Lyric discussion by PeterCS 

Cover art for All Tomorrow's Parties lyrics by Velvet Underground, The

RIP Lou Reed.

I'm surprised more people here haven't picked up on the massive Cinderella allusions that sweetiedarling raised back in 2004, at the beginning of this thread. "poor girl", "hand-me-down/s", and "when midnight comes around" wave a huge hint.

The difference is that this Cinderella doesn't get her ball gown or her romantic happy ending. "ALL tomorrow's parties" suggests she is lost in a permanent wishful/feeble-minded/powerless dream of glamour, status and happiness. (As others here have suggested.)

Taken together, these strands suggest a wannabee, a hanger-on, a groupie, with no skill or drive of her own to make any of her dream(s) come true. Just hoping to be whisked to the Ball of bright life by someone with a golden coach.

The art scene could be, and still often is, a cruel, bitchy environment. Lovvies who stab each other in the back if it advances their careers, and take a sado-masochistic delight in the misfortunes of the Darwinian failures less successful than themselves. I've absolutely no doubt Warhol will have adored this song. Lou Reed by contrast, who took the action and wrote it, as opposed to lapping it up with a sneer, expresses a certain sympathy through the contempt for another of art life's talentless failures. It has a bit of a friendly warning about it, expressed in severe terms.

I'm not sure "Sunday's clown" is about clothing - it seems to be more about someone acting the joker, pretending to be merry, an entertainer (see Cobain) on the day of the week that is "off".

But there no doubt is a play also on "far to go" vs. "full of grace".

I would bet a lot of money that the person who mainly inspired this song, whoever she was, will also have been born on a Thursday .....

And there's no doubt the shroud is the sad end of a junkie and/or suicide - the apparently inevitable end of a permanent Cinderella, hanging on to Warhol's soulless chancer set.

On the versions - Japan's is a hundred times better. Played by proper musicians rather than chancers (!), - Mick Karn's bass is especially telling - and given full value for its mixed messages, rather than a zombie vocal. Was Nico born on a Thursday?

@PeterCS it makes me sad that this comment is so poorly rated, and that a pathetic clueless stream of consciousness schlock (and completely lacking in real social consciousness) is occupying 'best rated'.

@PeterCS Alicia, hi & thanks for the implied appreciation, and I hope some of my suggestions resonated with you.

Don't be sad though ... ratings, rep, likes, faves, retweets etc etc. - it's just Internet! ;)

Right now, I'm reflecting on the desperation refugee situation, the cynicism of the smugglers, the indifference of governments, the hostility of the traditional press ... now that is something that makes me sad, and worse than sad ....

Leo got it all just right, years ago. It's just the same: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJH7q1UOJ-A

@PeterCS Sorry, didn't realise this site blocked youtube uploads. I was trying to link to Leo Kottke: "The Driver". Easily found, if you look.