Music Friday #25: “Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou Reed

Hello again!

As many of you may know, David Bowie died this week a couple days after releasing his latest album, Blackstar. I felt a piece of childhood rise into my conscious memory again. You see, I grew up idolizing Bowie after seeing him play Jareth in the movie,”Labyrinth.”

His hair was silver, reaching down to his tragically cool tights. When he played with Jennifer Connelly’s emotions as she raced to retrieve her noisy baby brother, dressed in candy cane pajamas. I wanted to live with him in his Escher-like mansion and rule the goblins birthed by Henson.

Watching him pass from movie to art paired to music, he taught me it was good to be different–on the fringes. Definition of art and success could swallow “modern love.” After careful thought, I decided to feature a song that describes the wild freedom I still feel thanks to Bowie and others like him.

Holly came from Miami F.L.A.
Hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A.
Plucked her eyebrows on the way
Shaved her legs and then he was a she
She said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side,
Said, hey honey, take a walk on the wild side.

Candy came from out on the island,
In the backroom she was everybody’s darling,
But she never lost her head
Even when she was giving head
She sayes, hey baby, take a walk on the wild side
Said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side
And the colored girls go,

Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo

…

Little Joe never once gave it away
Everybody had to pay and pay
A hustle here and a hustle there
New York City is the place where they said:
Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side
I said hey Joe, take a walk on the wild side

Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets
Lookin’ for soul food and a place to eat
Went to the Apollo
You should have seen him go, go, go
They said, hey Sugar, take a walk on the wild side
I said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side, alright, huh

Jackie is just speeding away
Thought she was James Dean for a day
Then I guess she had to crash
Valium would have helped that bash
She said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side
I said, hey honey, take a walk on the wild side
And the colored girls say

Songwriters
LEWIS ALLEN REED, LOU REED

Published by
Lyrics © SONY ATV MUSIC PUB LLC

Photo Courtesy of lcg2001

Use the above song as inspiration for any form of creative expression (including but not limited too short stories, poems, lyrics, artwork, photography, covers, music/dance videos etc.) Alternatively,

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About Rose

I am... cautious, labyrintine, secretive, lost, confused, brazen, independent, indestructible, miraculous, devastating, trapped, please others for approval, scars inside and out, addiction, hiding, erasing, running but past always catches up, adventuresome, sadness, disconnect, various drug treatments for depression and anxiety, discovering, foolishness idealistic, stubborn, belief in love, sympathy for others, capable of great kindness, neglect, selfishness, poor choices, thoughts of death, exclusion, lonely, distinct, vivid, real, belief in Random Acts of Kindness, teacher, patient, supportive, contemplating, academic achievement, lost and broken dreams, second and third and fourth chances, unique, resourceful, professional, humorous, loves children, curious about neuroanatomy and linguistics, people-watcher, introspective, reader of multiple books at a time, intermittent Spanish student, disgraceful at math, hate politics and violence, non-voter,sensitive, stressed, participant in NaNo, novelist, music lover, inspiration finder, searcher for Wisdom in everything, traveler, caver, photographer, afraid of oceans, childish, awestruck, proud of my children, breathing..

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