Lou Reed was the most literary of rock stars, one who aspired to make rock music that could stand on the same plane as works of literature,
and always thought of himself, to some degree, as a poet. Indeed, many of the obituary notices refer to Reed as a “punk poet,” or “poet of New York.”
The Velvet Underground are one of the more unusual fruits of the broad movement known as the “New American Poetry,” named after the title
of the epochal anthology edited by Donald Allen in 1960 which brought together under one banner the various avant-garde poetic communities of the 1950s,
especially the Beats, the New York School, and the Black Mountain poets. This movement—and in particular, the New York School of poetry—played
a surprisingly large role in the emergence of Velvet Underground, one of the most daring, original, and influential rock bands in history, and in the shape of Lou Reed’s career.
Standing on the corner, suitcase in my hand
Jack is in his corset, and Jane is in her vest, and, me
I'm in a rock'n'roll band. Huh
Ridin' in a Stutz-Bearcat, Jim
Y'know, those were different times
Oh, all the poet, they studied rules of verse
And the ladies, they rolled their eyes
Sweet Jane! Whoa! Sweet Jane, oh-oh-a! Sweet Jane
I'll tell you something
Jack, he is a banker
And Jane, she is a clerk
Both of them save their monies, ha
And when, when they come home from work
Ooh! Sittin' down by the fire, oh
The radio does play
The classical music there, Jim
"The March of the Wooden Soldiers"
All you protest kids
You can hear Jack say, get ready, ah
Sweet Jane! Come on baby! Sweet Jane! Oh-oh-a! Sweet Jane
Some people, they like to go out dancing
And other peoples, they have to work. Just watch me now
And there's even some evil mothers
Well they're gonna tell you that everything is just dirt
Y'know that, women, never really faint
And that villains always blink their eyes, woo
And that, y'know, children are the only ones who blush
And that, life is, just to die
And, everyone who ever had a heart, oh
That wouldn't turn around and break it
And anyone who ever played a part, whoa
And wouldn't turn around and hate it
Sweet Jane! Whoa-oh-oh! Sweet Jane! Sweet Jane. Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane. Sweet Jane
