Street Hassle Lyrics
Everyone's got their own idea as to who is the prostitute, or if sex or drugs were being bought, or if the chick in part two is Waltzing Matilda. I don't think the details matter as much as the message. Part 1 is a story of transcendent love in the midst of and in spite of the gutters of human life. Part 2 shows how things get real in this same seedy setting, when the 'heroine' dies of an overdose. Even though the characters are all portrayed as sort of low lifes, the sense of loss is still gutting. The feeling washes over you as if it were you hearing the news of your lover's death, as your new buddy casually says, 'hey, that cunt's not moving.. lay her out in the darkened street'. You feel reality hit you, that strange mix of dread and shock.
It's like Reed is making a case for life not being meaningless. It is brutal and unforgiving, but there is hope for transcendence whoever you are, and however you live your life. Everything can be lost in the blink of an eye for no reason at all, but that doesn't make the best things in life any less real or meaningful. Part 3 illustrates just how deeply the loss is felt.
It seems to be a hallmark of Reed's career to humanize characters that society generally condemns. Also, it's strange to find such a masterpiece on an album where on all other tracks Reed seems high and belligerent. It makes you wonder how he's even capable of writing, or even comprehending, the beautiful message of this song.
"Street Hassle"
You know, I'm glad that we met man It was really nice talking And I really wish that there was a little more time to speak But you know it could be a hassle Trying to explain myself to a police officer About how it was your old lady got herself stiffed
And it's not like we could help But there's nothing no one could do And if there was, man, you know I would have been the first But when someone turns that blue Well, it's a universal truth Then you just know that bitch will never fuck again
By the way, that's really some bad shit That you came to our place with But you ought to be more careful around the little girls It's either the best or it's the worst And since I don't have to choose, I guess I won't And I know this ain't no way to treat a guest But why don't you grab your old lady by the feet And just lay her out in the darkest street And by morning, she's just another hit and run
You know, some people got no choice, and they can never find a voice, to talk with that they can even call their own. So the first thing that they see, that allows them the right to be, why they follow it, you know, it’s called bad luck.
You probably know it but Springsteen does vocals on the "Believe me, that's just a lie" verse.
Part 2 of 3 (Street Hassle) is the best. I think that "Sha la la la la" is the M.O. of Street Hassle. The way they sing it has the tone of something like "that's just life, man" or "C'est La Vie." It's a perfect, wordless way of conveying the gritty street realism that makes this song so great. Definitely an early rock masterpiece in writing.
so incredibly complex. yet lou reed presents it all in such a casual tone in the spoken word sections. love this
The Lyrics are wrong. It should be; The sexy boy smiled in dismay She took out 4 twenties 'cause she liked ROUND figures Everybody's QUEEN for a day
Luscious and gorgeous, oh what HUMPING muscle
From off of a formica top BAR"Slipaway"
Well, hey, man, that's just a lie That's a lie she tells her friends There's a real song, the real song She won't even admit to herself The beatin' in her heart, it's a song lots of people know It's a painful song A little sad truth Life's full of sad songs A penny for a wish Wishin' won't make you a soldier Or a pretty kiss or a pretty face Can't have it's way There're tramps like us who were born to pay
Love has gone away And there's no one here now And there's nothing left to way But, oh, how I miss him, baby Oh, baby, come on and slip away Come on, baby, why don't you slip away
Love has gone away Took the rings off my fingers And there's nothing left to say But, oh how, oh how I need you, baby Come on, baby, I need you baby Oh, please don't slip away I need your loving so bad, baby, please don't slip away
so good
Ulitmate song about death.
It's one of a collection of Reed songs connected with a party atmosphere... about those who walk the streets when it gets dark. Well not particularly in this song, but it all kinda is connected in different ways, if examine them all.