Your face when sleeping is sublime
And then you open up your eyes
Then comes pancake factor number one
Eyeliner, rose hips and lip gloss, such fun
You're a slick little girl, you're a slick little girl
Rouge and coloring, incense and ice
Perfume and kisses, oh it's all so nice
You're a slick little girl, you're a slick little girl
Now we're coming out, out of our closets
Out on the streets, yeah, we're coming out
When you're in bed it's so wonderful
It'd be so nice to fall in love
When you get dressed I really get my fill
People say that it's impossible
Gowns lovely made out of lace
And all the things that you do to your face
You're a slick little girl, you're a slick little girl
Eyeliner, whitener then color the eyes
Yellow and green, oh what a surprise
You're a slick little girl, oh, you're such a slick little girl
Now we're coming out, out of our closets
Out on the streets, yes, we're coming out
Yeah, we're coming out ...
And then you open up your eyes
Eyeliner, rose hips and lip gloss, such fun
You're a slick little girl, you're a slick little girl
Rouge and coloring, incense and ice
Perfume and kisses, oh it's all so nice
You're a slick little girl, you're a slick little girl
Out on the streets, yeah, we're coming out
It'd be so nice to fall in love
When you get dressed I really get my fill
People say that it's impossible
And all the things that you do to your face
You're a slick little girl, you're a slick little girl
Eyeliner, whitener then color the eyes
Yellow and green, oh what a surprise
You're a slick little girl, oh, you're such a slick little girl
Out on the streets, yes, we're coming out
Yeah, we're coming out ...
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Always thought this song was about a boy, actually.
@missastro Absolutely, it's an ode to a crossdresser/transgender/transvestite. The title of the album is a reference to this proclivity as well, IMO. Lou made no secrets of the fact that he had transexual lovers.
@missastro Absolutely, it's an ode to a crossdresser/transgender/transvestite. The title of the album is a reference to this proclivity as well, IMO. Lou made no secrets of the fact that he had transexual lovers.
The song is about a man in love with a cross-dressing man. Too bad this has to be spelled out.
Most of the lyrics are vague about the sex of the person applying the make up. I think this is deliberate. But the chorus ("...we're coming out, out of our closets, out on the streets...") should remove any doubt.
Lou Reed has never been shy about bringing up issues of sexuality. Just look at the cover of the album, not to mention it's name ("Transformer").
oh and i think it's more of an "oOOh" rather than "oh"
The music in actual section about make up sounds almost childish and mocking (eg the oom-pah bass, the nursery rhyme style singing). Could this be Lou showing his dislike for "the things that you do to your face" such as "pancake factor". You are only the "slick little girl" (Male or Female) when sleeping and un-made up (,your face, it's sublime).
wow, me to on the nyc underground glory days, but all the same i think his tone and words imply he's bored with this high maintenance girl or lifestyle or whatever.
I don't think he sounds bored at all! I think he sounds sort of sleepy; like he's just woken up and he's lying about in bed watching this person (not sure if it's a boy or girl) get dressed and put their make up on. He sounds really affectionate and chilled out, but not neccessarily in love....
"Pancake Factor Number One" refers to Max Factor makeup.
Note the name of the song "make up" doesn't just refer to cosmetics. It also is a verb, meaning "to pretend". As in, to pretend to be a girl when you're really a boy.
Again, need I point out the lyrics "we're coming out, out of our closets, out on the streets"?
Like much of the album, it is sung in deadpan not out of boredom, but out of the cynic's melancholy view of the world, wanting to enjoy love and life but not being allowed to by society.
I got excited when I first heard this when he started singing, "you're a slick little girl" in that sarcastic tone - I thought he shared my views on girls who do all this make-up and completely mess up their faces, but then he said "we're coming out - out of our closets" and I realized it must be about gay pride.
I wish there were more songs written about crossdressers. xD Such an interesting subject for a song. and jcovarru- nailed it.
I imagine if Bukowski were to be a singer, he would have sounded like lou reed is signing in this song. Not bored, just observant. Being honest, what a slick little song