Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed song)

Last updated
"Walk on the Wild Side"
Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed (US single, side A).png
One of label variants of the US single
Single by Lou Reed
from the album Transformer
A-side "Perfect Day"
ReleasedNovember 24, 1972 (1972-11-24)
RecordedAugust 1972
Studio Trident (London, England)
Genre Glam rock [1] [2]
Length4:12
Label RCA Victor
Songwriter(s) Lou Reed
Producer(s)
Lou Reed singles chronology
"Walk and Talk It"
(1972)		"Walk on the Wild Side"
(1972)		"Satellite of Love"
(1973)

"Walk on the Wild Side" is a song by American rock musician Lou Reed from his second solo studio album, Transformer (1972). It was produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson and released as a double A-side with "Perfect Day". [3] Known as a counterculture anthem, [4] the song received wide radio coverage [5] [ failed verification ] and became Reed's biggest hit [6] [7] and signature song [8] while touching on topics considered taboo at the time, such as transgender people, drugs, male prostitution, and oral sex. [9]

Contents

The song's lyrics, describing a series of individuals and their journeys to New York City, refer to several of the regular "superstars" at Andy Warhol's New York studio, the Factory; the song mentions Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandro, Jackie Curtis and Joe Campbell (referred to in the song by the nickname "Sugar Plum Fairy").

In 2013, The New York Times described "Walk on the Wild Side" as a "ballad of misfits and oddballs" that "became an unlikely cultural anthem, a siren song luring generations of people ... to a New York so long forgotten as to seem imaginary". [6] In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked "Walk on the Wild Side" at number 223 in its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. [10]

In 2015, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. [11]

Inspiration

Reed and three of the people he has said he described in his lyrics: Holly Woodlawn, Jackie Curtis and Joe Dallesandro Lou Reed & Wild Side friends; assemblage 2018.jpg
Reed and three of the people he has said he described in his lyrics: Holly Woodlawn, Jackie Curtis and Joe Dallesandro

In the 2001 documentary Classic Albums: Lou Reed: Transformer, Reed says that it was Nelson Algren's 1956 novel, A Walk on the Wild Side (itself titled after the 1952 song "The Wild Side of Life"), [12] that was the launching point for the song, even though, as it grew, the song became inhabited by characters from his own life. As with several other Reed songs from the 1970s, the title may also be an allusion to an earlier song, in this case Mack David and Elmer Bernstein's "Walk on the Wild Side", the Academy Award-nominated title song performed by Brook Benton for the 1962 film based on Algren's novel.[ original research? ] During his performance of the song on his 1978 Live: Take No Prisoners album, Reed humorously explains the song's development from a request that he write the music for the never-completed musical version of Algren's novel.[ citation needed ]

Each verse refers to one of the "superstars" at Andy Warhol's New York studio, the Factory. [13]

Musicians and musical elements

Like many of Reed's songs, "Walk on the Wild Side" is based on a simple chord progression alternating between C major and F major, or I and IV in harmonic analysis. The pre-chorus introduces the II chord (D major). [22]

The baritone saxophone solo played over the fadeout of the song is performed by Ronnie Ross, who had taught David Bowie to play the saxophone during Bowie's childhood. [23] The backing vocals are sung by Thunderthighs, a vocal group that included Dari Lalou, Karen Friedman, and Casey Synge. [24] [25] Drums were played by Ritchie Dharma using brushes rather than drumsticks. [26] David Bowie plays acoustic guitar on the track. [27]

The song is noted for its twinned ascending and descending portamento basslines played by Herbie Flowers. In an interview on BBC Radio 4 (Playing Second Fiddle, aired July 2005), Flowers claimed the reason he came up with the twin bass lines was that as a session musician, he would be paid double for playing two instruments on the same track. [28] Flowers's bass hook was performed on double bass overlaid by fretless Fender Jazz Bass. He was paid a £17 flat fee (equivalent to £300in 2023). [29] [23]

Critical reception

The lyrics of "Walk on the Wild Side" were groundbreaking and risqué for their time, telling stories not usually told in rock songs up to then and containing references to prostitution, transgender people, and oral sex. [6] "I always thought it would be kinda fun to introduce people to characters they maybe hadn't met before, or hadn't wanted to meet", Reed said. [30] "Walk on the Wild Side" became a worldwide hit. [31] The single peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts in early 1973. [32]

Record World called it a "real leftfielder from the former Velvet Undergrounder" and said that "programmers will be cautious at first but then will have to go with it". [33]

The term "colored girls" was an issue in the US.[ citation needed ] RCA in 1972 provided radio stations with a version without the reference to oral sex, and changing the line "colored girls" to "and the girls". [34] However, most radio stations continued to play the original, uncensored version. [35] In the UK, the oral sex reference slipped past the censors, who in 1972–73 were apparently unfamiliar with the term "giving head". [36]

In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as the 223rd greatest song of all time. [10] After the announcement of Reed's death in October 2013, both the song and the Transformer album re-charted via iTunes. [37]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI) [54] Platinum50,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [55] Platinum600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions


In 1985, in his debut solo career album, the brazilian singer Cazuza mentioned Lou Reed in the song “Só as mães são felizes” (In english, “Only mothers are happy”) in the verse “Você nunca viu Lou Reed walking on the wild side” (“You’ve never seen Lou Reed walking on the wild side”).

In 1990, English musician Jamie J. Morgan released his version of "Walk on the Wild Side". It peaked at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart, [56] number 25 in Australia, [57] and was a number one hit in New Zealand. [58]

Also in 1990, British dance act Beat System's cover of the song reached number 63 on the UK Singles Chart. [59]

In 1991, American group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, fronted by actor/musician Mark Wahlberg released the single "Wildside", which heavily samples and is stylistically similar to Reed's original version. [60] The song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, [61] and No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. [62]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lou Reed</span> American rock musician (1942–2013)

Lewis Allan Reed was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band The Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Although not commercially successful during its existence, the Velvet Underground came to be regarded as one of the most influential bands in the history of underground and alternative rock music. Reed's distinctive deadpan voice, poetic and transgressive lyrics, and experimental guitar playing were trademarks throughout his long career.

<i>The Velvet Underground</i> (album) 1969 studio album by the Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground is the third studio album by the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Released in March 1969 by MGM Records, it was their first record with multi-instrumentalist Doug Yule, who replaced previous member John Cale. Recorded in 1968 at TTG Studios in Los Angeles, California, the album's sound—consisting largely of ballads and straightforward rock songs—marked a notable shift in style from the band's previous recordings. Lead vocalist Lou Reed intentionally did this as a result of their abrasive previous studio album White Light/White Heat (1968). Reed wanted other band members to sing on the album; Yule contributed lead vocals to the opening track “Candy Says” and the closing track "After Hours" is sung by drummer Maureen Tucker.

Warhol superstars were a clique of New York City personalities promoted by the pop artist Andy Warhol during the 1960s and early 1970s. These personalities appeared in Warhol's artworks and accompanied him in his social life, epitomizing his dictum, "In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes". Warhol would simply film them, and declare them "superstars".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackie Curtis</span> American actor, writer, singer

Jackie Curtis was an American actor, writer, singer, and Warhol superstar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perfect Day (Lou Reed song)</span> 1972 song by Lou Reed

"Perfect Day" is a song written by American musician Lou Reed in 1972. It was originally featured on Transformer, Reed's second post-Velvet Underground solo album, and as B-side of his major hit, "Walk on the Wild Side". Its fame was given a boost in the 1990s when it was featured in the 1996 film Trainspotting and after a star-studded version was released as a BBC charity single in 1997, reaching number one in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Norway. Reed re-recorded the song for his 2003 album The Raven.

<i>Transformer</i> (Lou Reed album) 1972 studio album by Lou Reed

Transformer is the second solo studio album by American recording artist Lou Reed. Produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, the album was released on November 8, 1972 by RCA Records. It is considered an influential landmark of the glam rock genre, anchored by Reed's most successful single, "Walk on the Wild Side", which touched on controversial topics of sexual orientation, gender identity, prostitution and drug use. Although Reed's self-titled debut solo album had been unsuccessful, Bowie had been an early fan of Reed's former band The Velvet Underground and used his fame to promote Reed, who had not yet achieved mainstream success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Factory</span> Andy Warhols New York City studio

The Factory was Andy Warhol's studio in New York City, which had four locations between 1963 and 1987. The Factory became famed for its parties in the 1960s. It was the hip hangout spot for artists, musicians, celebrities and Warhol's superstars. The original Factory was often referred to as the Silver Factory. In the studio, Warhol's workers would make silkscreens and lithographs under his direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Dallesandro</span> American actor

Joseph Angelo D'Allesandro III is an American actor and Warhol superstar. He was a sex symbol of gay subculture in the 1960s and 1970s, and of several American underground films before going mainstream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbie Flowers</span> English musician (born 1938)

Brian Keith "Herbie" Flowers is an English musician specialising in electric bass, double bass and tuba. He is noted as a member of Blue Mink, T. Rex and Sky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satellite of Love</span> 1973 single by Lou Reed

"Satellite of Love" is a song by American musician Lou Reed. It is the second single from his 1972 album Transformer. At the time of its release, it achieved minor US chart success, though it later became a staple of his concerts and compilation albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candy Darling</span> American actress (1944–1974)

Candy Darling was an American transgender actress, best known as a Warhol superstar. She starred in Andy Warhol's films Flesh (1968) and Women in Revolt (1971), and was a muse of the Velvet Underground.

<i>Sally Cant Dance</i> 1974 studio album by Lou Reed

Sally Can't Dance is the fourth solo studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in September 1974 by RCA Records. Steve Katz and Reed produced the album. It remains Reed's highest-charting album in the United States, having peaked at #10 during a 14-week stay on the Billboard 200 album chart in October 1974. It is also the first solo Lou Reed album not to feature any songs originally recorded by Reed's earlier band, the Velvet Underground, as well as the first of Reed's solo studio albums to be recorded in the United States. The album art was designed by noted Fillmore and Broadway poster artist David Edward Byrd and was one of the few album covers he ever designed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holly Woodlawn</span> Puerto Rican actress (1946–2015)

Holly Woodlawn was a transgender American actress and Warhol superstar who appeared in the films Trash (1970) and Women in Revolt (1971). She is also known as the Holly in Lou Reed's hit glam rock song "Walk on the Wild Side".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Let Me Down (David Bowie song)</span> Song by David Bowie

"Never Let Me Down" is a song recorded by the English singer David Bowie, serving as the title track for his 1987 studio album of the same name. It was released as the third and final single from the record in 1987, and served as his last solo single until 1992's "Real Cool World". "Never Let Me Down" was written by the singer himself and Carlos Alomar, while production was handled by Bowie along with David Richards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can I Kick It?</span> 1990 single by A Tribe Called Quest

"Can I Kick It?" is a song by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released in October 1990 as the third single from their debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990). The song, which has a call and response chorus, was recorded in 1989, when the group members were aged 18-19.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Play That Funky Music</span> 1976 single by Wild Cherry

"Play That Funky Music" is a song written by Rob Parissi and recorded by the band Wild Cherry. The single was the first released by the Cleveland-based Sweet City record label in April 1976 and distributed by Epic Records. The performers on the recording included lead singer Parissi, electric guitarist Bryan Bassett, bassist Allen Wentz, and drummer Ron Beitle, with session players Chuck Berginc, Jack Brndiar (trumpets), and Joe Eckert and Rick Singer (saxes) on the horn riff that runs throughout the song's verses. The single hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 18, 1976; it was also No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of over 2 million records and eventually sold 2.5 million in the United States alone.

"The Wild Side of Life" is a song made famous by country music singer Hank Thompson. Originally released in 1952, the song became one of the most popular recordings in the genre's history, spending 15 weeks at number one on the Billboard country chart, solidified Thompson's status as a country music superstar and inspired the answer song, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" by Kitty Wells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Divide</span> 2009 single by Linkin Park

"New Divide" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. The song is released as a single and was recorded specifically for the soundtrack, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – The Album to Michael Bay's film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. It was written by the band and produced by band member Mike Shinoda. It also serves as the film's main theme, and was released as the soundtrack's lead single on May 18, 2009, by Reprise Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">21 Guns (song)</span> 2009 song by Green Day

"21 Guns" is a song by American rock band Green Day. It was released as the second single from their eighth studio album, 21st Century Breakdown (2009), and serves as the sixteenth track from the album. The single was released through Reprise Records on May 25, 2009 as a digital download and July 14, 2009 as a CD single.

"Andy's Chest" is a song written by Lou Reed, inspired by the 1968 attempt on Andy Warhol's life. In June 1968, radical feminist writer Valerie Solanas shot Warhol and Mario Amaya, art critic and curator, at Warhol's studio. The Velvet Underground, of which Reed was the frontman, initially recorded the song in 1969, but the definitive version appears on Reed's solo release Transformer, co-produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson.

References

  1. ↑ Fleischmann, Mark and Ira Robbins. "Lou Reed". Trouser Press . Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  2. ↑ Pepinster, Catherine (August 15, 1998). "Gold Dust: Glam rock's top 10 singles". The Independent . Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  3. ↑ "The seven best covers of Lou Reed songs". August 26, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Arctic Monkeys cover of Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wild Side'". July 12, 2020.
  5. ↑ Hillis, Eric (October 27, 2021). "The Classic Album at Midnight – Lou Reed's Transformer".
  6. 1 2 3 Trebay, Guy (1 November 2013). "The Real-Life Stories Told in 'Walk on the Wild Side'". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ Tuttle, William (October 2, 2012). "10 Lou Reed Songs Better Than "Walk on the Wild Side"". WhatCulture.com.
  8. ↑ "Lou Reed: Taking a Walk on the Wild Side". KKBOX.
  9. ↑ Cheal, David (November 27, 2015). "The Life of a Song: 'Walk on the Wild Side'" . Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2022-12-11. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  10. 1 2 "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone . 7 April 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  11. ↑ "Grammy Hall of Fame Letter W". Grammy. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  12. ↑ Richard Flanagan, "Prophet of the neon wilderness", The Sunday Telegraph , January 29, 2006 (reprinted as "Introduction", dated "October 2005", in the novel's digital edition, Canongate Books, 2009, ISBN   978-1-84767-649-8): ‘As Algren admitted, the book “wasn’t written until long after it had been walked… I found my way to the streets on the other side of the Southern Pacific station, where the big jukes were singing something called ‘Walking the Wild Side of Life.’ I’ve stayed pretty much on that side of the curb ever since.” ’
  13. ↑ Reed, Lou (1991). Between Thought and Expression: Selected Lyrics of Lou Reed. Hyperion. p.  42. ISBN   1-56282-923-8. They were going to make a musical out of Nelson Algren's A Walk on the Wild Side. When they dropped the project I took my song and changed the book's characters into people I knew from Warhol's Factory.
  14. ↑ Simpson, Dave (12 December 2008). "Bet you think this song is about you". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  15. ↑ Moynihan, Colin (24 February 2009). "From the Archives, a Portrait of a Pop-Art Muse". The New York Times.
  16. ↑ Darling, Candy (2015). Candy Darling : memoirs of an Andy Warhol superstar. New York: Open Road Integrated Media. ISBN   9781480407756. OCLC   899942329.
  17. ↑ "Joe D'Allesandro: The Warhol-Era Sex Symbol Talks". LA Weekly. 17 January 2014.
  18. ↑ Michael Hann (8 December 2015). "Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side: what became of Candy, Little Joe and co?". The Guardian . Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  19. ↑ Klemm, Michael D. "Warhol On The Beach". CinemaQueer.com. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  20. ↑ "Harvey Milk & Joe Campbell Residence – NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project".
  21. ↑ McCourt, James. "Warhol's Brainy Goddess". Gay City News. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  22. ↑ "Walk On The Wild Side Sheet Music". sheetmusicdirect.com. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  23. 1 2 Dave Simpson (21 October 2014). "The little-known musicians behind some of music's most famous moments". The Guardian .
  24. ↑ Barton, Laura (12 May 2011). "Hail, Hail, Rock'n'Roll". The Guardian.
  25. ↑ "Thunderthighs". AllMusic . Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  26. ↑ Ian Daley (1 December 2008). "Classic Tracks: Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wildside" - Mixonline".
  27. ↑ Transformer (CD booklet). Lou Reed. RCA Records. 1972.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ↑ Will Hodgkinson. In Perfect Harmony: Singalong Pop in '70s Britain (2022), p. 29.
  29. ↑ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth . Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  30. ↑ Bockris, Victor (1994). Transformer: The Lou Reed Story . Simon & Schuster. p.  207. ISBN   0-684-80366-6. The impact of Transformer's sexual content has been forgotten. It is hard to conjure up the shock resulting from David Bowie's confession of bisexuality [in 1972].
  31. ↑ Clayton-Lea, Tony. "Cult musician Lou Reed who walked on wild side". The Irish Times.
  32. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 523.
  33. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. February 3, 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  34. ↑ "Lou Reed - Walk On The Wild Side - Hello, Big Apple". 30 August 2017.
  35. ↑ Levy, Aidan (October 1, 2015). Dirty Blvd.: The Life and Music of Lou Reed. Chicago Review Press. ISBN   9781613731093 – via Google Books.
  36. ↑ "Ten things you never knew about Lou Reed". Clashmusic.com. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  37. ↑ "NME News Lou Reed to have posthumous hit with 'Walk On The Wild Side'? - NME.COM". Nme.com. 28 October 2013.
  38. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 249. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  39. ↑ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 2013-07-17. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  40. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Walk on the Wild Side". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  41. ↑ "Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Lou Reed Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  44. ↑ "Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  45. ↑ "Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  46. ↑ "Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  47. ↑ "Archivio - Top Digital Download - Classifica settimanale WK 44 (dal 28-10-2013 al 03-11-2013)" (in Italian). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  48. ↑ "Lou Reed Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  49. ↑ "Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  50. ↑ "Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  51. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  52. ↑ "Lou Reed Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  53. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  54. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved November 9, 2020. Select "2017" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Walk on the Wild Side" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  55. ↑ "British single certifications – Lou Reed – Walk on the Wild Side". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  56. ↑ "JAMIE J. MORGAN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  57. ↑ "Australian-charts.com - Jamie J. Morgan - Walk On The Wild Side". Australian-charts.com.
  58. ↑ "Charts.org.nz - Jamie J. Morgan - Walk On The Wild Side". Charts.nz.
  59. ↑ "BEAT SYSTEM | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
    Note: The band's name is sometimes given as "Beatsystem" or "BeatsystemUK". Not to be confused with the German band, Beat System.
  60. ↑ "Metal Machine Music: The 10 Best Tracks That Sample Lou Reed's Songs". www.vh1.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  61. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 536.
  62. ↑ "Generic submission: Walk on the Wild Side adaptated / sampled by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  63. ↑ Who Sampled: Can I Kick It?

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.