Loue Reed: Heroin

“I don't know just where I'm going But I'm gonna try for the kingdom, if I can 'Cause it makes me feel like I'm a man When I put a spike into my vein And I'll tell ya, things aren't quite the same When I'm rushing on my run And I feel just like Jesus' son”

A lot of people feel have different opinions about what this song really stands for, but that’s not the point. Lou Reed, part of the Velvet Underground, didn’t write this song to necessarily promote or criticize “Heroin”. The song is obviously about the drug, as you can tell by Reed’s great lyrics, but that doesn’t mean that he supports it. That’s what makes him a great song writer, he is able to put the lyrics out there and let the listener decide how to interpret it.

The lyrics aren’t all that makes this song, even though they are really just amazing. The combination of Reed’s simple but genius guitar riff and the instrumentals from the violin and drums really make the song. It starts off slow and speeds up after each verse, which helps emphasize the lyrics. Overall, this is one of my favorite songs by the Velvet Underground.