Hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A.
Plucked her eyebrows on the way
Shaved her legs and then he was a she
Here's one of the classics, by Lou Reed. Thanks to Angela for pointing out that "Walk On The Wild Side" was missing from the T-Tunes list. I mean, how could I ever forget this one? Played it on the radio countless times and never got tired of it.
I generally get the lyrics from Songmeanings.net. It is always interesting to read the comments and there are some interesting ones. Lots of speculation as to just what and who this song is about. Andy Warhole's name comes up often.
Wikipedia has this to say about the song:
"Walk on the Wild Side" is a Lou Reed song from his 1972 second solo album Transformer. It was produced by David Bowie, who also sang backing vocals. The song received wide radio coverage, despite its touching on topics such as transsexuality, drugs, male prostitutes and oral sex and the term "colored" to refer to African Americans.
It is usually regarded as Reed's best-known solo work. The song reached #16 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and #10 in the UK. In 2003, the song was ranked #221 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The lyrics tell of a series of individuals and their journeys to New York City, and is a thinly-veiled biography of several of the regular "superstars" at Andy Warhol's New York studio, The Factory, namely Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandro, Jackie Curtis and Joe Campbell (referred to in the song by his nickname Sugar Plum Fairy). Candy Darling was also the subject of Reed's song "Candy Says".
The mellifluous saxophone solo played over the fadeout of the song was performed by Ronnie Ross, who had previously taught David Bowie to play the saxophone during Bowie's childhood.
The song is also noted for its twin interlocking bass lines played by Herbie Flowers on double-bass and overdubbed fretless bass guitar, featuring the extensive use of a major tenth interval, which was unusual in pop music until then.
Oh yes, the sax. The bass. Just brilliant.Oh, and about Lou...
68 years old, as I write this, if I counted right. I have a bunch of Velvet Underground albums and Lou Reed is all over them. Guitar, vocals, song writer. Lots of great stuff with the Velvet Underground (I need to dust off some of those albums), as well as solo. He is best known, however, for Walk On The Wild Side.
A Classic T-Tune!
The Lyrics:
Holly came from Miami, Florida
Hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A.
Plucked her eyebrows on the way
Shaved her legs and then he was a she
She says, "Hey, babe
Take a walk on the wild side"
She said, "Hey, honey
Take a walk on the wild side"
Candy came from out on the Island
In the back room she was everybody's darling
But she never lost her head
Even when she was giving head
She says, "Hey, babe
Take a walk on the wild side"
Said, "Hey, babe
Take a walk on the wild side"
And the colored girls go
"Doo do doo do doo do do doo . . ."
Little Joe never once gave it away
Everybody had to pay and pay
A hussle here and a hussle there
New York City's the place
Where they said, "Hey, babe
Take a walk on the wild side"
I said, "Hey, Joe
Take a walk on the wild side"
Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets
Looking for soul food and a place to eat
Went to the Apollo
You should've seen them go, go, go
They said, "Hey, sugar
Take a walk on the wild side"
I said, "Hey, babe
Take a walk on the wild side"
All right, huh
Jackie is just speeding away
Thought she was James Dean for a day
Then I guess she had to crash
Valium would have helped that bash
Said, "Hey, babe
Take a walk on the wild side"
I said, "Hey, honey
Take a walk on the wild side"
And the colored girls say
"Doo do doo do doo do do doo . . ."
[from www.songmeanings.net]
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