In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
If I could be anything in the world that flew
I would be a bat and come swooping after you
And if the last time you were here, things were a bit askew
Well, you know what happens after dark
When rattlesnakes loose their skins and their hearts
And all the missionaries loose their bark
All the trees are calling after you
And all the venom snipers after you
Are all the mountains boulder after you
If I could be anything of the things in this world that bite
Instead of being a tethered ocelot on a leash
I'd rather be your kite
And be tied to the end of your string
And flying in the air, babe, at night
Because you know what they say about honey bears
When you shave off all their baby hair
You've got a hairy minded big bare bear
And all the bells are rolling out for you
And stones are all erupting out for you
And all the cheap bloodsuckers are flying after you
Yesterday, Daisy Mae and Biff were grooving down the street
And just like in a movie, her hands became her feet
Her belly button was her mouth
Which meant she tasted what she'd speak
But the funny thing is what happened to her nose
It grew until it reached all of her toes
Now, when people say her feet smell, they mean her nose
And curtains laced with diamonds, dear, for you
And kingdom's Christian sailors (soldiers), dear, for you
And melting ice cap mountains, dear, for you
And knights in flaming silver robes for you
And bats, that with a kiss turn prince for you
Swoop, swoop, oh, baby, rock, rock ...
I would be a bat and come swooping after you
And if the last time you were here, things were a bit askew
Well, you know what happens after dark
When rattlesnakes loose their skins and their hearts
And all the missionaries loose their bark
All the trees are calling after you
And all the venom snipers after you
Are all the mountains boulder after you
If I could be anything of the things in this world that bite
Instead of being a tethered ocelot on a leash
I'd rather be your kite
And be tied to the end of your string
And flying in the air, babe, at night
Because you know what they say about honey bears
When you shave off all their baby hair
You've got a hairy minded big bare bear
And all the bells are rolling out for you
And stones are all erupting out for you
And all the cheap bloodsuckers are flying after you
Yesterday, Daisy Mae and Biff were grooving down the street
And just like in a movie, her hands became her feet
Her belly button was her mouth
Which meant she tasted what she'd speak
But the funny thing is what happened to her nose
It grew until it reached all of her toes
Now, when people say her feet smell, they mean her nose
And curtains laced with diamonds, dear, for you
And kingdom's Christian sailors (soldiers), dear, for you
And melting ice cap mountains, dear, for you
And knights in flaming silver robes for you
And bats, that with a kiss turn prince for you
Swoop, swoop, oh, baby, rock, rock ...
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she was a paranoid schizophrenic and a very radical feminist. i like this song, its frivolous and simply entirely happy. good work mr. reed
I believe Valerie shot Andy because he was supposed to buy a script of hers to shoot, then never paid her (or shot the movie). He then lost the script, angering her to no end. It was that, and the fact that she's a total nutcase.
The song does describe some of the weirdos that hung around the Factory. The title literally refers to the scar on Andy's chest following the incident, but I also took it to mean like another kind of chest, a treasure trove of sorts, a trove of weird characters.
this has always seemed to me like a bunch of random, free-associative, possibly adlibbed nonsense.
does anyone know if it actually has any meaning?
@TeN I'd say not, it is like a whacked out children's story.
Lou Reed wrote this song for Andy Warhol to cheer him up after he was shot by Valerie Solanis. It's many just a silly song to make him laugh but also tell Andy that he still cared about him, because they did have a sort of falling out.
Valerie Solanis is a bitch. if i remember right, she shoot him cause he didnt use her work for his. Correct me if im wrong
Love that last verse - that would have cheered Andy up if anything could. VS shot him because she was a nutter (not in a good way).
Such a great song! I like the Velvet Underground version much more than the one on "Transformer".
Also, I think it's "instead of a dentured ocelot on a leash..."
I love the bass line! and the sound of his voice~!
this is one of my favorite VU songs. it'd cheer me up if i got shot.