# Lou Reed’s “Take a walk on The Wild Side” **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2000, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198 "2000-12-05T22:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/21 "2017-05-20T05:24:58Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > “Colored girls” sang on a huge percentage of pop hits back then. By almost everyone. And there are about half a dozen names that appeared constantly in that select group. It was not an obscure or difficult reference in Lou’s song, to me. Check out the documentary [Twenty Feet From Stardom](http://twentyfeetfromstardom.com/), which tells some of the stories of the backup singers of that era. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/22 "2017-05-20T12:00:52Z")
If the OP (whom I know is long gone) raised his eyebrows over the phrase ‘colored girls’, I’d be very interested in his reaction to Reed’s song “I Wanna Be Black”“["I Wanna Be Black](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/loureed/iwannabeblack.html)” (written six years after ‘Wild Side’). mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/23 "2017-05-20T12:16:16Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > If the OP (whom I know is long gone) raised his eyebrows over the phrase ‘colored girls’, I’d be very interested in his reaction to Reed’s song “I Wanna Be Black” (written six years after ‘Wild Side’). > mmm Too late to edit…above link is NSFW (contains offensive lyrics). Reported to mod. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/24 "2017-05-20T17:12:30Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Too late to edit…above link is NSFW (contains offensive lyrics). Reported to mod. Sic 'em, **manhattan**. You \*\*\*are \*\*\*the hall monitor! ---
**Author:** ![Enlightening\_Meditation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Enlightening\_Meditation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enlightening_Meditation)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/25 "2017-05-22T16:56:50Z")
My favorite aspect of this song is the dual bass riffs performed by an acoustic upright bass and an electric bass (1 octave higher). The upright bass cuts through the mix better if one is listening via sound system equipped with a fat woofer for low frequency output and EQ adjusted accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/26 "2017-05-23T16:43:24Z")
Hey, babe–let’s take a walk on the [offended](https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2017/05/23/walk-on-the-wild-side-offends-guelph-college-students-lou-reed-friends-incredulous/) side. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/27 "2017-05-23T17:13:39Z")
> [@Enlightening\_Meditation](#): > > My favorite aspect of this song is the dual bass riffs performed by an acoustic upright bass and an electric bass (1 octave higher). The upright bass cuts through the mix better if one is listening via sound system equipped with a fat woofer for low frequency output and EQ adjusted accordingly. Not an octave higher - a third higher. It’s not difficult to play both parts at once on electric bass. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Sanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@Rick\_Sanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Sanchez)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/28 "2017-05-23T17:54:26Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Hey, babe–let’s take a walk on the [offended](https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2017/05/23/walk-on-the-wild-side-offends-guelph-college-students-lou-reed-friends-incredulous/) side. College students today are going to be the first generation of kids who are objectively less fun than their parents. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/29 "2017-05-23T18:04:40Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Not an octave higher - a third higher. It’s not difficult to play both parts at once on electric bass. A tenth higher. (But that’s an octave and a third, so similar kind of effect, just not as “muddy.”) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/30 "2017-05-23T18:13:07Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Hey, babe–let’s take a walk on the [offended](https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2017/05/23/walk-on-the-wild-side-offends-guelph-college-students-lou-reed-friends-incredulous/) side. Which shows a definite lack of a sense of history. WOTWS was about the first song that got mainstream play that prominently features LBGT people and the LBGT underground subculture of the era, and it’s obvious that Reed was fascinated by and sympathetic to that subculture and the people who lived it. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/31 "2017-05-23T18:18:53Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Which shows a definite lack of a sense of history. WOTWS was about the first song that got mainstream play that prominently features LBGT people and the LBGT underground subculture of the era, and it’s obvious that Reed was fascinated by and sympathetic to that subculture and the people who lived it. He lived a fair amount of it himself! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/32 "2017-05-23T18:33:37Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > He lived a fair amount of it himself! Also true! ---
**Author:** ![Enlightening\_Meditation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Enlightening\_Meditation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enlightening_Meditation)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/33 "2017-05-24T00:05:02Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Not an octave higher - a third higher. It’s not difficult to play both parts at once on electric bass. Someone is wrong on frequency…either my former bassist bandmate or you. I should do some listening homework. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/34 "2017-05-24T00:31:44Z")
> [@Enlightening\_Meditation](#): > > Someone is wrong on frequency…either my former bassist bandmate or you. I should do some listening homework. It’s both of you. Like I said, it’s a tenth. [Here it is from the guy who played it.](http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/10/28/herbie-flowers-the-story-behind-lou-reeds-walk-on-the-wild-side-bass-line/) ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/35 "2017-05-24T01:59:45Z")
I love that it was come up with on the spot by the session musician. And regardless of what he said I’m sure he totally did it to get double time for his 20 minutes work. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/36 "2017-05-24T03:36:12Z")
> [@Enlightening\_Meditation](#): > > Someone is wrong on frequency…either my former bassist bandmate or you. I should do some listening homework. Dear God, there’s bassist joke just laying there. Give me the strength to leave it there. Amen. Um, have a nice day! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/37 "2017-05-24T11:03:43Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s both of you. Like I said, it’s a tenth. [Here it is from the guy who played it.](http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/10/28/herbie-flowers-the-story-behind-lou-reeds-walk-on-the-wild-side-bass-line/) That was great! Thanks for sharing that clip. ---
**Author:** ![Enlightening\_Meditation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Enlightening\_Meditation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enlightening_Meditation)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/38 "2017-05-24T11:42:07Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > [QUOTE=Enlightening Meditation] > Someone is wrong on frequency…either my former bassist bandmate or you. I should do some listening homework. It’s both of you. Like I said, it’s a tenth. [Here it is from the guy who played it.](http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/10/28/herbie-flowers-the-story-behind-lou-reeds-walk-on-the-wild-side-bass-line/) [/QUOTE] There it is straight from the horse’s mouth. The electric bass riff is 10 notes (in the key…not chromatic) higher than the upright bass. A 10th is an octave above the 3rd, so a ‘3rd’ difference is correct to an extent if not specifying the octave. Thank you for posting the link. [QUOTE=dropzone] Dear God, there’s bassist joke just laying there. Give me the strength to leave it there. Amen. Um, have a nice day! [/QUOTE] Oh, don’t get me started. :smack::smack: To be fair, I’ve met plenty singers, drummers, and guitarists who were knuckleheads. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2017, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198/39 "2017-05-24T17:28:22Z")
Well, it made the front page of the Toronto Star. The student union at the University of Guelph has gained international attention — much of it negative — [for criticizing](https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/05/22/university-student-union-takes-a-walk-on-the-controversial-side-over-lou-reed-song.html) the classic rock song “Walk on the Wild Side” as “transphobic.” Disillusioned “university” youth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lou-reed-s-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/44198.md?page=1)