Lewis Allen Reed, más conocido como Lou Reed (nació
en Brooklyn, Nueva York, el 2 de marzo de 1942 y falleció ayer, 27 de octubre
de 2013, en Southampton, Estado de Nueva York). Fue cantante y compositor de rock, considerado
el padre del rock alternativo, primero como líder del grupo The Velvet
Underground y luego en solitario.
“Walk on the wild side” es una canción de su segundo álbum en solitario, Transformer. Fue producida por David Bowie, y es considerada una de las canciones más famosas de Reed en solitario. La letra, escrita en primera persona, constituye una historia de encuentros sexuales con diferentes clases de personas (transexuales, chaperos, prostitutas, etc.) y a pesar de tocar severos temas tabú para el momento, la canción recibió una amplia cobertura de radio en su estreno.
La letra de la canción
cuenta sus diversos viajes a Nueva York, y es una biografía velada de varias de
las estrellas de The Factory, estudio neoyorquino.
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 ..."
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 ..."
