The Velvet Underground: I'm Waiting for the Man Meaning

Song Released: 1973

I'm Waiting for the Man Lyrics

(Reed)

I'm waiting for my man
Twenty-six dollars in my hand
Up to Lexington, 125
Feel sick and dirty, more dead than alive
I'm waiting for my man

Hey, white boy, what you doin' uptown?
Hey, white boy, you chasin' our women around?
Oh pardon me...

1. anonymous

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   click a star to vote

   Mar 26th 2011 !⃝

   Anyone who's familiar with Lou Reed should right away realize what this is about but since no one's posted here it is anyways.
   
   
   "I'm waiting for my man
   Twenty-six dollars in my hand
   Up to Lexington, 125
   Feel sick and dirty, more dead than alive"
   
   - Waiting for my dealer near Lexington 125, have $26 and feeling really dopesick
   
   
   "Hey, white boy, what you doin' uptown?
   Hey, white boy, you chasin' our women around?
   Oh pardon me sir, it's the furthest from my mind
   I'm just lookin' for a dear, dear friend of mine "
   
   -I'm Lou Reed, been spotted as a white kid in a black neighborhood trying to score dope. Pass it off as meeting up with a buddy.
   
   "Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
   P.R. shoes and a big straw hat
   He's never early, he's always late
   First thing you learn is you always gotta wait"
   
   - Dealer finally comes, runs on "dealer time". Clever anecdote about waiting on drug dealers.
   
   "Up to a Brownstone, up three flights of stairs
   Everybody's pinned you, but nobody cares
   He's got the works, gives you sweet taste
   Ah then you gotta split because you got no time to waste "
   
   Watch into an apartment, people have know why your on this side of town but nobody cares. He's got needles (works) and hooks you up, you get high but have to run.
   
   "Baby don't you holler, darlin' don't you bawl and shout
   I'm feeling good, you know I'm gonna work it on out
   I'm feeling good, I'm feeling oh so fine
   Until tomorrow, but that's just some other time"
   
   Get home and girl starts pestering me for getting high. It's ok now because I'm high and fine.

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