I'm Waiting for the Man
"I'm Waiting for the Man" | |
---|---|
Song by the Velvet Underground | |
from the album The Velvet Underground & Nico | |
Released | March 1967 |
Recorded | May 1966 |
Studio | TTG, Hollywood, California |
Genre | |
Length | 4:37 |
Label | Verve |
Songwriter(s) | Lou Reed |
Producer(s) | Andy Warhol |
Official audio | |
"I'm Waiting For The Man" on YouTube |
"I'm Waiting for the Man" (sometimes titled "I'm Waiting for My Man") is a song by the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Written by Lou Reed, it was first released on their 1967 debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico.
In various reviews, it is described as "tough garage rock", "proto-punk classic", and "one of the all-time classic rock songs", with renditions by a number of artists.
Reception and legacy[]
In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song at number 159 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time,[2] then it was re-ranked at number 161 in 2010.[4] It noted:
Originally a rootsy Dylan hommage, the song evolved into a proto-punk classic steeped in New York grit. The Velvets mixed R&B rhythm-guitar workout, blues-piano stomp and dreamy art drone, as Reed deadpans a story about scoring $26 worth of heroin in Harlem. "Everything about that song holds true," said Reed, "except the price."[2]
In a song review for AllMusic, Dave Thompson called it "one of the all-time classic rock songs ... Over chunky guitar, clunking piano, and jackhammer drums, Reed half-sings, half-intones what he would once describe as a love song about a man and the subway."[5] He notes that it has been recorded by numerous artists, including "David Bowie and the Stooges [who] both cut fascinating takes on the song".[5] Bowie's later 1977 song "'Heroes'" was influenced by Reed's writing.[6] Each member of the Velvet Underground has performed the song based on their own interpretations.[5]
Personnel[]
This section does not cite any sources. (August 2021) |
- Lou Reed – lead vocals
- John Cale – piano, bass guitar
- Sterling Morrison – rhythm guitar
- Maureen Tucker – drums, tambourine
- Andy Warhol – producer
- Tom Wilson – post-production supervisor
References[]
- ^ Deming, Mark. "The Velvet Underground & Nico – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time 2004: 101-200". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-06-20. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ O'Hagan, Sean (October 27, 2013). "Lou Reed: Six of his greatest songs". The Guardian. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "I'm Waiting for the Man ranked 161 by Rolling Stone in 2010". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Thompson, Dave. "The Velvet Underground: 'I'm Waiting For the Man' – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
- ^ Buckley, David (2005). Strange Fascination: David Bowie: The Definitive Story (Revised ed.). Virgin Books. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-7535-1002-5. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
- 1967 songs
- The Velvet Underground songs
- Songs written by Lou Reed
- Songs about heroin
- Songs about New York City
- David Bowie songs
- The Stooges songs
- Songs composed in D major