Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” Broke Every Rule About What a Pop Hit Could Talk About
In 1972, Lou Reed released a song that brought the underground world he had written about with The Velvet Underground into the mainstream.
“Walk on the Wild Side” sounded relaxed and almost conversational, yet its lyrics introduced millions of listeners to characters, lifestyles and subjects that mainstream pop music rarely discussed openly.
It became Reed's signature solo recording.
Inspired by Andy Warhol's World
The song was inspired by people Reed had encountered around Andy Warhol's famous Factory scene in New York.
The characters in the lyrics were based on real people connected to Warhol's world, including Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandri, Jackie Curtis and Joe Campbell.
Instead of telling one continuous story, Reed introduced them one by one.
Each character represented a different part of the unconventional world surrounding the Factory.
Listen to “Walk on the Wild Side”
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A Song That Sounded Almost Too Calm
The subject matter was provocative.
The music was not.
The recording moves at a relaxed pace, built around bass, percussion and a memorable saxophone part.
Reed's vocal is almost spoken.
That calm delivery makes the lyrics even more striking.
He wasn't shouting for attention.
He simply described the people and experiences he had encountered.
The Famous Bass Line
One of the recording's most recognizable elements is the bass line played by Herbie Flowers.
It gives the song its hypnotic pulse and helps create the laid-back atmosphere.
Flowers also played the distinctive double-bass part heard beneath the electric bass.
That combination became one of the defining sounds of the recording.
David Bowie and Mick Ronson
The song appeared on Reed's 1972 album Transformer, which was produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson.
Bowie was a longtime admirer of Reed and The Velvet Underground.
His involvement helped bring Reed's songwriting to a much larger audience.
The polished production also allowed the unusual subject matter to reach mainstream radio.
A Commercial Breakthrough
“Walk on the Wild Side” became Reed's biggest commercial success.
It reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became an international hit.
For an artist who had spent years associated with underground music, the success was remarkable.
A Controversial Record for Radio
Some radio stations edited parts of the lyrics because of their references to sexuality and drug use.
The song's success nevertheless demonstrated that audiences were ready to hear subjects that had previously been kept far outside mainstream pop.
Reed had taken the world of the Factory and turned it into a pop record.
The Meaning of “Walk on the Wild Side”
The phrase itself became larger than the song.
To “walk on the wild side” suggested stepping outside conventional expectations and experiencing a different way of life.
Reed wasn't presenting his characters as simple heroes or villains.
He was observing them.
That detached perspective gave the song much of its power.
The Legacy
More than five decades later, “Walk on the Wild Side” remains one of the most recognizable songs of the 1970s.
Its bass line is instantly familiar.
Its characters remain part of rock history.
And its subject matter helped expand what mainstream popular music could discuss.
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Lou Reed had spent years documenting people living outside conventional society.
With this song, millions of listeners finally stepped into that world with him.
