Lou Reed

Released: November 8, 1972

Songwriter: Lou Reed

Producer: Lou Reed Mick Ronson David Bowie

[Verse 1]
Holly came from Miami, FLA
Hitchhiked her way across the U.S.A
Plucked her eyebrows on the way
Shaved her legs and then he was a she

[Chorus]
She says, "Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side"
Said, "Hey honey, take a walk on the wild side"

[Verse 2]
Candy came from out on the Island
In the backroom, she was everybody's darling
But she never lost her head
Even when she was giving head

[Chorus]
She says, "Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side"
Said, "Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side"

[Post Chorus]
And the colored girls go
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
(Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Dooh)

[Verse 3]
Little Joe never once gave it away
Everybody had to pay and pay
A hustle here and a hustle there
New York City is the place where they said

[Chorus]
"Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side"
I said, "Hey Joe, take a walk on the wild side"

[Verse 4]
Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets
Looking for soul food and a place to eat
Went to the Apollo
You should have seen him go, go, go

[Chorus]
They said, "Hey sugar, take a walk on the wild side"
I said, "Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side"
Alright, huh

[Verse 5]
Jackie is just speeding away
Thought she was James Dean for a day
Then I guess that she had to crash
Valium would have helped that bash

[Chorus]
She said, "Hey, babe, take a walk on the wild side"
I said, "Hey honey, take a walk on the wild side"

[Post Chorus]
And the colored girls say
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
(Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Dooh)

[Saxophone Solo]

Lewis Allan “Lou” Reed was the front man for The Velvet Underground and had a successful solo career spanning several decades.

Lou passed away on October 27, 2013, after undergoing a liver transplant in the spring.

more tracks from the album

Transformer

From the albums

Transformer (1972)
Walk On The Wild Side: The Best Of Lou Reed (1977)
Rock And Roll Diary 1967-1980 (1980)
Times Square: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1980)
Between Thought and Expression: Selected Lyrics of Lou Reed (1991) (1991)
Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology (1992)
The Rolling Stone Collection - 25 Years Of Essential Rock (1993)
Ultimate Seventies: 1973 (2003)
20 Feet From Stardom (Music From the Motion Picture) (2013)
21 Rock Favorites (2015)
NOW That’s What I Call 70s [UK] (2016)
100 Hits The Best Rock Album (2018)
The Wilds (Season 1 Soundtrack) (2020)
NOW 70s Glam Pop [UK] (2021)

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Walk on the Wild SideLou Reed

Lou Reed

Transformer