I Can't Stand It

The Velvet Underground

It's hard being a man
Living in a garbage pail
My landlady called me up, oh
She tried to hit me with a mop

I can't stand it any more more
I can't stand it any more more, oh
I can't stand it any more more

But if baby would just come back, it'd be all right
Yeah, if baby would just come back, it would be all right
Come on, baby

I live with thirteen dead cats
A purple dog that wears spats
They're all living out in the hall
And I can't stand it any more

I can't stand it any more more
I can't stand it any more more
I can't stand it any more more

But if baby would just come back, it'd be all right
Oh, if baby would just come back, it would be all right
Be all right, now

Come on, baby

I'm tired of living all alone, yeah
Nobody ever calls me on the phone
But when things are getting better
I just play my music louder

I can't stand it any more more
I can't stand it any more more
I can't stand it any more more
I can't stand it, I can't stand it
I can't stand it, I can't stand it ...



Lyrics submitted by Dasch

I Can't Stand It Lyrics as written by Lou Reed

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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I Can't Stand It song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    In the second verse, the lyrics are:

    "I live with thirteen dead cats, a purple dog who wears spats..."

    distance88on April 30, 2009   Link
  • +2
    My Opinion

    y'know, i swear lou says "it's hard bein' a man" instead of "before bein' a man"..

    smashingyngmanon July 13, 2009   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I think shelly is a partner, not a drug, and the "garbage pail" is a metaphor for a cr@ppy apartment and the 13 dead cats and the purple dog in spats is a metaphor for his roommates and/or fellow tenants in the building. Lou is singing of a fellow whose partner dumped his @$$ and so the poor guy is living in a cr@ppy apartment being miserable

    CuteSparkinaon January 30, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love this song! How are there not any comments? The obvious literal meaning is that he wants his "Shelly" to come back and make everything better. Shelly could possibly also represent a drug that he desires...?

    Either way, great song!

    confinedinsanityon April 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think Shelly is his gay boyfriend... Lou Reed is gay.

    Boris the Spideron February 27, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Lou Reed is not gay. He has slept with men, but he was married twice and now lives with his girlfriend. He's said he wasn't even bisexual (as most people assume), but that he just got used to it and 'developed a taste for it'. So there.

    Coney_island_babyon April 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    hello, i was wondering if someone could send me this song... i accidently erased all my songs on my ipod, so... it would make me very happy :)

    mandarin_502on July 30, 2007   Link

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