Here she comes, you better watch your step
She's going to break your heart in two, it's true
It's not hard to realize
Just look into her false colored eyes
She builds you up to just put you down, what a clown

'Cause everybody knows
(She's a femme fatale)
The things she does to please
(She's a femme fatale)
She's just a little tease
(She's a femme fatale)
See the way she walks
Hear the way she talks

You're put down in her book
You're number thirty seven, have a look
She's going to smile to make you frown, what a clown
Little boy, she's from the street
Before you start, you're already beat
She's going to play you for a fool, yes it's true

'Cause everybody knows
(She's a femme fatale)
The things she does to please
(She's a femme fatale)
She's just a little tease
(She's a femme fatale)
See the way she walks
Hear the way she talks

'Cause everybody knows
(She's a femme fatale)
The things she does to please
(She's a femme fatale)
She's just a little tease
(She's a femme fatale)
Ooh ooh oh
(She's a femme fatale)
Ooh ooh oh



Lyrics submitted by capitol76

Track duration: 02:39

"Femme Fatale" as written by Lou Reed

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group

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Femme Fatale song meanings
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29 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:"Before you start, you're already beat"

    To know how it ends before it starts and still find yourself caught in their rapture = humility. No amount of intelligence and logic can overcome the human heart.
    Flag gradxon February 27, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:"Femme Fatale" is a song by The Velvet Underground (main singers at the time being Lou Reed and Nico).
    At Andy Warhol's request, LOU REED WROTE THE SONG ABOUT Warhol's superstar EDIE SEDGWICK.

    The lyrics do not portray Edie as being "mean." She was a poor little rich girl who came from an extremely wealthy but also extremely MESSED UP family.. Warhol finding her, being enchanted by her; Edie was his muse until he decided she got too much into drugs (that he initially supplied at all of his Warehouse parties).

    Lyrics in the song, such as "She's going to break your heart in two" -- well everyone loved her and couldn't have her so of course that was true. "The things she does to please" regards Warhol because she did things beyond her comfort zone to please him. And the part about "little boy she's from the street" is a joke. As I said before she was rolling in wealth.. but she carelessly spent it and became a junkie due to Warhol and his environment. He used her as long as he needed her, then she was helpless and hopeless. Broke. And she didn't go around sleeping with guys. Guess that's why they called her a tease. But when they refer to "your number 37, have a look." That I believe is hearts she's broken not people she has slept with.

    There is a book called "EDIE" by Jean Stein & George Plimpton.
    Check it out at the library or buy it. I found mine at Goodwill years ago and there were several copies.

    Flag LamentingHarloton February 18, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm aware that the song is about that type of soulless woman...but in the context of Lou Reed's experiences with Heroin, one could also make a pretty rational metaphorical comparison to the drug in this song. As if Lou Reed was unconsciously writing about Heroin even though he was intending to write about this woman.
    Flag AndrewVSon June 12, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Everyone is a bitch to everyone they want and can't have. Or to things they can not control. This song is classic. Femme Fatale is so true, and beautiful. :)
    Flag Italion December 06, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i got a live version of this 'live at max's kansas city', he explains what the song is about at the beggining, pretty much what y'all been saying - bout someone whose just awful to you etc

    the best thing though is just as they start he says "this is also the first song that we ever wrote that had an augmented chord" haha classic
    Flag RambleOnon February 03, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:andy warhol asked lou reed to write a song about edie and her enchanting looks and where it gets her, then lou gave it to nico, deciding it would sound better with a female voice

    but andy was a bitch to edie
    Flag aunaturaleon January 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It is about Edie, yes. And I would say that there might be a lot of truth in the song, not in the sense that she was a mean and awful person, but that behind that mask of playing the femme fatale, she was a very sad and very lost person...
    I mean, if you start at "The things she does to please, She's just a little tease" part, it bathes the rest of the lyrics in a different light.
    Just my intepretation, though...
    Flag pixiethingon October 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:what's a "klaun"?
    Flag theegoist1917on May 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I cant believe you dont like the accent SML. Its perfect. Nobody can attract you like a sexy blonde German woman who seems to spell danger. And when she uses that "Ice Queen" accent to get aloof and put you off--well you arent going to get anywhere. I met a woman like that about a year ago and Im still not over her.
    Flag Fingle Nimberson June 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:As a few of you already mentioned it's about Edie. A request from Warhol. Although Dylan wrote Like A Rolling Stone in 1965 before they had their fling, so that is false.
    Flag ohioghoston May 24, 2007   Link

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