Kicks Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Dokuro 

Cover art for Kicks lyrics by Lou Reed

The thing I don't understand about this song is the need for the background chatter. Did Lou just think it would be cool? Is there some meaning to it? Like, at first it sounds like a party, so I thought maybe it was supposed to be the singer's character meeting a person at a party: a person who they've watched, who they know is unhinged like they are, the singer has witnessed this person in the act of killing, and wants to be their accomplice. Here's a dinner party in open space, and these two secluded people are talking about murder. Like "Who knows what those people in the back are talking about when you're at a big party?"

This song is a concept piece, part of the larget concept album, Coney Island Baby. The song is set up to play like a nightclub song in a Coney Island nightclub. The background chatter is supposed to represent people moving about the club, or, perhaps, the microphone being moved around (perhaps the singer is carrying it.) The effect is extremely moody, and adds a lot of ambiance to the song.

The song itself is about hedonism and sensuality. The singer is describing a person (a woman, in this case) who is searching for some new, exciting experience. "Kicks" is obviously...