Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed song)
| "Walk on the Wild Side" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
One of label variants of the US single | ||||
| Single by Lou Reed | ||||
| from the album Transformer | ||||
| A-side | "Perfect Day" | |||
| Released | November 24, 1972 | |||
| Recorded | August 1972 | |||
| Studio | Trident (London, England) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:12 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Songwriter | Lou Reed | |||
| Producers | ||||
| Lou Reed singles chronology | ||||
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| Audio | ||||
| "Lou Reed - Walk on the Wild Side (Official Audio)" on YouTube | ||||
"Walk on the Wild Side" is a song by American rock musician Lou Reed from his second solo album, Transformer (1972). It was produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson and released as a double A-side with "Perfect Day". Known as a counterculture anthem, the song received heavy radio play and became Reed's biggest hit and signature song.
The song's lyrics describe various individuals and their journeys to New York City. Specifically, the song refers to several of the regular "superstars" at Andy Warhol's New York studio, the Factory: Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandro, Jackie Curtis and Joe Campbell (referred to in the song by the nickname "Sugar Plum Fairy"). "Walk on the Wild Side" touched on topics considered taboo at the time it was released, including transgender people, drugs, male prostitution, and oral sex.