In my opinion Lou Reed's unsung classic. I don't know why critics seem to hate it so much.
Info
Artist: Lou Reed
Release Year: 1974
Producer: Steve Katz, Lou Reed
Track listing
- Ride Sally Ride
- Animal Language
- Baby Face
- N.Y. Stars
- Kill Your Sons
- Ennui
- Sally Can't Dance [* track pick]
- Billy
- Good Taste [Bonus Track on re-release]
- Sally Can't Dance (single version) [Bonus Track on re-release]
Critics over the years (since its release) have been incredibly harsh on Sally Can't Dance, with many citing it as his worst studio album! It doesn't really help with the fact that even Reed himself reportedly was less than pleased with the end product. But hey what do they know? The fact is there isn't a bad track on the album. The opener "Ride Sally Ride" is a perfect example. Maybe one of the most fun tracks to listen to on the album, it sets the scene perfectly for how the rest of the album is going to pan out. The latter half of the song is just great and a real joy, with all the horns and backing vocalists lifting the song to new places as they chant "ride sally ride" over and over again. The next track, "Animal Language", is odd and features some of the most peculiar lyrics Reed has ever put to music (which is quite a statement to say about Reed). Don't take that the wrong way, it is still a good song. The song describes a dog and then a cat dying and going to heaven and attempting to 'get it on'. You can see how these lyrics could be rather strange, take these for example: "And then the dog met the cat, the dog was hot and the cat was wet".
Another highlight of the album are the more slower ballads such as "Ennui" and "Billy". The latter of the two being the most heartfelt. It is a lovely little song led with acoustic guitar, and admittedly might have been better without all the horns in it but they don't make it bad. It is about a person talking about their friendship with a guy called Billy and about how they grew up together and then Billy went to war in Vietnam and when he came back "he wasn't quite the same". And then there is the heavier number "Kill Your Sons" which is maybe the most personal song on the album, referring back to the shock therapy Reed himself went through in his teenage years. A great song that Reed would return to later with a harsher delivery on his Live In Italy album.
And then there is the highlight of the album, the title track. Just a superb song! Some brilliant lyrics and its such a funky tune. Reed's vocals are great on this song with the horns and backing vocals from "Ride Sally Ride" returning. When it gets near the end and it starts chanting "sally can't dance" over and over again you don't want it to end. It could go on for hours and i wouldn't mind. As said, the definite highlight!
So all in all just a great Lou Reed album. Its not pretentious and doesn't try to be anything special but does end up being something quite special. Even the bonus tracks on the later reissue are good. "Good Taste" would have fit perfectly in the original album running order and the single edit of "Sally Can't Dance" is worth it in that it is shorter but contains a different vocal take.
If you take this album for what it is, you will find it a really enjoyable listen. Don't listen to what all those critics say! It may sound a bit cheap and trashy, but its brilliant! And what about the artwork. Just great, maybe in competition for the best Lou Reed album cover! The blond, trashy Reed with the big sunglasses sums the album up nicely. Does what it says on the tin if you like. Ok so maybe this album really deserves 4, maybe 4 and a half stars, but hey its my first review and a personal favourite of mine. It gets better with every listen. So thats why it gets five stars!
