I'm Waiting for the Man
| "I'm Waiting for the Man" | |
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"I'm Waiting for the 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 and Nico.
The song chronicles a man purchasing 26 dollars worth of heroin in a Harlem brownstone near Lexington Avenue and 125th Street, the "man" in the song's title being a drug dealer. Along with traditional guitar, bass, and drums, the song also features pounding, percussive rock-and-roll "Barrelhouse"-style piano. It is one of the band's more popular songs, and one of their many compositions featuring drug abuse as subject matter. After leaving the band in 1970, Lou Reed continued to incorporate the song into his solo live performances. Reed does not often sing the song himself anymore.
In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #159 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[1][2]
Alternate versions
Ludlow Street Loft, July 1965
The song was among a set of early songs to be recorded by Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison in the band's Ludlow Street loft in Manhattan. This version of the song, free of percussion, has a considerably more folk and even blues influence in style than the album version. It is available on the first disc of the Peel Slowly and See box set.
Scepter Studios, April 1966
Before the final album version of the song was re-recorded at T.T.G. Studios, Hollywood, California, a different take of the song was originally recorded at Scepter Studios in New York City. This take of the song is slightly shorter, the piano is less audible and instead of drums, a tambourine is employed. Also of note is that Reed sings "I'm waiting for the man" at the beginning of the song. Through the album version, Reed sings "I'm waiting for my man."
Cover versions
Velvet Underground members Lou Reed, John Cale, Nico, and Maureen Tucker have all recorded solo versions of the song. Other artists who have recorded covers of it include Cheap Trick, Bauhaus (with Nico), David Bowie, Sheep on Drugs, The Celibate Rifles, Tom Robinson, The Riffs, Vanessa Paradis, Alberto Motta, Été 67, Eater, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Slaughter & The Dogs. Debbie Harry frequently ended her live sets with the song between 1989 and 1991. Zwan and late Smashing Pumpkins also incorporated the song in their live set list. The original recording was also included, in remixed form, on the 2 Many DJs compilation album As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2. San Francisco-based Tea Leaf Green covered the song during a performance at Moe's Alley Blues Club in Santa Cruz, California on December 15, 2005. In 1997, Bowie and Reed sang the song together live. This performance was recorded and used in the 1999 film Almost Famous.