This past October, New York City suffered a great loss of an iconic, New York City native, musician, songwriter, and singer-Lou Reed. His lyrics possessed a moving rhythm and powerful message that no other artist has ever competed with. He did what he wanted and left all criticism behind. As a tribute to his very recent death, the NY times commemorated Reed’s life and work as a musical visionary in New York City.
For those who didn’t know, like myself prior to this article, Lou Reed was a rock and roll legend who helped shape rock music for approximately 50 years. Reed wrote classic songs about everything and anything in New York City. Some of his greatest songs include “Walk on the Wild Side”, “Perfect Day”, and “Satellite of Love”, all from his 1972 album “Transformer.” According to the article, these songs “mixed rough street reportage with playful, trippy musings,” and it is definitely evident in his music!
Reed is known to be one of the few artists who accurately echo the great triumph of NYC going from a city of drugs, violence, and graffiti, to an impeccable mecca of luxury retail and extravagant buildings. While much of his work is an emotionally dark chaos of rhythmic tunes, it also reflects his ability to experiment with different styles of music, his perception on life, and his his own personality.
Reed’s lyrics showed the side of New York that not many people actually understand and experience. If you attentively analyze his lyrics, you can notice some implied themes of sex and drug usage in clubs as a casual activity (specifically noted in “Walk on the Wild Side”) and other themes like hustlers and drag queens on the street. Reed has been widely renowned for the underlining dark tone in his songs, yet his work still managed to make his listeners feel a strong passion and emotion for the city.
After listening to a couple of his songs, and living in NYC for my whole life, I am speechless that I have never listened to his music. Reed’s mark about New York City’s rise and fall was so immense, that he has been highly acclaimed by reputable sources like Rolling Stone, Metallica, Sex Pistols, NPR, and many more.
If you would like to experience some of his music, here is a link to Rolling Stone’s list of 20 essential songs by him!
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/20-essential-lou-reed-tracks-20131027
Comment below if you liked his songs!
Link to article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/arts/music/lou-reeds-new-york-was-hell-or-heaven.html
I think that it’s interesting that you didn’t know Lou Reed until now. I agree with you on that, I didn’t know who he was either, even though he was supposedly famous. I think this goes back to art in the fact that most artists are more widely known once they pass away. Van Gogh is a good example. This also goes for their work, being that it is worth much more once they have passed on. His music is probably worth much more now, much like Whitney Houston’s was once she had passed on.
I also listened to this music because you pointed it out. I am glad that people are helping Reed live on through his music.
Janice Fong
I think one of the greatest transformations to an urban environment has been New York City’s dramatic turn from having an overwhelming number of poor slum neighborhoods to the glitzy, high rise city today. The perfect example of this change has been Times Square, a place that was once lined with risque gentleman’s clubs. Now, families wander through the same blocks to go to the Disney store and Toys ‘R Us. Lou Reed’s music definitely captures that sense of change and end to an era. And I think that’s what good music should do. At first, the soulful rhythms to his music are all you focus on, but soon his lyrics start to shine through. As for why many artists find fame posthumously, I think it comes from the respect we give those who are deceased. Usually there will be a descriptive summary of the departed’s life and a list of their accomplishments. Interestingly, your death is also one of the most publicized moments of your life.
It is truly remarkable how his songs dealt with different aspects of New York City. In an age where every singer tries to find a theme to make his or her music seem unique, Lou Reed used his music to subtly describe the realities of New York. In the original article, writer Michiko Kakutani mentions that Reed “wrote about New York with a mix of journalistic observation and deeply felt emotion.” When I read that, I thought about how one can take such a stance in a song. Would that mean that he looked at the city from a neutral outlook? That is not possible if he added his own style and emotions to the song. Moreover, after reading the article, I couldn’t help but think about what motivated him to write about the city. What aspect of the city was he most inspired by? Did he wish to capture the city in his songs? While all these questions may seem rather meaningless now, I think they are important because Reed’s art will continue to live on.
I also did not know about Lou Reed until now. I find it difficult to believe that I have not heard of such a legend, prior to this review. With the vast amount of culture in New York City, it is hard to keep up with every inspiring artist. I am disappointed in myself for not knowing Lou Reed’s work earlier. Such deep lyrics with underlying themes and motives bring out Reed’s opinion about New York City, and I really respect that. The triumph of lyrics depicting the transformation of New York City allows the younger generation to experience an era of New York City that we no longer have access to today.
Although I did not know about Lou Reed until reading this article, I understand how the city feels after the lost of such an inspiring artist to New York City. I am glad you shared some of his music because I really liked it. I am shocked to find out that as a resident of New York, I have never heard about this legendary musician. He is definitely a unique artist who accurately portrayed the transformation of New York City through his music. After looking at the lyrics of some of his songs, I can see what you mean by the hidden themes in his songs about the unique culture and the realities of New York City. His music really is an eye opener to New York City’s rapid transformation from a city of slums and ghettos to a city affluence and prosperity. Many people in our generation including myself have always envisioned NYC as the economic center of the world, full of high rise buildings and millionaires. Many of us don’t realize that NYC was once a poor city of immigrants living in very crowded and unsanitary conditions back in the 1930s and has changed since then to what it is today.