Lou Reed Gets Serious About Great Lyrics And Jukebox Hits On New Playlist

When Lou Reed puts a dime in the jukebox he's likely to get far more than his money's worth. Rolling Stone asked the former singer and guitarist of the Velvet Underground to contribute to their Playlist Special and in turn, Reed selected most of his titles based on his high regard for their lyrics.

He describes these songs as the "cream of his mental jukebox," saying that "one of the beautiful things about rock is the no-kidding-around." Coming from a guy who we rarely see smile, that statement seems straight from the heart. Reed has taken a bad rap for being overly meticulous in the studio and his lyrics are usually heavy, as in, dark roast, hold the sugar heavy.

Take his new collaboration with Metallica. Whether you love it or hate it, 'Lulu' covers some serious and bold subjects, and that's before you even touch on the musical partnership aspect of it. Point is, Lou Reed has never been a lightweight. He's a street poet in a leather jacket with a head full of songs worth recommending.

He chooses two renowned lyricists when he picks Bob Dylan's 'Foot Of Pride' and John Lennon's heartfelt 'Mother,' calling the latter a "very brave recording." Reed also names 'The End Of The World' by Skeeter Davis the best bar song ever and he claims that 'Ooby Dooby' by Roy Orbison and Teen Kings "is rockabilly at it's best."

With 40 plus years of "no kidding around" songwriting under his belt, it's safe to say that Reed knows a thing or two about great lyrics (and out of tune guitars.) That makes his playlist a place to start some serious exploring.

Lou Reed's Great Lyrics and Jukebox Hits Playlist:

01. 'Smoke From Your Cigarette' - Lillian Lech & Mellows - 1955
02. 'Angel Baby' - Rosie And The Originals - 1960
03. 'The End Of The World' - Skeeter Davis - 1962
04. 'I Touch Myself' - Divinyls - 1991
05. 'Save The Last Dance For Me' - The Drifters - 1960
06. 'The Wanderer' - Dion - 1961
07. 'Hello Mary Lou' - Ricky Nelson - 1961
08. 'Ooby Dooby' - Roy Orbison and Teen Kings - 1956
09. 'Foot Of Pride - Bob Dylan - 1983
10. 'Mother' John Lennon