50k-music video: March 2013

Sunday, 24 March 2013

Uploaded on 22 Jun 2010

An extract from the One Show featuring Herbie Flowers, and his part in the classic bass intro to Lou Reed's 'Walk on the wild side'.
Broadcast 9th June 2010

Uploaded on 19 Nov 2009

"Walk On The Wild Side" from Lou Reed's 1972 second solo album, Transformer, after leaving the Velvet Underground did not chart in the top 10 on Billboard. Some of the songs that year that did chart in the top 10 were: Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)," Mac Davis "Don't Get Hooked On Me," and Wayne Newton "Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast." I'd say "Walk On The Wild Side" is just as memorable, if not more so than those ones. My favorite part of the song is probably the saxophone solo at the end 3:44.

To say the least, this song was highly controversial when it came out considering it is about transvestites who come to NYC for prostitution. They would say to their potential customers, "Take a walk on the wild side!" Lou Reed once said about the song: "I always thought it would be fun to introduce people to characters they maybe hadn't met before, or hadn't wanted to meet." What an amazing storyteller and lyrical genius Lou Reed was.

Try to find another song from this time period where the artists talks about "giving head," I doubt you can find another! He was writing about things that, frankly, almost no other artist at that time would even consider writing or singing about. Lou was well before his time, and has inspired countless artists from all genres. What a classic, classic song! Still no song like it to this day. What other artist other than Lou could get away with lyrics like: "And the colored girls go doo do doo, doo do doo, doo do doo"?! The lyrics are way too clever and fun not to post in the description so here they are:

Lyrics:

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 says, 'Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side'
He said, 'Hey honey, take a walk on the wild side'

Candy came from out on the island
In the backroom she was everybody's darlin'
But she never lost her head
Even when she was giving head
She says, 'Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side'
He said, 'Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side'

And the colored girls go
Doo do doo, doo do doo, doo do doo

Little Joe never once gave it away
Everybody had to pay and pay
A hustle here and a hustle there
New York City's 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've seen 'em 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
Doo do doo, doo do doo, doo do doo

Roger Cook - History of "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing"

Uploaded on 13 May 2011

Roger will perform one of his first global hits on the very instrument he created the song. I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing was one of the first viral hits to ever span the globe and touched the lives of millions. He will reminisce about his extraordinary experience with a few recollections in his own inimitable style.