•
Rating: It's 1972, a memorable year for rock. Jethro Tull releases "Aqualung", Deep Purple's "Machine Head" comes out, and Genesis rise to the top of progressive with "Nursery Crime", while radios continuously play "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin, released a few months earlier, and Pink Floyd are working on "The Dark Side of The Moon".
But '72 is also a crucial year for glam-rock. Roxy Music stands out, backed by a young keyboardist... Brian Eno and David Bowie, who is already an established star. During that period, a new talent known only to a few for his past in Velvet Underground emerges on the glam scene: Lou Reed.
The young New Yorker is not discouraged by his not very successful solo debut the previous year, and in '72 he records "Transformer", an album destined to become a milestone for future generations. The album is produced (not by chance) by Bowie himself, who has always shown a particular vocation for launching new talents, and it positions itself as a direct rival to "Ziggy Stardust" by dear David.
The first track "Vicious" can be understood as the manifesto of the entire album, the lyrics, suggested by Andy Warhol, center on being vicious and ironically address a problem frequently discussed by both the solo artist and the Velvet Underground: sadomasochism. In the track, Reed's ever-present voice helps give it a sense of completeness that would be missing with just a guitar riff, essential for the rhythm but at the same time monotonous. "Andy's Chest" is a slow track characterized by the use of a choir that serves as a backdrop to the vocal performance of the former Velvet Underground. Then it moves to "Perfect Day" which remains today one of the highest expressions of Lou Reed's compositional ability, with a piano that seems to narrate alongside the singer's melancholic and subdued voice, harmonizing perfectly with a string section that does not appear excessive at all, but on the contrary, lightens everything. To break the gentleness of "Perfect Day" comes "Hangin' 'Round", an energetic track where the guitars make themselves heard again, accompanied by an unexpected rock'n'roll-derived piano. "Walk on the Wild Side" remains one of the author's most famous tracks, with the bass taking center stage, the rhythm marked by a great use of cymbals, and the sax contributing to making the final part more substantial. In "Make Up", characterized by Herbie Flowers' tuba, Lou Reed declares his sympathy towards gays and transvestites. This track has the privilege of introducing "Satellite of Love", one of the most beautiful glam ballads ever, where the piano takes on the role of leading instrument, and from the chorus emerges Bowie's unexpected voice, reaching very high notes. According to an urban legend, Bowie himself would be the author of the rockin' "Wagon Wheel", yet nothing confirms such a thesis, on the contrary, the lyrics with typical Reed-esque canons disprove it.
David Bowie, who is omnipresent in the second part of the album, doubles Reed's voice in some verses of "New York Telephone Conversation", which stands out for the use of the piano in full Cabaret style. "I'm so Free" offers us a beautiful solo by Ronson on the guitar and describes a happy and carefree moment of the protagonist. The album concludes with "Goodnight Ladies", created thanks to the collaboration of Herbie Flowers on the tuba (already present in "Make Up") and a typical dixieland orchestra.
The themes addressed in "Transformer" appeared in '72 as uncomfortable, embarrassing, and scandalous, but the author's intent was to put on sheet music his own vision of the place where he grew up: New York, highlighting its most hidden and ignored aspects. Therefore, Lou Reed's art is not limited to the undisputed compositional ability for which he is often praised but should be placed in a broader context, in which Reed represents the stereotype of the modern metropolitan poet.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Vicious (03:00)
Vicious, you hit me with a flower
You do it every hour
Oh, baby you're so vicious
Vicious, you want me to hit you with a stick
But all I've got is a guitar pick
Oh baby, you're so vicious
When I watch you come, baby, I just want to run far away
You're not the kind of person around I want to stay
When I see you walking down the street
I step on your hands and I mangle your feet
You're not the kind of person that I want to meet
Baby, oh you're so vicious, you're so vicious
Vicious, you hit me with a flower
You do it every hour
Oh, baby you're so vicious
Vicious, hey why don't you swallow razor blades
You must think that I'm some kind of gay blade
But baby, you're so vicious
When I see you coming I just have to run
You're not good and you certainly aren't very much fun
When I see you walking down the street
I step on your hand and I mangle your feet
You're not the kind of person that I'd even want to meet
'Cause you're so vicious, baby, you're so vicious
Vicious, vicious...
03 Perfect Day (03:48)
Just a perfect day
drink sangria in the park
And then later when it gets dark
we go home
Just a perfect day
feed animals in the zoo
Then later a movie too
and then home
Oh, it's such a perfect day
I'm glad I spent it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on
you just keep me hanging on
Just a perfect day
problems all left alone
We can do this on our own
it's such fun
Just a perfect day
you made me forget myself
I thought I was someone else
someone good
Oh, it's such a perfect day
I'm glad I spent it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on
you just keep me hanging on
You're going to reap just what you sow
You're going to reap just what you sow
You're going to reap just what you sow
You're going to reap just what you sow
05 Walk on the Wild Side (04:17)
Holly came from Miami, FLA
Hitch-hiked her way across the USA
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 backroom she was everybody's darlin'
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
Lookin' for soul food and a place to eat
Went to the Apollo
You should've seen 'em 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, ...."
07 Satellite of Love (03:44)
Satellite's gone up to the skies
Things like that drive me out of my mind
I watched it for a little while
I like to watch things on TV
*BUM BUM BUM* Satellite of love
*BUM BUM BUM* Satellite of love
*BUM BUM BUM* Satellite of love
Satellite of
Satellite's gone way up to Mars
Soon it'll be filled with parkin' cars
I watched it for a little while
I love to watch things on TV
*BUM BUM BUM* Satellite of love
*BUM BUM BUM* Satellite of love
*BUM BUM BUM* Satellite of love
Satellite of
I've been told that you've been bold
With Harry, Mark, and John
Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday through Thursday
With Harry, Mark, and John
Satellite's gone up to the skies
Things like that drive me out of my mind
I watched it for a little while
I love to watch things on TV
*BUM BUM BUM* Satellite of love
*BUM BUM BUM* Satellite of love
*BUM BUM BUM* Satellite of love
Satellite of
Satellite of love
08 Wagon Wheel (03:23)
Won't you be my wagon wheel
Won't you tell me, baby, how do you feel
Yeah, you got to live, yeah, your life
as though you're number one
Yeah, you got to live, yeah, your life
and make a point of having some fun
But if you think
that you get kicks from flirting with danger
Danger, ooohhh
just kick her in head and rearrange her
Oh, heavenly father, what can I do
what she's done to me is making me crazy
Oh, heavenly father, I know I have sinned
but look where I've been, it's making me lazy
Won't you be my wagon wheel
Won't you tell me, baby, how does you feel
You got to live, yeah, your life
as though you're number one
Yeah, you got to live, yeah, your life
and make a point of having some fun
But if you think
that you get kicks from flirting with danger
Danger, ooohhh
just kick her in head and rearrange her
And then why don't you wake me, shake me
please don't you let me sleep too long
Why don't you wake me, shake me
please don't you let me sleep too long
Don't wanna miss it now, wake me, shake me, baby
please don't you let me sleep too long
I wanna know why don't you wake me, shake me
please don't you let me sleep too long
Why don't you wake me, shake me
please don't you let me sleep too long
Why, why don't you wake me, shake me
please don't you let me sleep too long
Why don't you wake me, shake me
please don't you let me sleep too long
Why, why don't you wake me, shake me
please don't you let me sleep too long
09 New York Telephone Conversation (01:35)
I was sleeping, gently napping
when I heard the phone
Who is on the other end talking
am I even home
Did you see what she did to him
did you hear what they said
Just a New York conversation
rattling in my head
Oh, oh, my, and what shall we wear
Oh, oh, my, and who really cares
Just a New York conversation
gossip all of the time
Did you hear who did what to whom
happens all the time
Who has touched and who has dabbled
here in the city of shows
Openings, closings, bad repartee
everybody knows
Oh, how sad and why do we call
Oh, I'm glad to hear from you all
I am calling, yes I am calling
just to speak to you
For I know this night will kill me
if I can't be with you
If I can't be with you
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By francis
An album still 'on the fringe' that simultaneously achieves success and reaches the masses without betraying his glorious past.
Under the festive and cheeky outfit of classics like 'Vicious' and 'Walk On The Wild Side,' there's a universe of alienated and eccentric freak artists, drugs, madness, and despite everything, hope and utopia.
By sellami
The legendary Lou Reed gives us a small masterpiece of music!
Impossible to resist the force of the song.
