with shadow
The prominent horrors with the ghost millionaire
The shiny stained window now cracked at sunset
They shiny red dawn of the heart soon must fall
This simply occurred at the seat of the cauldron
Those prominent men hadn't been there at all
Prominent men tell prominent stories
Prominent men tell prominent lies
Prominent men kiss the ass of dame fortune
Prominent men will tear out your eyes
Oh, the prominent child of these prominent people
Seeks prominent schools with the finery of age
With a prominent pink of a tasteless red orchid
The prominent men casts a prominent heir
The child of the agent walks barefoot upon grass
He screams with a power that terror's green eyes
His knife harshly glistening, stabs noways and always
But those prominent men in nowhere in sight
Prominent men tell prominent stories
Prominent men tell prominent lies
Prominent men kiss the ass of dame fortune
Prominent men will tear out your eyes
The Velvet Underground's "Prominent Men" is a song that captures the fragility of the human psyche when it comes to body image and self-worth. Candy says, "I've come to hate my body/ And all that it requires in this world," which is a profound statement about body image and societal pressure to conform. It suggests that society sets unrealistic expectations about how the human body should look, feel, and behave.
Throughout the song, Candy is struggling to come to terms with her body image and the expectations placed upon her. "What do you think I'd see/ If I could walk away from me?" These lyrics suggest that Candy is looking for a way out of her own body, a way to escape from the harsh reality of societal pressure to conform to certain beauty standards.
The lyrics reflect the feeling of isolation, confusion, and anxiety that people experience when they fail to meet the unrealistic beauty standards set by society. These standards can make it difficult for people to accept their bodies and can have a significant impact on their mental health.
Line by Line Meaning
Candy says, "I've come to hate my body
And all that it requires in this world"
Candy expresses her discontent with her own physical form and the expectations society places on it.
Candy says, "I'd like to know completely
What others so discretely talk about"
Candy desires a deeper understanding of the secretive conversations that go on around her.
I'm gonna watch the blue birds fly
Over my shoulder
I'm gonna watch them pass me by
Maybe when I'm older
The singer plans to sit and observe life as it passes them by, possibly waiting for a time when they have more perspective.
What do you think I'd see
If I could walk away from me?
The artist considers what they would perceive if they were able to remove themselves from their own perspective and see things objectively.
Candy says, "I hate the quiet places
That cause the smallest taste of what will be"
Candy dislikes the moments of stillness that allow her a glimpse of what the future may hold.
Candy says, "I hate the big decisions
That cause endless revisions in my mind"
Candy feels overwhelmed by the weight of significant choices and the constant revisions and second-guessing they provoke in her thoughts.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN DAVIES CALE, LOU A. REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind