I'm Waiting for the Man

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"Waiting for the Man" redirects here. For the Constantine episode, see Waiting for the Man (Constantine).
"I'm Waiting for the Man"
I'm Waiting for the Man.jpg
1971 German single picture sleeve
Song by the Velvet Underground
from the album The Velvet Underground & Nico
ReleasedMarch 1967 (1967-03)
RecordedMay 1966
StudioTTG, Hollywood, California
Genre
Length4:37
LabelVerve
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[]

References[]

  1. ^ Deming, Mark. "The Velvet Underground & Nico – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ O'Hagan, Sean (October 27, 2013). "Lou Reed: Six of his greatest songs". The Guardian. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  4. ^ "I'm Waiting for the Man ranked 161 by Rolling Stone in 2010". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c Thompson, Dave. "The Velvet Underground: 'I'm Waiting For the Man' – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  6. ^ 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.
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