Top 10 Lou Reed Songs

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From the humble beginnings of the Velvet Underground to his final days collaborating with Metallica, Laurie Anderson, and Antony, Lou Reed wrote and recorded one of the most intriguing and prolific catalogs in the history of rock and roll. The man had a penchant for experimentation and didn’t particularly care what anyone thought of him. That led to erratic strokes of genius, even if they were sometimes buried in the rubble. Thus, here are the Top 10 Lou Reed Songs from that long career worth revisiting.

(Disclaimer: This addresses Lou Reed as a solo musician and does not include content
from the Velvet Underground. ClassicRockHistory.com is proud to present……

The Top 10 Lou Reed Songs.

# 10 – ‘Talking Book’ (Perfect Night / 1998)

If you’ve never heard of this song, there is most certainly a reason why. Reed’s only official performance was on his 1998 live record, Perfect Night. The haunting ballad was written for ‘Time Rocker,’ a foreign play Reed composed the music for. The play was never properly recorded, but he let this gem drop two years later on this live record. It’s everything wonderful about Lou Reed: simplistic, relatable, and emotional.

# 9 – ‘I Wanna Know’ (The Raven / 2003)

Lou Reed was often at his finest when he surrounded himself with equally superb talents. In 2003, he embarked on an incredibly ambitious endeavor with ‘The Raven.’ A collaboration with the Blind Boys of Alabama manifested itself into ‘I Wanna Know,’ one of the Top Ten Lou Reed Songs that perfectly exhibits Reed’s talent as a bluesman. (Both as a vocalist and lyricist.)

# 8 – ‘How Do You Speak to an Angel’ (Growing Up In Public / 1980)

The 80s was for Lou Reed like it was for many artists of his era, rough and tumble.
Before those hit/miss records, however, he started off the decade with ‘Growing Up In
Public.’ The album is a wonderfully eccentric, amusing, and unsurprisingly frank
journey through Lou Reed’s wrestling with adulthood. The opening track, ‘How Do You
Speak to an Angel’ is its most memorable. Who hasn’t had anxiety about speaking to
the prettiest girl in the room? This cataclysmic rocker is so delightfully personable.

# 7 – ‘Walk On the Wild Side’ (Transformer / 1972)

It earned its place in history, and it’s earned its place on this list. ‘Walk on the Wild
Side’ remains the most lasting impression Lou Reed ever made on music. Its bass riff?
Legendary. Its lyrics? Unforgettable. Thus, it is one of his finest tunes. One could argue,
though, that it merely opened a gateway for Reed to break free from the Velvet
Underground. It sent Reed into the stratosphere as a solo artist, and hence, it’ll always
be a great song and one of the most popular Lou Reed songs in his entire catalog.

# 6 – ‘Sad Song’ (Berlin / 1973)

Just as quickly as Lou Reed gained the adoration of the music community, he lost it all
with ‘Berlin,’ his epic large critical flop. Four decades later, it’s considered one of his
best releases. The album, which delves deep into domestic abuse, suicide, depression,
and other terrifying notions, ends with ‘Sad Song.’ This triumph of production is one of Reed’s most classically beautiful compositions.

# 5 – ‘Coney Island Baby’ (Coney Island Baby / 1976)

After several more bizarre releases post ‘Berlin,’ Lou Reed returned to Velvet Underground stylism for ‘Coney Island Baby.’ The titular tune is a lovely insight to a young Lou Reed, one who just “wants to play football for the coach.” Lou Reed had very troubled teenage years; his sexuality caused his parents to subject him to electroshock therapy. ‘Coney Island Baby’ reveals the softhearted boy underneath that survived the torture.

# 4 – ‘Cremation (Ashes to Ashes)’ (Magic & Loss / 1992)

When one of Lou Reed’s friends was dying of cancer, he penned one of the saddest,
most in-depth commentaries of death ever written. ‘Magic & Loss is a masterpiece in
its entirety, somberly tugging at your heartstrings and soul as Reed approaches death
with his signature wit and cynicism. ‘Cremation (Ashes to Ashes)’ is one of the most breathtaking compositions on the record, and it also contains some of its best musings and imagery.

# 3 – ‘NYC Man’ (Set The Twilight Reeling / 1996)

‘NYC Man’ is the spiritual successor to ‘Walk on the Wild Side.’ With its excellent bass
riffing and carefree lyricism, the track showcases Lou Reed in his element: New York
City. “Blink your eyes and I’ll be gone,” he croons over a track of self-acceptance. After
the wholly depressing Magic & Loss and Songs For Drella albums, ‘Set The Twilight Reeling’ is a very special return to life and its oddities for Reed.

# 2 – ‘Halloween Parade’ (New York / 1989)

It’s immeasurably difficult to choose a track from ‘New York’ that isn’t among Lou
Reed’s finest songs. The album decisively ended Reed’s tumultuous decade with one of
his most terrific, insightful, and well-executed records since the Velvet Underground.
‘Halloween Parade’ is one of the most special tracks on the album. Its imaginative
nature is joyfully brilliant.

# 1 – TIE – Street Hassle (Street Hassle / 1978) / Sweet Jane Live Version

How does one describe ‘Street Hassle’? It remains Lou Reed’s purest, most outstanding work for a variety of reasons. This three-part rock opera boasts Reed’s staggeringly good lyrical ability at its best, and though certainly not safe for work, it is compellingly poetic. Its composition is also one of, if not, Reed’s most marvelous. ‘Street Hassle’ is the closest Lou Reed ever got to capturing his genius in one take.

And of course, we had to close this list with the incredible live version of “Sweeet Jane.” With that stunning guitar introduction, the recording goes down as one of the greatest album-opening tracks in classic rock history. Released in 1974 on the Rock And Roll Animal album.