I think that the title of the song is meant to be ironic. At the time, songs about enlightenment and epiphanies were everywhere. After the Beatles had their association with the Maharishi, it seemed like everyone wanted to record songs along those lines. But Lou Reed always preferred to keep things dark and gritty. Peace and love and flower power were not for him. "Beginning to See the Light", the other song from this album in the same vein, is similar. At first glance, they seem uplifting. Then, when you take a closer look, you realize that the message is that the world is a dark place, the human psyche has some very dark and frightening aspects to it, and enlightenment is very elusive. When he says, "Let me tell you people what I found", he builds you up to anticipate some revelation. But what he found was seeing his "head laughing, rolling on the ground". It's a weird, disturbing image, not some kind of beautiful revelation. And of course the key phrase in the song is "I'm set free to find a new illusion". In other words, he doesn't find the truth, or any kind of enlightenment. He may at certain times reach a realization about his life and the truth and feel like he is set free, but all that it ever leads to is a new illusion. He isn't liberated from the darkness. He just trades in one illusion for another.
@JT1968, when I was much younger and was doing music, when we'd finish something, we'd say "Well then, on to the next cul-de-sac."
@JT1968, when I was much younger and was doing music, when we'd finish something, we'd say "Well then, on to the next cul-de-sac."
I think that this song is about relationships, and about how there's so much expectation and fantasy at the beginning, then there's the big letdown when it ends. But he's ready to get on that roller coaster for another ride, even though he knows a lot of it's not real.
I think that this song is about relationships, and about how there's so much expectation and fantasy at the beginning, then there's the big letdown when it ends. But he's ready to get on that roller coaster for another ride, even though he knows a lot of it's not real.
I think that the title of the song is meant to be ironic. At the time, songs about enlightenment and epiphanies were everywhere. After the Beatles had their association with the Maharishi, it seemed like everyone wanted to record songs along those lines. But Lou Reed always preferred to keep things dark and gritty. Peace and love and flower power were not for him. "Beginning to See the Light", the other song from this album in the same vein, is similar. At first glance, they seem uplifting. Then, when you take a closer look, you realize that the message is that the world is a dark place, the human psyche has some very dark and frightening aspects to it, and enlightenment is very elusive. When he says, "Let me tell you people what I found", he builds you up to anticipate some revelation. But what he found was seeing his "head laughing, rolling on the ground". It's a weird, disturbing image, not some kind of beautiful revelation. And of course the key phrase in the song is "I'm set free to find a new illusion". In other words, he doesn't find the truth, or any kind of enlightenment. He may at certain times reach a realization about his life and the truth and feel like he is set free, but all that it ever leads to is a new illusion. He isn't liberated from the darkness. He just trades in one illusion for another.
@JT1968, when I was much younger and was doing music, when we'd finish something, we'd say "Well then, on to the next cul-de-sac."
@JT1968, when I was much younger and was doing music, when we'd finish something, we'd say "Well then, on to the next cul-de-sac."
I think that this song is about relationships, and about how there's so much expectation and fantasy at the beginning, then there's the big letdown when it ends. But he's ready to get on that roller coaster for another ride, even though he knows a lot of it's not real.
I think that this song is about relationships, and about how there's so much expectation and fantasy at the beginning, then there's the big letdown when it ends. But he's ready to get on that roller coaster for another ride, even though he knows a lot of it's not real.